Matt Lewis

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Last Man Off

Penguin Shop: 3 Clothbound Classics for £33

This is brilliant . . Told with terrifying detail and heartfelt compassion

A story that reminds us of the unforgiving nature of the sea and the courage that lies within the everyday heroes that have found themselves in hell

A dramatic tale of survival in one of the most brutal situations on earth. Feels like reading the diary of a doomed man . . . so personal and chillingly real; totally takes you there in a way that is not always comfortable

Reads like a sinister version of The Perfect Storm...Thrilling, compelling, unsettling, rewarding . . . This breakneck race of a book isn't just required reading for fans of waterborne peril; Harvard MBAs could also scour the pages as a case study in dysfunctional workplaces and woeful man management. It's like the Perfect Storm, but with gruesomely, even murderously, imperfect people

A heart-thumping tale of tragedy and survival - minus the Hollywood ending

A thrilling, horrifying and compelling portrait of human survival. Colossal terror unfolds on every page

For his compelling account of the hardships of fishing in remote Antarctic waters, and of what it means to abandon ship in a severe storm with inadequate equipment and a crew unprepared for survival. The book is objective but non-judgmental in its descriptiveness, so heightening the true sense of disaster. The style makes the book accessible to a wide public, but it is also essential reading for seafarers, fishermen and yachtsmen, as it concerns attitudes to safety and survival. A truly life-affirming and influential work.

The Mountbatten Maritime Award for best literary contribution - Certificate of Merit

A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Antarctic Seas

In the depths of Antarctic winter, hundreds of miles from land or rescue, a small fishing boat is swallowed by waves as high as houses. 
 
The captain is fatally slow to act, and then paralyzed by fear. The officers flee for their lives. Only the actions of Matt Lewis, a 23-year-old British marine biologist and one of the most inexperienced men aboard, will save the lives of the South African crew. 
 
Lewis is the last man off the sinking boat, and leads the escape onto three life rafts. There the battle for survival begins.

A True Story of Disaster, Survival and One Man's Ultimate Test

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER 
 
A brilliantly written, hour-by-hour account of an ocean tragedy and the inexperienced marine biologist who saved the ship's crew. 
 _____________________________ 
 
 The waters of Antarctica, June 6th 1998. 23-year-old Matt Lewis has just started his dream job. An observer aboard a deep-sea fishing boat, he is mesmerized by his new surroundings: glistening icebergs, killer whales and majestic albatross. 
 
 As the crew haul in their lines for the day, the waves seem bigger than usual - they are casting shadows on the deck. A storm is brewing. 
 
 What follows is an astonishing story of human courage, folly and tragedy. With the captain missing, and the crew forced to abandon ship, Lewis leads the escape onto three life rafts, where the battle for survival begins. 
 
As heard on BBC Radio 4, this true story will be enjoyed by readers of classics such as A Perfect Storm and Touching the Void, as well as fans of Deadliest Catch, Captain Phillips and 127 Hours. 
_____________________________ 
 
'Reads like a sinister version of The Perfect Storm . . . Thrilling, compelling, unsettling, rewarding' Sunday Times 
 
 'A story that reminds us of the unforgiving nature of the sea and the courage that lies within the everyday heroes that have found themselves in hell' Bear Grylls

In the depths of winter, hundreds of miles from land or rescue, a fishing boat fights for its life in swells as high as houses. 
 
For Matt Lewis, a 23-year-old British marine biologist, it had been his dream first job. Working on the Antarctic seas alongside a toughened South African crew, he is mesmerised by daily life on board the boat. 
 
Lewis watches with awe as a fishing line of 15,000 hooks is baited, discharged and retrieved each day to catch fearsome abyssal predators. Each fish, equipped with razor-sharp teeth and weighing up to 100kg, is hauled overboard by the crew with three-metre-long bamboo gaffs. He is equally dazzled by the glistening icebergs, towering waves, soaring albatross and majestic penguins and killer whales that surround the boat. 
 
But when a massive storm engulfs the boat and she falters, Lewis's dream job turns into a nightmare. The Skipper refuses to act to save his ship, even when the crew are almost swept overboard and the hull begins to flood. 
 
What follows is an astonishing story of human courage, folly and tragedy. When the boat's officers disappear, and the captain suffers a heart attack, Lewis rallies the crew to escape onto three life rafts, despite being one of the most inexperienced men aboard. He is the last man off the sinking ship and his actions will save numerous lives. 
 
But the battle for survival has only just begun. With the light fading and snow falling, Lewis's raft begins to take on water in freezing conditions. No-one knows if rescue is on its way. Thirty-eight men set out. How many will return? 
 
Last Man Off is an hour-by-hour true story of adventure, disaster and miraculous rescue. It will leave you fascinated, terrified and inspired.

Matt Lewis was born in Bristol, England, in 1974. He trained as a marine biologist first at Bangor University and then at Aberdeen University. He now lives with his wife and two children in Aberdeen. Last Man Off is Matt's first book.

Last Man Off

A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Antarctic Seas

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