Michael J. Tougias

Quiet Places will delight both the active explorer and the armchair traveler as the author blends practical travel information with history, wildlife, and personal anecdotes. He takes the reader through old-growth forests, across bubbling brooks, into dark, narrow chasms, and in search of the best village greens. Focusing on unspoiled places, he covers the state from the Northern Berkshires and towns along the Housatonic River to the trails near spectacular Quabbin Reservoir to the rocky coast of Cape Ann.Each of the 16 trips details what you might see along the way, where to find the cosiest B&B, and fascinating details of local history. Phone numbers are also included. Come discover some of Massachusetts' secret spots and learn what makes them so special.WaterfallsRomantic hideawaysScenic backroadsFavorite B&BsLesser-know historic sitesHiking and biking trailsWildlife watchingSecluded hilltopsBest birding spotsBoat cruisesFascinating history

A true story of catastrophe and survival at sea. One November morning in 1980, two small lobster boats set out for Georges Bank, a bountiful but perilous fishing ground 130 miles off the Massachusetts coast. The forecast was for typical fall weather--but a colossal storm was brewing to the southeast, a maelstrom the National Weather Service did not accurately locate until the boats were already in its grip. Battered by sixty-foot waves and hurricane-force winds, the crews struggled heroically, but the storm soon crippled one boat and overturned the other, trapping its crew inside. One man managed to crawl inside a tiny inflatable life raft and spent more than fifty terrifying hours adrift on the stormy open sea. That day, brave men and women from the Coast Guard and the crew of a nearby fishing boat imperiled their own lives in order to save the lives of others.--From publisher description.

It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation for a hard-working lawyer and his wife, but one slip and what began as and adventure quickly became terrifying. When Mitch Gordon opened his eyes to find his wife missing in the middle of the ocean, he began to panic. He was seventy miles from Tahiti on a forty-foot ketch and no there was no sign of help. Join Hank Serals, the creator of JAWS 2 and JAWS THE REVENGE in this beautiful but frightening tale of love, trust and survival.

xiii, 220 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm1090L Lexile

King Philip’s War is Ellis and Morris’ renowned story of the uprising that occurred after more than a half-century of peaceful co-existence with the English settlers. Metacomet, son of Massasoit of the Wampanoag tribe, led an uprising in 1675 that would later be known as King Philip’s War. The Natives’ resistance to increased English demand for food, land and the acceptance of English laws finally escalated into open revolt. The Nipmuck, Narragansett and Wampanoag tribes united to preserve their way of life in a doomed fight that killed hundreds of colonists and thousands of natives. Using original colonial documents, the authors researched published and unpublished archives and correspondence creating King Philips War. Though these pages the reader can relive the battles that eventually led to the demise of the Indian way of life in this era.

Look no further for the real-life adventure of the year! The Finest Hours is a rousing page-turner, a fascinating history, and an inspiring ode to the courage and professionalism of men who face bitter winds and black mountainous seas... all to do a dangerous job. Put it on the shelf next to The Perfect Storm. That's where it belongs -- William Martin, New York Times Best Selling author of Cape Cod and The Lost Constitution In February of 1952, eighty-four men were in danger of drowning off the coast of Cape Cod when a ferocious Nor’easter split their ships in two. The Finest Hours recounts the incredible heroism of the Coast Guard, who risked their lives to save others. A gripping read! - James Bradley, author of Flags of our Fathers & Flyboys The true story of an incredible disaster and heroic rescue at sea by two masterful storytellers. Michael Tougias proved his mettle with his breathtaking Fatal Forecast. Casey Sherman terrified readers with his true-crime account of the Boston Strangler, A Rose for Mary. Now these storytelling talents combine to bring forth a work brimming with excitement and suspense, and packed with gripping authentic descriptions of an actual Coast Guard rescue adventure. In the winter of 1952, a ferocious Nor’easter pounded New England with howling winds and seventy-foot seas. Caught in the violent storm just off Cape Cod were two oil tankers, split in half by the ravaging winds and water. Thus began a life and death drama of heroism, survival, and tragedy. Eighty-four lives were at stake, not all would survive the storm. Going to the rescue of the Pendleton were four young Coast Guard men in a thirty-six-foot life boat—a potential suicide mission in such a small vessel. Several cutters and small boats raced to the sinking sections of the Fort Mercer, and valiant rescue attempts were undertaken: some successful, some not. However, that the brave crews lived to tell about this dramatic mission, and that they were able to rescue any survivors in their small boat, is perhaps the biggest miracle of all. Praise for Michael J. Tougias: “Tougias spins a marvelous and terrifying yarn…This is a breathtaking book.” —Los Angeles Times, on Fatal Forecast Praise for Casey Sherman: “Chillingly realistic and exhaustively researched…this is a must read for true crime aficionados.”—Booklist, on A Rose for Mary Michael J. Tougias is author of Fatal Forecast, and a much sought after lecturer. He lives in Franklin, Massachusetts. Casey Sherman is the author of the acclaimed true crime thriller A Rose for Mary. He’s been nominated for an Emmy Award and has been profiled by the New York Times, People, Newsweek, and Entertainment Weekly. He lives Marshfield, Massachusetts.