The 2023 Pick Is In!

A Speck in the Sea: A Story of Survival and Rescue by John Aldridge and Anthony Sosinski

Two veteran sailors who co-own and operate a Montauk lobster boat recount the 2013 search-and-rescue mission for co-author John Aldridge, describing how his partner, their families, the local fishing community, and the U.S. Coast Guard in three states mobilized an unprecedented and ultimately successful operation.

Why A Speck in the Sea?

~“… the book takes readers into the water with Aldridge as he shares first-person accounts of shark encounters and the mind games he played while clinging to his rubber boots to stay afloat. Sections written in the third person recount the immense battle the U.S. Coast Guard, search-and-rescue aircraft, and a slew of volunteers (including singer Jimmy Buffet) waged against time to find Aldridge before the ocean claimed him. A rich backstory—including complicated personal lives and deep family histories—adds depth to this page turner.” – PW Annex Reviews

~This title offers a variety of topics and themes which lend themselves to programming and book discussions, including commercial fishing, lobstering, marine search and rescue, trauma, and the history and future of Long Island maritime communities.

~A Speck in the Sea is available in hardcover, audio CD, ebook and downloadable audiobook formats.

~Long Island Reads will honor John and Anthony at a ceremony in April 2023, ten years after John’s rescue.

~Learn more about A Speck in the Sea and reserve your copy now:

Nassau County

Suffolk County

~The Long Island Reads committee will honor John and Anthony in person at a ceremony in April 2023, ten years after John’s rescue.

~Tickets will be available beginning April 1.