Book review: "Last Man Off" by Matt Lewis

Ah, the joy of fishing on the open sea: A light breeze tousling your hair, the sun warming your face, your mind free from everyday concerns.

That might be a nice trip, but it'd be a pretty boring book.

Then there's the fishing trip in "Last Man Off" by Matt Lewis, the true story of how a ferocious storm, combined with human error and selfishness, put a boatload of men in a desperate fight for survival. It is one of the best books I've ever read.

"Last Man Off" is the story of the Sudur Havid, a South African fishing boat that sank during a 1998 trip into the frigid Southern Ocean.

Lewis was 23 years old at the time, a recently graduated marine biologist, when he came on board the Sudur Havid as an "observer." His job was to make sure the boat's fishing practices followed the law.

There was little to make the trip pleasant from the start. With 38 men on board, the Sudur Havid's cramped conditions were accompanied the persistent odors of diesel, sweat and fish.

Lewis introduces many of the key characters -- including Bubbles, the captain -- early in the book. As much as I like the book, Lewis could have done better distinguishing some of the key players. There are a lot of names and it's sometime hard to keep them straight. Helpfully, he does include a list of the crew at the front of the book for reference.

It's in the middle section of the book, describing the sinking, where Lewis' writing really shines. As the storm moves in, tossing the boat around like a toy and the crew struggles to deal with encroaching water, a rough trip suddenly become a life-or-death situation. Lewis describes each moment in vivid detail.

I don't want to give away too much, but like a car crash, the story is both horrifying and riveting. You can't look away, and each page brings fresh surprises. My mouth was literally agape as I read..

In the final section, Lewis recounts the aftermath of the sinking and smartly analyzes what we wrong. While the storm and the boat design were factors, he doesn't disguise his disgust for certain members of the crew who failed to help during the high-seas crisis, perhaps dooming the Sudar Havid.

I rarely go back and read a book a second time -- there are so many good stories to read out there, after all -- but there is so much that happens so fast in "Last Man Off" that I felt like I couldn't absorb it all. I'm going to put on the shelf for now, but some day soon I'll pick it up and read it again.