An Astonishing Survival Story ✮✮✮✮✮

Left for Dead, by Pete Nelson, is a thrilling non-fiction account of the sinking of the World War II warship (The Indianapolis), and the subsequent naval court-martial of the ship's captain. Amazingly, an 11-year old boy's history project more than 50 years later was the catalyst for revisiting the court-martial decision.

If you know of a mature young reader aged 12-up who is interested in World War II history, please recommend this book to them. Do prepare them by letting them know that the descriptions of the survivors clinging for life and avoiding the sharks in the ocean in the aftermath of the sinking are pretty gruesome. And finally, remind them that every year there are fewer and fewer survivors left to talk about this fascinating part of our history.