Last Man Out

Melissa Fay Greene tells the gripping story of the 1958 Nova Scotia mine collapse, when 75 miners were killed and others trapped for six days without food, water, light, or communication. Henry Strozier's narration is impeccable. When focusing on the trapped miners, he uses a gruff, yet patient voice that simply "fits." After the miners' rescue, the book describes the free trip to Jekyll Island given to each man by the state of Georgia as a marketing gimmick. Unbeknownst to the racist Georgia government, one miner was black, and the island segregated. Strozier superbly conveys the mixed emotions of the miners and government officials, using subtle changes in pace and tone. Last Man Out is a marvelous story of courage and decency, proving again that Greene is one of our finest authors of dramatic nonfiction. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine