The Luckiest Thirteen: A True Story of a Battle for Survival in the North Atlantic

By Brian W. Lavery

Category: All Books, Non-fiction

Formats available: Paperback, Ebook

Pages: 256

Publication date: 24/10/23

ISBN-13: 9781909954861

ISBN-10: 1909954861

A relentless nautical drama that would define, or end, men’s lives.

The English port city of Hull was home to ‘three day millionaires’ – trawlermen on brief shore leave. They were spilling cash from record catches. With months out working fierce seas, who knew if the next trip would be their last?

The St Finbarr was set to change all that.

She was built as the perfect trawler, no cost spared. She was the future of the industry. She was on her thirteenth voyage.

The Grand Banks, Christmas Day 1966.

No holiday for the crew. They weren’t fishing. They were battling for their lives. Who can survive a fireball at sea? The families of the crew had a cruel wait to find out. Ships hit the fierce seas off Newfoundland to join a two-day rescue mission. From first sparks to gut-wrenching heroics, The Luckiest Thirteen tracks a true story from the far reaches of what fishermen can do.

Reviews

'Brian W Lavery is the fishermen's clarion.'

- Retired skipper Ray Hawker, a technical adviser to the author

'Brian’s book is both sad and happy for me – a tribute to the young man I loved and the men he sailed with – a tragedy recalled – but a love story too. I was glad he told our story.'

- Jill Long-Taylor-Harrison – widowed as teenaged pregnant young mom by the St Finbarr disaster

'Another epic story from Brian W. Lavery - very well told, with some beautifully crafted detail. You really feel like you're there on that sinking, blazing ship -and you can't get off!'

- – Steve Humphries, documentary filmmaker and historian, Testimony Films, Bristol, UK

'With the novelist's eye for drama and the historian's eye for detail, no one writes Hull's recent history like Brian Lavery.'

- Nick Quantrill, Hull-based crime writer, arts commentator, critic and sports journalist

'Brian W. Lavery brings a journalist's eye for detail to a superbly realized tale of courage, loss and exceptional bravery. This is an important book, powerful, heart-breaking and triumphant.'

- David Mark, internationally acclaimed crime writer, Cruel Mercy, Dark Winter, The Zealot's Bones

'A gripping story, told with eloquence and empathy, displaying again the filmic quality which makes Brian W. Lavery’s writing so special.'

- Alan Johnson, award-winning author of This Boy, served as Home Secretary (2009-2010)

Brian W. Lavery

Brian W Lavery spent 25 years in various senior roles in journalism before undertaking a first-class joint honours degree (English and Creative Writing) and a doctorate in creative writing at Hull. His prose includes the books The Luckiest Thirteen (2017) and The Headscarf Revolutionaries (2015), the latter of which gave rise to the song cycle 12 Silk Handkerchiefs written by radical musician Reg Meuross with which Brian toured the UK, backed by Arts Council (England).  The Headscarf Revolutionaries was also featured in the BBC4 documentary, Hull’s Headscarf Heroes (2018) and has been highlighted in two Radio 4 documentaries and two programmes …

Related News & Articles

History Camp in Conversation with Brian Lavery

  Barbican’s own Brian Lavery was recently interviewed by Lee Wright and Mary Adams of History Camp, discussing Brian’s latest book The Luckiest Thirteen. Click below to watch the full VOD.   Many thanks to the New England team at History Camp for this spotlight!   https://historycamp.org/brian-w-lavery-the-luckiest-thirteen-a-true-story-of-a-battle-for-survival-in-the-north-atlantic/

The Luckiest Thirteen Returns!

The Luckiest Thirteen, Brian W. Lavery’s prequel to the sensational Headscarf Revolutionaries, sets sail across the Atlantic in a new edition for an explosive release in the USA and Canada. UK readers get some of the action too – this is re-vamped with a new cover and subtitle. THE LUCKIEST …

Writing True Stories of Seafolk and the Sea – A conversation with Brian W. Lavery

You live on Hessle Road in Hull, albeit on the posh end. How does it help you as a writer, living in the community you are writing about? Being able to ‘walk’ the setting for my books is invaluable. Even though much has changed in some parts, there are still …