438 Days

One man's incredible story of survival against all odds

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438 Days

By: Jonathan Franklin

Narrated by: George Newbern

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About this listen

The incredible true survival story of fisherman Salvador Alvarenga – and his record-breaking fourteen months lost at sea.

On 17th November, 2012, Salvador Alvarenga left the coast of Mexico for a two-day fishing trip. A vicious storm killed his engine and the current dragged his boat out to sea. The storm picked up and carried him West, deeper into the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Alvarenga would not touch solid ground again for fourteen months.

When he was washed ashore on January 30th, 2014, he had drifted over 9,000 miles.

Not one ship stopped for him. He considered suicide on multiple occasions – including offering himself up to a pack of circling sharks. But Alvarenga developed a method of survival that kept his body and mind intact long enough for the Pacific Ocean to spit him up onto a remote palm-studded island.

Based on extensive interviews with Alvarenga, his colleagues, search and rescue officials, and the people who saved his life, 438 Days by Jonathan Franklin is an epic, inspirational tale of survival – and one man's incredible story of beating the ultimate odds.

For readers of Touching the Void and In the Heart of the Sea.

'A fascinating, action-packed account of long-term survival on the open seas' – Kirkus Reviews

Adventurers, Explorers & Survival

Sailing

Sailing & Boating

Water Sports

Survival

Inspiring

Fishing

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Critic reviews

A fascinating, action-packed account of long-term survival on the open seas

Most relevant

Really enjoyed the journey this takes you on, if you start , you'll want to see it through
The performance isn't outstanding but I've heard some that can ruin a story...this isn't one of them. The story left me with just a little bit of doubt about whether the main character had actually been through the ordeal... many people doubted that he had, including his dead crewman's family, but at the same time left me thinking that it would be a complete travesty to devalue the feat if he genuinely DID survive all that time as is described in the book. Highly recommend you listen and make up your own mind