Teens and adults are welcome to hear journalist Alison O'Leary discuss her new book, Abandon Ship! The True World War II Story About the Sinking of the Laconia.

About the book:

A plume of sooty smoke spewed from HMS Laconia's single stack as she left Cape Town, South Africa in September, 1942. The ship, filled to the brim with nearly 3,000 people, was sailing to Britain, hoping to avoid German U-boats hunting close to Africa's western coast. Passengers felt the ship's exhaust was ominous but tried to stay upbeat.

On September 12, 1942 the ship shuddered with the impact of the first German torpedo -- then another! Passengers ran for their lifeboats, only to find that many were damaged and useless. Deep in the ship's holds, men fought and prayed, screaming for guards to let them out of the cages they were held in. These 1,800 Italian prisoners of war, thin and weak from low rations, had little chance of survival when they jumped from the sinking ship -- until the German submarine crew stopped to save them.

This incredible true story of the war is told in the words of the youthful passengers and soldiers aboard. It includes photos of the event, taken at sea as German U-boats saved Laconia prisoners and passengers alike.

About Alison:

Author Alison O'Leary is a longtime journalist who has worked for newspapers from Austin, Texas to Reno, Nevada; Bath, Maine and suburban Boston. She was a correspondent for the Boston Globe, editor of The Boston Parents' Paper and skirt! magazines.