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Travel Adventure

Into the Abyss

How a Deadly Plane Crash Changed the Lives of a Pilot, a Politician, a Criminal and a Cop

by (author) Carol Shaben

Publisher
Random House of Canada
Initial publish date
Sep 2013
Category
Adventure, Personal Memoirs, General
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780307360236
    Publish Date
    Sep 2013
    List Price
    $22.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781455545629
    Publish Date
    May 2013
    List Price
    $10.99 USD

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Description

In the tradition of Into Thin Air and The Perfect Storm comes the riveting account of a deadly plane crash in northern Canada and its aftermath. Written by an award-winning journalist who is the daughter of one of the survivors, Into the Abyss is a dramatic true story of survival, and a compassionate account of 4 men's journey from the depths of tragedy to the riches of lives begun anew.
On an icy night in October 1984, a Piper Navajo commuter plane carrying 9 passengers crashed in the remote wilderness of northern Alberta, killing 6 people. 4 survived: the rookie pilot, a prominent politician, a cop and the criminal he was escorting to face charges. As they fought through the night to stay alive, the dividing lines of power, wealth and status were erased and each man was forced to confront the precious and limited nature of his existence. The survivors forged unlikely friendships and through them found strength and courage to rebuild their lives. Into the Abyss is a powerful narrative that combines in-depth reporting with sympathy and grace to explore how a single, tragic event can upset our assumptions and become a catalyst for transformation.

About the author

Contributor Notes

CAROL SHABEN is the author of Into the Abyss: How a Deadly Plane Crash Changed the Lives of a Pilot, a Politician, a Criminal and a Cop, a national bestseller and winner of the Edna Staebler Creative Non-Fiction Award. She has been nominated for 3 National Magazine Awards, including Best New Magazine Writer, and has won 2 of them, a Gold Medal for Investigative Reporting and a Silver Medal for Politics and Public Interest. A former international trade consultant and CBC writer/broadcaster, Shaben was 22, living and working as a journalist in the Middle East, when the crash occurred. She learned of the event, and her father's survival, reading a local newspaper.

Editorial Reviews

"Absorbing.... Shaben's gripping narrative seizes the reader from the first chapter.... Shaben, an award-winning investigative reporter, paints a compelling picture of the lax regulations and pressure-cooker atmosphere surrounding commuter aircrafts."
—Toronto Star
"Riveting."
—Chatelaine
"Impressive."
—Calgary Herald

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