Sole Survivor, Norman Ollestad
Sole Survivor, Norman Ollestad
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Sole Survivor

Author: Norman Ollestad, Brendan Kiely

Narrator: Patrick Mealey

Unabridged: 4 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 10/28/2025


Synopsis

Eleven-year-old Norman Ollestad is no stranger to extreme situations. Whether it's surfing big swells off Topanga Beach or skiing in a blizzard, he has braved one adrenaline-rush adventure after another, pushed by his thrill-seeking father to realize that "anything's possible." And with Dad by his side, sometimes Norman believes him.

That motto is put to the ultimate test when the small plane Norman and his dad are aboard is engulfed by a snowstorm and crashes in the San Gabriel Mountains―with deadly consequences. Struggling in and out of lucidity, haunted by the voices and memories from difficult moments in his past, Norman must decide what to do while trapped eight thousand feet above sea level, facing dangers unlike any he has encountered before.

Inspired by the harrowing true childhood experience of author Norman Ollestad, this astonishing, action-packed story, co-written with Brendan Kiely, is about fear, survival, and the complicated forces―and people―that shape us. Fast-paced and unputdownable, Sole Survivor is perfect for fans of Dusti Bowling's The Canyon’s Edge, Megan E. Freeman's Alone, and the I Survived series.

About Norman Ollestad

Norman Ollestad studied creative writing at UCLA and attended UCLA Film School. He grew up on Topanga Beach in Malibu and now lives in Venice, California. He is the father of a nine-year-old son.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Margaret Elisabeth on May 29, 2025

This is an amazing true-story survival tale of an 11-year-old boy who must make his way to safety after his plane crashes on an icy mountain. It was a fast read and I really enjoyed hearing about how the author had the mental toughness and skill to survive even though everyone else in the crash was......more

Goodreads review by Diana on October 12, 2025

Gutsy and Gut-Wrenching Norman Ollestad’s survival story is nothing short of astonishing—especially considering he endured the plane crash and mountain descent as a sixth-grader. His will to survive is both humbling and inspiring. Several moments left me gasping at the sheer brutality of his experien......more

Goodreads review by Zan on November 19, 2025

Eleven-year-old Norman Ollestad is no stranger to extreme danger. Whether it’s surfing big swells off Topanga Beach or skiing in a blizzard, his thrill-seeking father hurls him from one adrenaline rush to another, pushing his son to realize that “anything’s possible.” And with Dad by his side, somet......more

Goodreads review by Sandy on November 27, 2025

I'm not quite sure what to say... Authors Ollestad and Kiely have crafted what feels like an adventure survival story, but to know that this is Ollestad's *real life* just shook me to my core. To read how he, as an eleven-year-old, survived a horrific helicopter crash that took the life of his fathe......more

Goodreads review by Glenna on January 07, 2026

Little Norm tells the story of the plane crash in the San Gabriel mountains that he survived, but that killed the pilot and his father, and ultimately, the other passenger, his father's girlfriend. Told in a series of flashbacks, Norm details his father's zest for life in surfing and skiing as well......more