Twelve Desperate Miles, Tim Brady
Twelve Desperate Miles, Tim Brady
List: $29.95 | Sale: $20.97
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Twelve Desperate Miles
The Epic World War II Voyage of the SS Contessa

Author: Tim Brady

Narrator: Joe Barrett

Unabridged: 9 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/01/2012

Synopsis

The Dirty Dozen meets Band of Brothers in this true story of how a rusty old New Orleans banana boat staffed with an unlikely crew of international merchant seamen, a gang of inmates from a local jail, and a French harbor pilot spirited out of Morocco by OSS agents in the trunk of a Chevy, were drafted into service in WWII—and heroically succeeded in setting the stage for Patton’s epic invasion of North Africa. While portraying the ship’s journey day by day and describing its colorful crew, Twelve Desperate Miles chronicles the overall November 1942 invasion of Axis forces and its aftermath, as well as the critical but unsung role played by the Contessa.

About Tim Brady

Tim Brady is the award-winning author of The Great Dan Patch and The Remarkable Mr. Savage and is also a regular contributor to PBS history documentaries. Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, he is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and currently writes for History Channel Magazine, Minnesota, and Minnesota Monthly.

About Joe Barrett

Joe Barrett, an actor and Audie Award and Earphones Award–winning narrator, has appeared both on and off Broadway as well as in hundreds of radio and television commercials.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Chris on November 05, 2022

I listened to the audiobook and it wasn’t that good. It’s much too long for the story it told and could have been shortened by half in my opinion. A whole chapter was devoted to the movie Casablanca which while I understand why it was added it was far too detailed and too long and a few more paragra......more

Goodreads review by Mark on April 25, 2012

My WSJ review: [URL not allowed] Historians have so thoroughly fished the drama of World War II that it is hard to believe the subject still has prize catches to offer up, but here comes a keeper: Tim Brady's "Twelve Desperate Miles," about Operation Torch in November 1942, when......more

Goodreads review by Ellen on March 20, 2022

This one took me a while to finish. Didn't really love the writing and it took a while to move things along. Just not compellingly written. I wanted to like it more because it is a true story with many moving parts.......more

Goodreads review by A.L. on March 23, 2022

This is a story about a banana boat manned by a bunch of jailbirds. (It’s actually more than that, but that image was my favorite part of the book.) Why a banana boat? Well, when US forces planned their landings near Casablanca to take place in late 1942, they wanted access to an airfield. And to su......more

Goodreads review by John on April 02, 2013

It's been a while since I read a book with a military theme, but my curiosity was piqued by the following blurb on the book's jacket cover: The Dirty Dozen meets Band of Brothers in this true story of how a rusty old New Orleans banana boat and an unlikely crew of international merchant seamen, a gan......more

Quotes

“Historians have so thoroughly fished the drama of World War II that it is hard to believe the subject still has prize catches to offer up, but here comes a keeper…[Tim Brady] conveys the campaign in an almost novelistic way, bringing seemingly disparate figures and incidents into an engaging narrative…[He] tells the story in a style that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.” Wall Street Journal

“Tim Brady’s yarn of the Contessa and her role in one of the most crucial episodes in WWII will delight military buffs and those looking for a well-written page turner.” Alex Kershaw, author of The Bedford Boys and The Longest Winter

“Joe Barrett proves the perfect choice to narrate this military thriller. His delivery celebrates the drama of every personal and tactical plot twist.” AudioFile

“[A] tension-filled, exciting story of the invasion and the Contessa’s role in it. This is an excellent recounting of an obscure but important episode of World War II.” Booklist

“An entertaining story of individual heroism, which Brady surrounds by an equally entertaining account of the North African invasion, the largest amphibious operation in history at the time.” Kirkus Reviews

Awards

  • AudioFile Earphones Award
  • Audie Award Finalist
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