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Into the Abyss: How a Deadly Plane Crash Changed the Lives of a Pilot, a Politician, a Criminal and a Cop
by
Carol Shaben
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. Four survived: the rookie pilot, a prominent politician, a cop, and the criminal he was escorting to face charges. Despite the poor weather, Erik Vogel, the 24-year-old pilot, was under intense pressure to fly--a situa...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
October 16th 2012
by Random House Canada
(first published September 1st 2012)
Win a Copy of This Book
Into the Abyss: An Extraordinary True Story
by Carol Shaben
by Carol Shaben
Release
date: May 21, 2013
On an icy night in October 1984, a commuter plane carrying nine passengers crashed in the remote wilderness of northern Alberta, killing six people. F…more
Giveaway dates:
Apr 09
- May 22, 2013
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By Carol Shaben. Grade: B+.
They say reality is stranger than fiction. That is exactly what I had in mind when I said yes to this account of a plane crash and the subsequent events that took place in 1984.
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. Four survived: the rookie pilot, a prominent politician, a cop, and the criminal he was escorting to face charges. Despite the poor weather...more
They say reality is stranger than fiction. That is exactly what I had in mind when I said yes to this account of a plane crash and the subsequent events that took place in 1984.
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. Four survived: the rookie pilot, a prominent politician, a cop, and the criminal he was escorting to face charges. Despite the poor weather...more
What an absolutely amazing story and an amazing book. Carol Shaben is without doubt one of the most talented writers I have encountered in a long time. The story of the plan crash and the four survivors is gripping in itself and her presentation of the events and personalities involved both intimately and tangentially is amazing. Her descriptions of events and conversations and emotions made me feel I was actually sitting on that mountain waiting to be rescued. I am so impressed by her devotion...more
Oct 03, 2012
Bev Walkling
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
first-reads,
true-life
I've just received my advance reader's copy courtesy of First Reads and was hooked right after reading the introduction!
24 hours later: This book did indeed grab me from the get go. The author Carol Shaben is a recipient of a gold medal for investigative reporting and her skills in this area shine through in this book which tells the story of a deadly aircrash in Northern Canada which took place in October 1984. The story is a personal one for her as her father, Larry Shaben, was one of the four...more
24 hours later: This book did indeed grab me from the get go. The author Carol Shaben is a recipient of a gold medal for investigative reporting and her skills in this area shine through in this book which tells the story of a deadly aircrash in Northern Canada which took place in October 1984. The story is a personal one for her as her father, Larry Shaben, was one of the four...more
Grant Notley, the NDP Leader of Alberta and the official opposition at the time, did not survive this airplane crash. Over the almost three decades since, I have often asked myself 'what might have been' if he was still alive today. When I heard that Carol Shaben had written about what had happened that night and also about what has happened to everyone since, I knew I had to read this book. The way she has pieced everything together to let the story unfold is what makes the book especially read...more
The premise of this true story was great - with a plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness, with four survivors, all with vastly different backgrounds. Until their rescue, and afterwards, they form lifelong bonds.
While parts of this story were interesting, I was frustrated when the author jumped back in time just at the point of the crash, to delve into the pasts of the survivors.
I also thought there were a few holes in the overall story - while the investigation and background to the crash is...more
While parts of this story were interesting, I was frustrated when the author jumped back in time just at the point of the crash, to delve into the pasts of the survivors.
I also thought there were a few holes in the overall story - while the investigation and background to the crash is...more
I very gratefully received this ARC from the publisher and proceeded to devour this 'only-in-Canada' true story of survival, tragedy and heartbreak, and ultimate transformation. Carol Shaben had a difficult task with this as it is a deeply personal story - the surviving politician in the plane crash is her father - but she handled it brilliantly by sticking to the facts, and by heavily researching and presenting all sides to the story. The facts leading up to, during, and through the aftermath o...more
I read this book for a challenge i am participating in to read books based in Canada or by Canadian Authors.
Imagine my surprise when I found this book was about the plane crash that killed Grant Notley. You see, I live in the community where Grant was from, and I work in a building named after him.
It was very interesting for me to read about the crash when all of the places mentioned in the book are ones I am familiar with.
Interestingly, there is no longer any plane service to any of the commu...more
Imagine my surprise when I found this book was about the plane crash that killed Grant Notley. You see, I live in the community where Grant was from, and I work in a building named after him.
It was very interesting for me to read about the crash when all of the places mentioned in the book are ones I am familiar with.
Interestingly, there is no longer any plane service to any of the commu...more
Story Description:
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. Four survived: the rookie pilot, a prominent politician, a cop, and the criminal he was escorting to face charges. Despite the poor weather, Erik Vogel, the 24-year-old pilot, was under intense pressure to fly – a situation not uncommon to pilots working for small airlines. Overworked and exhausted, he feared losing his job...more
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. Four survived: the rookie pilot, a prominent politician, a cop, and the criminal he was escorting to face charges. Despite the poor weather, Erik Vogel, the 24-year-old pilot, was under intense pressure to fly – a situation not uncommon to pilots working for small airlines. Overworked and exhausted, he feared losing his job...more
A very compelling account, well told. I read it in a day. As High Prairie is my hometown, I found this recount all the more interesting. The story brings up a lot of issues surrounding commuter air travel in small aircraft. I've traveled to remote locations in small aircraft, and unfortunately bad weather and safety are often overruled by the "need" to get there.
The account also explores the aftermath for each of the survivors. Questions such as, "Why did I survive?", and "Is there a greater pu...more
The account also explores the aftermath for each of the survivors. Questions such as, "Why did I survive?", and "Is there a greater pu...more
Really enjoyed this book - picked up in an airport bookstore, and devoured the book quickly. A true story about the crash of a small plane in bad weather in Northern Alberta, and the unlikely bonds formed among the survivors- the pilot, a provincial cabinet minister, an RCMP member and his charge, a criminal being moved by plane. Interesting review of causes of small plane crashes in a poorly regulated environment, how people rise to challenges, the aftermath of life and death accidents and how...more
I read this book for two reasons, the first because of a family connection and second because the summary by the title immediately grasped my interest as i love to read about lives changed, unfortunately often due to tragedy. I was impressed, not only because I caught up on some family history but because I found it real and simple. The author did not over complicate things, she did her research and told the reader what happened and, as the title says, how it changed the lives of the survivors,...more
An intriguing read about a plane crash in northern Alberta that claimed the lives of a politician and several others, while leaving a disparate group (a pilot, a politician, a criminal, and a cop, to quote the subtitle) to survive a winter's night. Their relationships both then and in subsequent years made for a captivating read, as did the investigation in small airplane safety. The author is the (live) politician's son and I felt she didn't explore quite as much as she could have, perhaps as a...more
This book started off beautifully - riveting introduction to the characters boarding the plane, a close description of the series of events that led to the crash, and a very good account of the men's overnight survival.
Shaban is a warm and compelling narrator and did great research to achieve this depth; the book's intensity necessarily diminished as we followed the four survivors in subsequent years. It seemed choppy and lost its narrative thread; however, her respect for the survivors is uppe...more
Shaban is a warm and compelling narrator and did great research to achieve this depth; the book's intensity necessarily diminished as we followed the four survivors in subsequent years. It seemed choppy and lost its narrative thread; however, her respect for the survivors is uppe...more
Accidents change lives. I should know, my parents were killed in a car accident and my life is broken into two pieces: before and after that event. Maybe that's why this book spoke to me so strongly--I found this account of the four survivors of the plane crash very moving. I could recognize the dislocation and confusion that they suffered afterwards and sympathize as they struggled to get their lives back on track again. All four men had crises of some kind about what direction their lives shou...more
I appreciated the story from which this book sprung, but Into the Abyss included a lot more than the plane crash. The author, Carol Shaben, is a journalist. She is thorough in the storytelling, which I can appreciate, but the plot often strayed from the main event. I could have done with much less back story for each involved character. My annoyance probably came from the eagerness to know what would happen next with the plane crash. Also, those who died in the incident were not paid very much h...more
I was really looking forward to reading this book based on the title and blurb. It started off well, but the author does not know how to stick to the subject at hand. Instead of delving into the crash and aftermath, she stops as soon as the crash happens and launches into a huge interlude of backstory about the various characters and their families. I think her journalistic tendencies have greatly interfered with her ability to reveal the key story. Basically, this reads like a first draft, with...more
Jan 02, 2013
Josh Johnston
added it
Heard this book being read on BBC Radio 4 but only caught two episodes so I bought the book on kindle. It's a very interesting book on so many levels. The main event is the crash but the side-stories - the characters involved and their back-stories, the fact that the writer is the daughter of one of the survivors, the mixture of anecdote and research, and the portrait of a commuter airline industry before regulation made them much safer. Not too much poetry about it but a really interesting stor...more
I was completely enthralled by this book! It was beautifully written and I couldn't put it down. I knew very little of this accident; but love stories of survival. A plane goes down in the north; in the middle of winter. 4 men survive and forge very unlikely friendships.
For one day (the same length of time these men waited to be rescued) I read and read. There was no way I could stop. Thank you Ms.Shaben for sharing your fathers journey. It is not one that I will soon forget.
For one day (the same length of time these men waited to be rescued) I read and read. There was no way I could stop. Thank you Ms.Shaben for sharing your fathers journey. It is not one that I will soon forget.
I really enjoyed this book. What's most amazing is the post-crash affect on the survivors. Some outcomes were tragic, some were inspiring, some were a reminder that life has to go on, in all of its mundane routine, even after a traumatic incident such as a plane crash.
The author's connection to the incident (her father was aboard) made it a unique perspective. The fact she is also a journalist and the unusual way she found out about the crash just add to the layers of this rich story.
The author's connection to the incident (her father was aboard) made it a unique perspective. The fact she is also a journalist and the unusual way she found out about the crash just add to the layers of this rich story.
This book was so well written. Although the author was the daughter of one of the survivors, she did full justice to each of the other survivors, retelling the story with such clarity that you felt you were there experiencing the whole ordeal. I would however suggest that others not do as I did, finish reading this book while on a flight ... we had a "touch and go" landing that quite unnerved me!
This is an amazing true story, written by the daughter of one of the survivors. If you haven't flown in a small plane before, this may put you off the whole idea, though it is to be hoped that the subsequent investigation led to safety improvements. Through her interaction with the men who lived this story, Shaben has recreated that horrific night and follows its life-changing effects on them. Well worth reading.
A beautifully written account of a deadly small plane crash in Canada in the 1980s. It's a very modest book: it's not as though the survivors have to last for weeks by eating human flesh, or anything like that. But it's an eye-opening study of how small/local airlines operate; and, after the crash, how an event like this can utterly change one's outlook on life. Highly recommended!
It's been a long time since I've read a dramatisation of a real disaster. They used to make us read them in school!
This book was a gift from my Mum and I have to say I probably wouldn't have bought it myself. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Bar a couple of rough/simple spots in the prose it is, overall quite good, and does help you build an appreciation for what it must be like to survive such a truly life changing event.
This book was a gift from my Mum and I have to say I probably wouldn't have bought it myself. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Bar a couple of rough/simple spots in the prose it is, overall quite good, and does help you build an appreciation for what it must be like to survive such a truly life changing event.
Into the Abyss is a sobering true story of a plane crash in the icy frontier that is Northern Canada. Four men survive the crash while six other passengers perishedas their plane slammed into a forest way short of their destination in blizzard-like conditions. Three of the four were badly injured, while the fourth becomes an unlikely hero as he is a prisoner being transported by a cop, also one of the survivors. The other two are a politician and the pilot. The story covers their eventual rescue...more
I'm one of the lucky winners who received this book from a first reads giveaway! Books about plane crashes or disasters have never really interested me but this one really did. The book is not only about the plane crash but about the survivors lives before and after the crash. This book takes you on a journey with them. Another thing that really appeals to me is that it takes place in Canada so I am familiar with the cities in it. It is also a true story, which made me more emotional knowing it...more
Chronicle of an small plane crash in Alberta many years ago written by the daughter of one of the survivors. Her journalistic skills are good. The story lacks drama but makes up for it with organization, completeness and poignancy. Important information of the airline industry for any passenger to know.
It's always different to read a true account. This one was particularly interesting b'cuz it is set in Northern Alberta. The story follows how the survivors lives changed - it has a sad thread - but often that is part of life!! I enjoyed it - thought provoking.
The personal touch, because Carole Shaben's father is the 'politician' involved in the plane crash, was one of the most interesting aspects of this true life account. I learned a lot about the ordeals facing pilots flying bush planes in north country.
I'd like to thank Goodreads for giving me the oppportunity to read and review this advanced copy of "Into the Abyss".
I don't normally read non-fiction, but since this was part of a giveaway I gave it a shot. What I found really interesting was the trial and investigation surrounding the plane crash. I live in a major Canadian city, so it never occurred to me that people living in the northern-most areas of certain provinces rely very heavily on small airplanes as a means of transportation. It's...more
I don't normally read non-fiction, but since this was part of a giveaway I gave it a shot. What I found really interesting was the trial and investigation surrounding the plane crash. I live in a major Canadian city, so it never occurred to me that people living in the northern-most areas of certain provinces rely very heavily on small airplanes as a means of transportation. It's...more
Pretty good book. It was a little too clinical of an account of the crash for my taste. I prefer survival books that evoke more emotion. I did feel bad that paul's life didn't end up better than it did. He had so much potential but drugs took over and took his potential away.
I also felt like I need to know more about the man who was pinned and couldn't get out and died 6 hours later. I know paul probably spent a great deal of time trying to get him out but it seemed like he gave it a go and sho...more
I also felt like I need to know more about the man who was pinned and couldn't get out and died 6 hours later. I know paul probably spent a great deal of time trying to get him out but it seemed like he gave it a go and sho...more
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