German U-boats were the most feared predator of the sea during the early years of World War II. But on September 12, 1942 a U-boat sunk a 600-foot British troop ship some 600 miles from land in the Atlantic – then turned around and started saving the passengers from shark attacks, drowning, and exposure. Why?

Join journalist and author Alison O'Leary for this program based on her upcoming book from Little Brown Publishers! Using powerpoint images of the real people and vessels involved, this one-hour program discusses the technology of German U-boats, the strategic decisions that sent the Laconia to sea alone, and how two lifeboats of survivors drifted all the way to Africa.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.