My husband's Uncle Waldo died on the Leopoldville. I read this book with a desire to know what happened. Although Waldo is not mentioned, through reading the book I was able to be there and understand what happened, to know other men who were on the boat, and to feel the terror, pain, and loss of that Christmas Eve. It is a gripping book. At first I was very agitated that the book ended so abruptly. It bothered me for days that I was in the midst of such a compelling tale about people I had come to know and then it stopped cold. I wanted to know what had happened to each individual. Later I realized that same great sense of discord was felt by the families of all who perished; in their time of deepest sorrow they were told their sons, husbands, and fathers were missing or killed in action rather than the true story. The feeling the book left was a powerful reminder of the painful legacy that was left when the government chose not to disclose the whole story. This book, along with the S.S. Leopoldville Disaster by Allan Andrade, tells an important story. This story and these men should never be forgotten.

This book has stood the test of time -- it is better than the vast majority of current non-fiction titles -- and is amazing because so many people kept secrets about the Leopoldville for decades. The level of research and the writing style are terrific. My father-in-law sailed on the Leopoldville, and he verified for me the authenticity and detail; moreover, the book captured the spirit of the men on board.

If you have any interest in things military, if the idea of sinking ships appeals to you or if you just want a great read about a story far too few people ever have heard, read this book

This was the first book I've purchased on the disaster...As a survivor, it brought backm some very unpleasent memories, but visiins that had been locked up for over 50 years...

Finally, the families of these young men have had somne sort of closure and now know what happened that fateful night...all because the allied forces screwed up...poor communications, no interaction between the allies and unbelieveable desertion of the ship by its crew!

Must read !

This has long been one of my favorite books. I read it for the first time two years ago and have read it 3 times since. Bat Fidler and the circus crew are gauranteed to become close personal friends as you join them in the bizarre world of the circus freak.