Surviving Savannah

By: Patti Callahan

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Catherine Taber, Patti Callahan

It was called "The Titanic of the South." The luxury steamship sank in 1838 with Savannah's elite on board; through time, their fates were forgotten - until the wreck was found, and now their story is finally being told in this breathtaking novel from the New York Times best-selling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis.

When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she's shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can't resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking.

Everly's research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah's society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Patti Callahan (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Fans of Christina Baker Kline and Kate Quinn will love this beautiful, richly detailed novel about a lost bit of American maritime history. In a seamless blending of fact and fiction, Patti Callahan has created an atmospheric, compelling story of survival, tragedy, the enduring power of myth and memory, and the moments that change one's life." (Kristin Hannah, number one New York Times best-selling author of The Great Alone)

"Hidden history rises from the watery depths in all its glittering glory but also in its intimate, human detail. Meticulously researched, beautifully written, underpinned by timeless themes of personal trauma and its aftereffects, Surviving Savannah is a journey readers and book clubs will treasure.” (Lisa Wingate, number one New York Times best-selling author of The Book of Lost Friends)

“Gripping...bringing to life a little-known shipwreck in meticulous detail. [An] engrossing, centuries-spanning tale.” (Publishers Weekly)

Surviving Savannah

Loved every minute of this book. Would highly recommend especially for bookclubs. The story is written so well & characters so real

A Must Read!!!

Historical Fiction at its best !
The dual timeline and the actual historical facts compel me search for more information and to visit Savannah. On a personal side to reflect on one’s own life experiences and loss and how it changes our own journey.
Rebecca Lee, Illinois

Stunning…from Start to Finish

A beautiful story of grief, loss, history and how we survive after we must survive. As a Georgian, I also found the depiction of our beloved Savannah to be of the highest compliment. Mrs Callahan captured the details of Savannah and the sweeping feel of the city as if the reader were right there, walking the same streets. The narrators were excellent! I particularly enjoyed Brittany Pressley’s genuine southern lilt likened to mine as a dear friend, guiding me through the experience. I’d read this story again and again.

Good Historical Novel

I love a good historical novel and have always been enamored of Savannah. The story of the Pulaski disaster is compelling, but the human threads are what makes this book a good read.

The triumph and guilt of those who survived and how it framed who they were for the rest of their lives, some very dark.

Human fragility, grief, hardships, triumph, and the story goes full circle from 1838 to present. This is the first novel of Patti Callahan’s I have read, but I plan on reading more

A story to get lost in!

Captivating! The history of the Pulaski was enhanced by the fiction of present day!
Loved it!

Excellent Book

excellent read Could not stop listening. Very educational in the fiction Love ! love!!!! Love! Love!

Savannah old and now…..

Savannah comes alive. The story rings true for all the right reasons. For anyone who questions our own loss and tragedies, it is a masterpiece.

Story of the south

Enjoyed the fictional version of a real story. Love how it drew me in from the beginning. Recommend this

Bringing lost past to our memory’s

Loved the story and the overall feeling at the author made us feel in this tragedy.

 loved it 

I was totally absorbed in this story.
I think the author did a wonderful job, exploiting this historical event in a way that made it so interesting and enveloping. I’m looking forward to her next book