Michael

Tougias

Children’s & YA Author

NYT Bestseller

Travels from: Boston, MA

“A masterful account of one of history’s most poignant and tragic secrets.” —#1 New York Times-bestelling author Lee Child

Michael J. Tougias is a New York Times bestselling author and co-author of 30 books for adults and 7 for children and young adults. Among his bestsellers are The Finest Hours (Disney Motion Pictures’ version opened in 45 countries in January 2016), Fatal Forecast, Overboard, King Philip’s War, and There’s A Porcupine In My Outhouse: The Vermont Misadventures of a Mountain Man Wannabe. His book Ten Hours Until Dawn was selected by the American Library Association as “One of the Best Books of the Year.”

In conjunction with MacMillan Publishing he has his own series for middle readers. Called the True Rescue Series, four books have been released including The Finest Hours, Into the Blizzard, Attacked At Sea, and A Storm Too Soon. All four of the books are Junior Library Guild Selections and Scholastic Selections.

Tougias lectures across the country on each of his book topics. He also offers leadership/inspirational programs for business groups, and has spoken to companies and organizations such as General Dynamics, Raytheon, Massachusetts School Library Association, New York University Surgeons Round Table and many more. He is also a frequent guest on NPR programs, The Weather Channel, Fox & Friends, 20/20, and national talk shows. He is an avid outdoorsman and donates his time to protecting open space. He is a graduate of St. Michael’s College in Winooski, VT.

Michael’s Authors Out Loud Profile:

Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds

Mango |

December 6, 2022

Nonfiction

Learn Resilience Through These Survival StoriesExtreme Survival is the long awaited followup to New York Times best-selling author Michael Tougias’s The Finest Hours. This thriller will have you mentally on the edge-of-your-seat as you read these true survival stories and learn useful survival techniques

Explore the stories and the causes of manmade disasters. To answer the question of why disasters happen and how some survive, Tougias interviewed over 100 people who survived against all odds, first chronicling their harrowing survival stories, and then discussing in detail the lessons learned. Both an exciting and informative read, this book provides the entertainment and exceptional research fans expect.

Learn resilience through the mindset of a survivor. Tougias shares what a person is capable of when under pressure and facing different types of disasters. Surviving disasters requires extreme survival techniques to kick in at just the right time All of Michael Tougias books have a level of deep survival laced within the pages. Learn how to rise against the odds in your personal and professional life.

Inside, you’ll find:

Captivating and narrative survival stories told in true Tougias’ trademark style
Analysis of major man-made disasters and the faulty decisions that led to them
First-person accounts and detailed survival tactics that can be utilized in your day-to-day life

If you like non-fiction survival books like The Gift of Fear, Deep Survival, or If I Live Until Morning, you’ll love Extreme Survival.

Grief & Loss, Mental Health & Overcoming Trauma, Nonfiction

True Rescue 6: Rescue of the Bounty (Young Readers Edition): Disaster and Survival in Superstorm Sandy (True Rescue Series)

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) |

September 13, 2022

Nonfiction

Book six in the True Rescue series for young readers, this pulse-pounding account of disaster and survival at sea follows the HMS Bounty whose fateful course through Superstorm Sandy would lead to one of the most heroic Coast Guard rescue missions ever…

On October 23, 2012, with Superstorm Sandy fast approaching, Captain Robin Walbridge made the fateful decision to sail the HMS Bounty from New London, Connecticut to St. Petersburg, Florida, believing the wooden ship, a replica of the original, famous Bounty, would fare better at sea than at port. He told the crew that anyone who did not want to come on the voyage could leave the ship and there would be no hard feelings. No one took the captain up on his offer, and this decision would have fatal consequences.

Four days into the voyage, Superstorm Sandy made an almost direct hit on the Bounty—sending the crew tumbling into the ocean filled with crashing thirty-foot waves. Some were swept far from the ship, others found themselves tangled in the rigging, while others were trapped below the surface by the masts and spreaders. What ensued was one of the most complex, dangerous, and massive Coast Guard rescue missions in history. Rescue of the Bounty from authors Michael J. Tougias and Douglas Campbell is a gripping, inspiring, and unforgettable account—the perfect choice for young adventure-seekers, as well as fans of I Survived, Torpedoed, and Grenade.

History & Biography, Kid-Lit: Young Adult

No Will Set You Free: Learn to Say No, Set Boundaries, Stop People Pleasing, and Live a Fuller Life

Mango |

April 12, 2022

Nonfiction

Break Free and Learn To Say No

We’ve all been taught to seize the moment and say yes without considering the downside. No Will Set You Free empowers you to take back your life and control your own time again.

Be happy to just say “Hell No “. No, thank you. Maybe some other time. “No” can come in many shapes and sizes, yet saying it can be difficult. We may think it’s selfish but this simple word is necessary to thrive in life. This informative, self-help-style, learn to say no book helps you discover and follow your true desires, find more time to invest in those you love, and pursue your real interests.

Learn to say “No” finally. Saying no can be hard. Really hard. Author Michael J. Tougias understands. As a former people-pleaser himself, Michael wields a combination of research, personal stories, and proven methods to help us understand our actions and stop saying yes. Through his witty rapport detailing his own setbacks and triumphs, we learn how to stop people-pleasing and how to, ultimately, honor our authentic selves.

Inside No Will Set You Free, you’ll Find:

Studies that help us understand our urge to say yes and how to learn to say no
Personal stories and anecdotes about the journey to “No”, how it relieves stress, and leads to a more productive life
Steps, tips, and tricks to control your life through the power of No

If you liked Boundaries; The Art of Saying NO; or Set Boundaries, Find Peace; you’ll love No Will Set You Free.

Nonfiction

There’s a Porcupine in My Outhouse: The Vermont Misadventures of a Mountain Man Wannabe

Lyons Press |

April 1, 2022

Memoir

NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR Sequel to the author’s new book, The Waters Between Us (Lyons, March, 2021), about growing up loving the woods and fields and streams of his native Massachusetts and wanting since boyhood to live like a mountain man in the woods. Having acquired a forest cabin in the course of the first book, There’s a Porcupine in my Outhouse details his further adventures hunting and fishing far from other humans. PRAISE FOR THERE’S A PORCUPINE IN MY OUTHOUSE “This is the way natural history should be taught-by a good storyteller with a sense of humor.” -Audubon Magazine “Tougias recounts his experiences with candor and humor. He blends the adventures of Lewis and Clark with the vision of John Muir.” -Cape Cod Times “A very funny memoir. Tougias learned from his cabin experience and today he is one of New England’s leading nature writers.” -Book Views “This is an honest book that asks us to admit our ignorance of much of the natural process and our fears of all those unknown things that ‘go bump in the night’ when we visit friends in the country. Tougias tempers each small disaster with good humor and a growing love for a world that he at first finds completely foreign, but which he ultimately realizes he cannot part with.” -Bill Eddy, author of The Other Side of the World Here are Michael Tougias’ adventures at a tiny A-frame cabin in Northern Vermont where he learns that nature has a way of becoming our instructor. This funny, honest, and personal account is the perfect book for anyone who loves the outdoors and loves to laugh.

Memoir & Personal Journeys, Natural World, Nonfiction

In Harm’s Way (Young Readers Edition): The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Story of Its Survivors (True Rescue Series)

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) |

February 8, 2022

Nonfiction

A young readers edition of Doug Stanton and Michael J. Tougias’ New York Times bestseller In Harm’s Way—a riveting World War II account of the greatest maritime disaster in US naval history.

“A masterful account of one of history’s most poignant and tragic secrets.” —#1 New York Times-bestelling author Lee Child

On July 30, 1945, the U.S.S. Indianapolis was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated 300 men were killed upon impact; close to 900 sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they remained undetected by the navy for nearly four days and nights. Battered by a savage sea, they struggled to stay alive, fighting off sharks, hypothermia, and hallucinations.

By the time rescue arrived, all but 316 men had died. The captain’s subsequent court-martial left many questions unanswered: How did the navy fail to realize the Indianapolis was missing? And how did these 316 men manage to survive against all odds?

This thrilling wartime account of heroism and survival, Book 5 in the True Rescue narrative nonfiction series, is inspiring and unforgettable—the perfect choice for young adventure-seekers.

History & Biography, Kid-Lit: Young Adult, Military & War

The Waters Between Us: A Boy, a Father, Outdoor Misadventures and the Healing Power of Nature

Lyons Press |

March 15, 2021

Memoir

Untamed. Unsupervised. Uncontrolled. Boyhood in the 1960s and ’70s was a time for exploration and mischief. Author Michael Tougias found more than his share of misadventures in the woods and on the water: some life-threatening but others innocently hilarious. Over time – and after reading a multitude of adventure books — these experiences took shape in his quest to be a mountain man, owning a cabin in the forest and living off the land. Part of that dream would come true, but only after a family tragedy that shook his world and forced changes in his life. This is also a story of a complex and strained relationship between father and son, the efforts at understanding, and ultimately respect and devotion. In The Waters Between Us Tougias channels Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” to mix laugh out loud humor with insight into the natural world through the eyes of a curious boy. Tougias is a New York Times Bestselling author and co-author of 31 books, including There’s A Porcupine In My Outhouse (Winner of the Independent Publishers “Best Nature Book of the Year”) and The Finest Hours (inspiration for a 2016 Disney movie). He has received many writing awards.

Memoir & Personal Journeys, Nonfiction

Attacked at Sea: A True World War II Story of a Family’s Fight for Survival (True Rescue Series)

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) |

October 27, 2020

Nonfiction

A riveting WWII account of survival at sea—Book 4 in the middle grade True Rescue series from Michael J. Tougias, the author of the New York Times bestseller The Finest Hours.

A Bank Street Best Book of the Year!

On May 19, 1942, during WWII, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. The submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia. Most onboard were merchant seamen, but there were also civilians, including the Downs family: Ray and Ina, and their two children. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no idea that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, chaos ensued—and each family member had to find their own path to survival.

This inspiring historical narrative tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, blinding oil, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.

History & Biography, Kid-Lit: Young Adult, Military & War

Into the Blizzard: Heroism at Sea During the Great Blizzard of 1978 [The Young Readers Adaptation] (True Rescue Series)

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) |

December 10, 2019

Nonfiction

A riveting true account of a rescue at sea from Michael J. Tougias, the author of the New York Times bestseller The Finest Hours.

In the midst of the Blizzard of 1978, the tanker Global Hope floundered on the shoals in Salem Sound off the Massachusetts coast. When the Coast Guard heard the Mayday calls, they immediately dispatched a patrol rescue boat. But within an hour, the Coast Guard rescue boat was in as much trouble as the tanker—both paralyzed in unrelenting seas. Enter Captain Frank Quirk who was compelled to act. Gathering his crew of four, Quirk plunged his forty-nine-foot steel boat, the Can Do, into the blizzard.

Perfect for fans of the I Survived series ready for a longer form account, this middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book chronicles the harrowing journey between Captain Quirk and the Coast Guard as they struggled in the holds of a radical storm. It’s an epic tale of heroism and bravery at sea.

History & Biography, Kid-Lit: Young Adult

So Close to Home: A True Story of an American Family’s Fight for Survival During World War II

Pegasus Books |

July 11, 2017

Nonfiction

In May 19, 1942, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. Captained by twenty nine-year-old Iron Cross and King’s Cross recipient Erich Wurdemann, the submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia with sixty-two souls on board. Most aboard were merchant seamen, but there were also a handful of civilians, including the Downs family: Ray and Ina, and their two children, eight-year-old Sonny and eleven-year-old Lucille. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no idea that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, chaos ensued—and each family member had to find their own path to survival. Including original, unpublished material from Commander Wurdemann’s war diary, the story provides balance and perspective by chronicling the daring mission of the U-boat—and its commander’s decision-making—in the Gulf of Mexico. An inspiring historical narrative, So Close to Home tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.

History & Biography

The Finest Hours

The real rescue and the making of the Disney Movie: an inside look at Hollywood (Adult, middle reader, and chapter book versions available)

Survive & Thrive

The key to inner strength and making the right decisions by those who survived against all odds .

Fourteen Steps to Strategic Decision Making

President Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis (Includes declassified slides from the crisis and the pilots of the U-2 Spy Planes, one of whom was shot down and killed by the Soviets over Cuba).

Write Your Book

Tips on writing memoirs, fiction, non-fiction, finding a publisher, agent or self publishing.

U-Boats So Close to Home

Little-Known chapter of WWII when German Uboats came all the way to the mouth of the MS River. (adult and middle reader version books available).

Humor & Nature: A Voyage of Discovery

A presentation based on two bestsellers – There’s A Porcupine In My Outhouse: Misadventures of a Mountain Man Wannabe and The Waters Between Us: A Boy, A Father, Outdoor Misadventures and the Healing Power of Nature (Growing up in the 1960’s & 70’s).

From Cubicle to NY Times Bestseller List

My Journey out of a traditional business career to full time writer and speaker – Humor and inspiration.

“A masterful account of one of history’s most poignant and tragic secrets.” —#1 New York Times-bestselling author Lee Child

“An enthralling tale of survival.” —Booklist

“A nail-biting account of World War II heroism and survival.” —Kirkus Reviews

Upcoming Events

Business Programs

Honors, Awards & Recognition

NYT Bestseller
Junior Library Guild Picks
Scholastic Selections

Media clips

Mass-Live | Best-selling Massachusetts author Michael Tougias pens self-help, children’s books

Metro West Daily | Outdoors author Michael J. Tougias turns inward for new memoir, ‘The Waters Between Us”

Telegram & Gazette | Read It and Reap: Michael Tougias offers online history of Quabbin

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

Similar Authors

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Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds

True Rescue 6: Rescue of the Bounty (Young Readers Edition): Disaster and Survival in Superstorm Sandy (True Rescue Series)

No Will Set You Free: Learn to Say No, Set Boundaries, Stop People Pleasing, and Live a Fuller Life

There’s a Porcupine in My Outhouse: The Vermont Misadventures of a Mountain Man Wannabe

In Harm’s Way (Young Readers Edition): The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Story of Its Survivors (True Rescue Series)

The Waters Between Us: A Boy, a Father, Outdoor Misadventures and the Healing Power of Nature

Attacked at Sea: A True World War II Story of a Family’s Fight for Survival (True Rescue Series)

Into the Blizzard: Heroism at Sea During the Great Blizzard of 1978 [The Young Readers Adaptation] (True Rescue Series)

Above and Beyond: John F. Kennedy and America’s Most Dangerous Cold War Spy Mission

So Close to Home: A True Story of an American Family’s Fight for Survival During World War II

The Finest Hours

Survive & Thrive

Fourteen Steps to Strategic Decision Making

Write Your Book

U-Boats So Close to Home

Humor & Nature: A Voyage of Discovery

From Cubicle to NY Times Bestseller List

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Media clips

Media Kit

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