Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse
"What Moby-Dick is to whales, Brilliant Beacons is to lighthouses—a transformative account of a familiar yet mystical subject." —Laurence Bergreen, author of Columbus: The Four Voyages

In this "magnificent compendium" (New Republic), best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin presents the definitive history of American lighthouses, and in so doing "illuminate[s] the history of America itself" (Entertainment Weekly). Treating readers to a memorable cast of characters and "fascinating anecdotes" (New York Review of Books), Dolin shows how the story of the nation, from a regional backwater colony to global industrial power, can be illustrated through its lighthouses—from New England to the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, the Pacific Coast, and all the way to Alaska and Hawaii.

A Captain and Classic Boat Best Nautical Book of 2016

1121986306
Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse
"What Moby-Dick is to whales, Brilliant Beacons is to lighthouses—a transformative account of a familiar yet mystical subject." —Laurence Bergreen, author of Columbus: The Four Voyages

In this "magnificent compendium" (New Republic), best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin presents the definitive history of American lighthouses, and in so doing "illuminate[s] the history of America itself" (Entertainment Weekly). Treating readers to a memorable cast of characters and "fascinating anecdotes" (New York Review of Books), Dolin shows how the story of the nation, from a regional backwater colony to global industrial power, can be illustrated through its lighthouses—from New England to the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, the Pacific Coast, and all the way to Alaska and Hawaii.

A Captain and Classic Boat Best Nautical Book of 2016

18.95 In Stock
Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse

Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse

by Eric Jay Dolin
Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse

Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse

by Eric Jay Dolin

Paperback(Reprint)

$18.95 
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Overview

"What Moby-Dick is to whales, Brilliant Beacons is to lighthouses—a transformative account of a familiar yet mystical subject." —Laurence Bergreen, author of Columbus: The Four Voyages

In this "magnificent compendium" (New Republic), best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin presents the definitive history of American lighthouses, and in so doing "illuminate[s] the history of America itself" (Entertainment Weekly). Treating readers to a memorable cast of characters and "fascinating anecdotes" (New York Review of Books), Dolin shows how the story of the nation, from a regional backwater colony to global industrial power, can be illustrated through its lighthouses—from New England to the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, the Pacific Coast, and all the way to Alaska and Hawaii.

A Captain and Classic Boat Best Nautical Book of 2016


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781631492501
Publisher: Liveright Publishing Corporation
Publication date: 04/25/2017
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 560
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Eric Jay Dolin is the best-selling and award-winning author of numerous works in maritime history, including Leviathan, Rebels at Sea, and Black Flags, Blue Waters. He lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

Chapter 1 Colonial Lights 1

Chapter 2 Casualties of War 32

Chapter 3 Lights of a New Nation 49

Chapter 4 Economy Above All 80

Chapter 5 Europeans Take the Lead 92

Chapter 6 The "Rule of Ignorant and Incompetent Men" 103

Chapter 7 Brighter Lights 132

Chapter 8 "Everything Being Recklessly Broken" 157

Chapter 9 From Board to Service 186

Chapter 10 Keepers and Their Lives 231

Chapter 11 Lighthouse Heroes 293

Chapter 12 Marvels of Engineering and Construction 318

Chapter 13 Of Birds and Eggs 355

Chapter 14 A Cruel Wind 367

Chapter 15 The New Keepers 384

Epilogue 417

Acknowledgments 423

Lighthouse Organizations 427

Lighthouse Museums 435

Notes 455

Select Bibliography 511

Illustration Credits 515

Index 521

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