Lighthouse book review, Part #6

"Legendary Lighthouses - The Companion to the PBS Television Series"

The Globe Pequot Press
P.O. Box 833
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
1998
(800) 243-0495
http://www.globe-pequot.com

John Grant and Bruce Roberts

ISBN 0-7627-0325-3

Soft cover, 8 1/2" X 11", 200 pages, $24.95 U.S. (You'll be able to obtain it for less from any of the on-line booksellers)

This book is about the romance and history of lighthouses, their keepers, restorationists, and enthusiasts. As such, it's a story full of history and adventure rather than a photographic compilation of lighthouses.

Designed as a companion to the six hour Public Broadcast System television series, this book can, however, stand on its own merits as a chronicle of the people and structures which evoke wind-swept rocky coasts and which are generating such a wave of lighthouse enthusiasm lately.

Chapters:
1. What is it about lighthouses?
2. North Atlantic: Legends in stone.
3. Maine: Lights downeast.
4. South Atlantic: Graveyard of the Atlantic.
5. California: Lights of the golden coast.
6. Pacific Northwest: Lights of the wilderness coast.
7. Western Great Lakes: Lights on the big lakes.
Index

Pros: heavy glossy card stock, many stunning photographs by famous lighthouse photographer Bruce Roberts, numerous aerial photos, regional maps, wonderful stories.

Cons: some of the non-Roberts photos are of average quality, having been taken from the video tape.

This volume does not offer a comprehensive listing of all U.S. lighthouses, nor is it intended to. It's more of a sampler with accompanying stories, all of which are fascinating. (The eight-volume set of lighthouse books with photos by Bruce Roberts will satisfy the need for a more complete listing and photographic record of lighthouses)

This book will fill you with the ambiance and feel of what lighthouses are all about.

***** (5 stars out of 5: recommended.


------------------
Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild

Although the author is listed as "John Grant", he was actually the producer of the video program in the series.

The producer of a major series like this has a lot of control over the spin-offs such as this book. That includes royalties, for example.

Ray Jones, who has co-authored many many lighthouse books with Bruce Roberts, the photographer, actually wrote the entire book for John Grant.

Ray told to me this during the lighthouse motor coach tours back in Sept-Oct 98. He was not happy with the way that turned out -- but he accepted it.

I received the identical info on the Ray Jones/John Grant situation as St. John but from a different source. Ray Jones is a terrific writer, Bruce Roberts is a terrific photographer, obviously.

Thanks, St. John and Lamar, for the "inside story" on the "author" of this book.

I thought the text was exceptionally well written. It was thoughtful, introspective, lyrical, and clearly the writer had a sense of proportion and the soul of the poet.

I wish Ray Jones had received the credit he was so justly due: this is the only book review I've done which, from my admittedly subjective viewpoint, has earned 5 stars out of a possible 5.

Ray Jones, where ever you are, I read your book and cherish it. Thanks for "illuminating" my life with an obvious labor of love.

I appreciate it.

------------------
Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild