This is a fun one that you're certain to enjoy since the photos are very good and the lighthouses are viewed from an unusual perspective.

"Lighthouses from Aloft: 51 Scenic New England Lights", by Charles Feil.

Down East Books
Camden, Maine
1997

ISBN 0-89272-394-7

Soft cover, 7" x 9", 66 pages, $14.95.

I got mine several dollars cheaper through Barnes & Noble.Com, and many other Internet book stores also carry this title.

The author is a private pilot with his own airplane and an interest in lighthouses. Here he presents 57 aerial views of New England lights and no fewer than 17 of them are subjects of Harbour Lights sculptures.

The photography runs from good to excellent (in my opinion), and I found it most interesting to see these lighthouses from the air instead of the more conventional perspective we see in most lighthouse photography books. That is, we're looking down here instead of looking up.

These aerial views allow you to compare the base of the lighthouse and its surrounding area and topography directly with your HL pieces. I was especially interested in how accurate HL's Bass Harbor Head was in comparison to the original, except for the red roof. Well, perhaps the Coast Guard reshingled the original's roof.....

As a pilot myself I found this book appealing, and was surprised at how disorienting the photo of Pemaquid Point, with its striated rocks, truly is. I had to study the photo for quite some time to make sense out of the angle of photography since the rocks make the perspective misleading.

*** Three stars out of five: recommended



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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild

Just curious Bob, how many lighthouse books do you have?

That sounds like an interesting book, Bob. I may just have to take a peek at that one. Thanks for the review!

Bob

[This message has been edited by Bob M (edited 10-17-99).]

Mombo:

I plead guilty to having 19 lighthouse books on my shelf which I've read and about 12 more in the closet awaiting their chance. Knowing myself somewhat well, I'm sure to add to this amount as time rolls along. This means, of course, that you'll be plagued with more book reviews as I get to these new ones.

Paul Brady posted (tongue-in-cheek, I suspect) a list of several hundred lighthouse book titles for me to have a go at. I decided to rise to his challenge and read 'em all. I have, accordingly, adjusted my life expectancy to 175 years.

When I become interested in a subject I have this insatiable curiosity which is partially alleviated by reading everything I can get my hands on.

I think books are wonderful creations: they take you worlds away, they represent knowledge and entertainment, and although I've said this before on this forum, I'll say it again (if you'll all bear with me), that if you read to your children and fill them with the excitement and adventure to be found in books, then you will have given them the world.

A great deal of the fun (for me) of opening up a new Harbour Lights sculpture is comparing it to photos of the real item in the various lighthouse books on my shelf. It makes for a more comprehensive and enjoyable HL experience to intermingle the fun of the piece itself with reading more about the various real ones.

There are quite a few lights that I'll never get to see in my life, but through the magic medium of books I can enjoy them vicariously.

I think I'm selective when I choose a new lighthouse book. There seem to be so many in the travel section of various bookstores which have photos only in black & white which I pass on by. Not having the photos in color is akin to not being able to smell a rose due to a cold: yes, there it is, but it's hard to enjoy it fully. This is one reason why I have never given any of the books I've reviewed a lower (subjective, admittedly) rating than 3 stars out of 5. The 1 and 2 star books stay at the bookstore.



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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild

I bought Charles Feil's excellent book of photos before the 1998 Reunion, only to find that that book was one of the 'goodies' passed out to those attending the reunion.

Charles Feil is briefly featured in one of the videos in the Lighthouse Legacy series. Don't hold me to this, But I think he uses a 6x7 camera with a special stabilizer/counterbalance that makes it easy to look out the window, hold the camera steady, and get great photos.

Anybody have the series of videos who can verify that info?

Bob,

Thanks once again for a great review - I keep on getting more and more lighthouse books thanks to your encouragement! And as a former part-time teacher, mother of five and grandmother of four I couldn't agree more with your feelings about reading and the value books have in our lives. They truly do open the world to us.

John, I don't recall getting the Charles Feil book at the '98 Reunion - I must have missed something. I took a quick glance through the Legendary Lighthouses book and didn't see any mention of Charles Feil, but that doesn't mean he wasn't in the video at some point.

In any case, this sounds like a great book at a reasonable price!

Barb