This book has special meaning to me, having spent part of several summers on the island of Nantucket, having an interest in lighthouses, and being fascinated by ships.
And so this glowing review may seem somewhat less than wholly objective, but it's one of the nicest books I've purchased this year. You might think so, too.
"Nantucket Lights - An Illustrated History Of The Island's Legendary Beacons"
Karen T. Butler
Mill Hill Press
124 Orange Street
Nantucket, Massachusetts, 02554
1996
ISBN 0-9638910-6-5
Hard cover, 9 1/4" x 11 1/4", with dust jacket, 140 pages, 6 maps, 11 drawings, 89 black & white photos, 21 color photos, 3 tables, and 18 color paintings, all printed on heavy glossy stock. This is a substantial book. The price is too: $44.95 from Barnes & Noble.com, but I believe the value is there.
Contents:
Preface
1. God Made The World And Nantucket.
2. The Whaler's Light With Nine Lives: Brant Point Lighthouse.
3. "As Good A Light As Ever Was Anywhere": Great Point Lighthouse.
4. "O, Blazing Star!": Sankaty Head Lighthouse.
5. The Ship That Never Sailed: The Nantucket Lightship.
Afterword
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Index
Credits
This volume is a labor of love by a Nantucket resident (well, at least during the summer months) who weaves the story of Nantucket's three lighthouses within the greater context of the history of the island itself.
Since the dangers of Nantucket Shoals are part of this story, the author also includes the history of Nantucket's lightships as well, and this is a very credible effort. Many of the lightship photographs have never been seen before by this reviewer and were found to be most interesting.
Not the least of this book's merits are the very human stories of the various keepers and their families, some of whom were interviewed during the writing of it.
Photo reproduction is excellent overall, including black & white, color, and the color paintings by various island artists.
I came away from reading this book with my sense of curiosity regarding the island, the three lighthouses, and lightships very fulfilled, and felt that I'd just been taken on a trip "back home".
My only negative comment is that the text throughout the book is double spaced. This is a double edged sword of sorts. It makes the text easier to read, but is wasteful of paper and space and seems a contrived means of fleshing out the book.
This is one volume which doesn't need such tricks, if such they be, since it can stand quite steadily on its own merits. Here you can have it all: history, lighthouses, ships, art, and people. What more could a lighthouse lover want?
***** - Five stars out of five: highly recommended!
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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild
[This message has been edited by Bob Steinbrunn (edited 10-23-99).]
