Customer Reviews (1)

Attention:Maritime Buffs and Treasure Hunters!
Fascinating stories and vintage photographs chronicle 400 years of shipwrecks along California's 1,264-mile coast (plus one in the Colorado Desert) Maritime buffs and treasure hunters alike will love this book! ... Read more

Product Description
Illustrates how Southeast Asian ceramics began to fill the void in the ceramics trade during the ban on exporting Chinese ceramic ware. ... Read more

Product Description
The world's foremost author on the liturgical changes documents the disaster to faith and Mass attendance caused by the Novus Ordo. Written with utmost respect, he says, nonetheless, "Facts cannot be loyal or disloyal, and the facts concerning the collapse of Mass attendance are, alas, only too true." Firm in its conclusion we must return to the traditional Mass. A must for all! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellente and easy to read!!!
This book is easy to read and must for any Catholic that loves his religion. It will explain how the changes since the II Vatican Council have been implemented with the purpose of destroying our Church, specially the Catholic Mass.

How the Catholic Mass became a Protestant Celebration
Another well-written small booklet by Michael Davies. Though everyone blames the Liturgical Revolution on Vatican II, it does not call for a change in the Mass. This book outlines how the wonderful Catholic Mass could be taken apart by liberal bishops of the Church.

His thesis is proven by the Vatican II documents them selves and from quotes of those who sat on the council.He shows that there was never any intention of doing away with the Tridentine Liturgy. And in fact he proposes the Church returns to it as soon as possible. See how moderate liturgical reform turned out to be a liturgical destruction. A fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos.

A Great Review of the Change in Liturgy
This small book presents, using quotes from some of the highest sources avalible, the changes in the Liturgy resulting from Vatican II and the fruits that came from this.The end thesis of this book is the promotion of the Tridentine Liturgy -- something Vatican II never did away with.The only negative I found with the book, is in the rare situation were Bishop Lefebre was mentioned, it is done so without presenting any information on schism.

This book will open your eyes on how the Novus Ordo was created and the whole of the circumstances of this event.

Well worth the buy! ... Read more

Product Description
A mesmerizing novel of deception and betrayal from the acclaimed author of Wartime Lies and About Schmidt.
John North, a prize-winning American writer, is suddenly beset by dark suspicions about the real value of his work. Over endless hours and bottles of whiskey consumed in a mysterious café called L’Entre Deux Mondes, he recounts, in counterpoint to his doubts, the one story he has never told before, perhaps the only important one he will ever tell. North’s chosen interlocutor–who could be his doppelgänger–is transfixed by the revelations and becomes the narrator of North’s tale.

North has always been faithful to his wife, Lydia, but when one of his novels achieves a special success, he allows himself a dalliance with Léa, a starstruck young journalist. Coolly planning to make sure that his life with Lydia will not be disturbed, North is taken off guard when Léa becomes obsessed with him and he with her elaborate erotic games. As the hypnotic and serpentine confession unfurls, we gradually discover the extraordinary lengths to which North has gone to indulge a powerful desire for self-destruction.
Shipwreck is a daring parable of the contradictory impulses that can rend a single soul–narcissism and self-loathing, refinement and lust.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Entertaining, but also mildly irritating
I enjoyed reading this book, although there were some elements I found irritating. First, the irritating bits: The prose has no breaks or chapters; the conversation occurs over the course of three days. Surely at least each day warrants a chapter or section.

The story does not use quotation markings. This I can see because the narrative is 99% one character. There are periodic quotes from a listener with no visual designation as such, and this was mildly confusing, but I can see the reason for the absence of quotations. I recall Ann Rice's "Interview with a Vampire," (a completely different type of book) where quotations were used and it really got to be quite troublesome to navigate them all, in my opinion.

Aside from the lack of quotations, the story is really a monologue by one character, whom to me, seemed very full of himself in dominating so very much of the conversation. I found this irritating, a selfish trait this character had, who even admits he loathes people who talk too much. Who was this listener, who remained nameless and without personality? I felt like I wanted to know who this listener was. I don't think though, the story suffers greatly from it being told in this way; to me it was just a bit irritating.

One other little thing I did not like was some areas that to me seemed like filler or fluff - irrelevant discussions of other elements of the speaker's life. Some things like details of other members of his family, his wife's family, even his father's death, seemed like they belong in another story. This story is about adultery. Let's keep it focused. To me, even in a novel, just about every word counts. The speaker is a writer, and he even admits that writers adding this filler is not something he likes.

As for what I found strong in this story: For one, I believe the ending is just right. I was expecting some drama, hoping it was not too much, hoping it was consistent and believable. It was. It warrants a sequel so we can learn more.

I liked some small passages of text, one that sticks out, and is reminiscent of Cheever, is "I may go to a museum or an afternoon movie, the latter though very seldom because I am afraid of being taken for one of those men who go alone to the movies mainly to rub their elbow against the woman in the next seat." Wonderful.

The story is gripping and maintained my interest; I wanted to know how the predicament was resolved. I am hoping the author is considering a follow-up.

A good read, but not outstanding
I discovered Shipwreck on the "recommended" table at my local library.However, I'm afraid I cannot second the opinion of my local librarians.

I had a very difficult time getting through Shipwreck.Although, I must say that it had nothing to do with the writing (which was excellent), or with the story (which was compelling, yet somewhat predictable), or with the immoral characters.

No, the biggest problem for me was a practical one---the book had no breaks in the text.There are no chapters, no line breaks, nothing.It simply rambles on until it's done.I suppose it's only fitting to ramble on, much like a drunken person would do in a bar while telling a story.However, it does not really go well with the intelligent and well-written text that would clearly not be the words of a drunk.

Due to the lack of chapter breaks, it became very difficult to simply stop in the middle of the story and pick it back up again (the next morning, for example).

Overall, I found the book to be an interesting expose of an adulterer's mind.Or---simply put---a good read, but not outstanding.

A top writer at the top of his game
This is the third book that I have read by Louis Begley, and though they have all been outstanding, this one is by far the best.This is the book that solidifies him in my mind as one of the best authors alive today.

In case the title of the book is not a strong enough hint that there will be no happy ending to the story, Begley quickly sets a tone of personal destruction and moral failure.His main character, John North, opens the book by approaching a stranger in a bar, and offering to buy him a drink if he will sit and listen to a story that North has never told anyone before.The story is a long one, told over several days and several bottles of whiskey.And the silent listener, whose name we never learn, whose voice we never hear, and whose judgment we never receive, is described as being nearly identical to North in every detail - a physical manifestation, perhaps, of North's troubled conscience.

And yes, his conscience has ample reason to be troubled.The tale he tells is one of deception, weakness, and tragedy.North, a prize-winning novelist, recounts to his companion the details of his affair with Lea, a young French journalist who interviews him for an article about his latest book.North succumbs to his desire for Lea, despite his love for his wife Lydia and his fear of the pain she would suffer if she were to discover his infidelity.

Begley proves in this novel that he is both a gifted storyteller and a master of painting with words the entire spectrum of human emotions.His first-person narration is infused with an overwhelming feeling of honesty, ruthless self-reflection, and guilt.Begley writes about love as well as he does about fear, about lust as well as he does about anger.As a character, North is one of the most genuine I have found in literature.He hides nothing from us, makes no excuses for his weakness, and delivers his self-condemning story with unflinching honesty.

Big disappointment
Other reviews had given me high expectations about this book, regarding both the plot of the story and the literary qualities of the novel. I was disappointed on both counts. The plot is commonplace from the humdrum beginning to the highly predictable end. The characters --especially the French ones-- adhere regrettably faithfully to the stereotypes of American literature. The author has an undeniable talent for writing about sex, but indulges in it to the point of making the rest of the story appear like a pretext for doing just that. And, as a social critique, the book barely matches "the Bonfire of the Vanities", itself hardly a gem of modern literature. The supposed moral conflict that afflicts the lead character is a joke, as he clearly does not have any deep feelings for his mistress and their relationship boils down to lust, at least on his side. An elegant style, occasionally perceptive passages about some universal difficulties of "grown-up life" and a handful of smart literary tricks unfortunately do not add up to a great book. The author's talent is not in doubt, but he did not put enough effort into this book to make it a noteworthy addition to the heritage of literature on adultery and related moral conflicts.

Haunting
Begley brings you into his world once again but, this time he is lewd....never crude always witty... this tale will hold your attention and leave you wondering how many characters such as the main one in this book truely exist...I know that I know at least 2!! ... Read more

Product Description
Superb well-researched guide to every major shipwreck in the western hemisphere, from time of Columbus to ca. 1825. Expert advice on locating, surveying, excavating, identifying and preserving artifacts from sunken vessels. Also detailed catalog of wrecks arranged by year and locality (over 300 pages and 4000 listings). Author is noted marine archaeologist and salvage expert. 73 illustrations. Bibliography.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful Reading
Mr. Marx has written a wonderful book, which should be of value to anyone interested in sunken treasure.It is a labor of love, by a man who has lived an exciting life searching successfully for both treasure and historic material.

The book begins with a wonderful and very detailed history of the Spanish treasure fleets - and their impact on Europe, based on extensive research by the author.This is a most impressive and detailed scholarly effort, and alone justifies a read by anyone interested in the conquest of the New World and the effects of this newfound wealth on Old Europe.

The book then discusses modern salvage techniques and provides the would-be treasure hunter with helpful advice on how to conduct a search.I believe that anyone considering actually conducting an operation would be well advised to read this material and follow Mr. Marx's excellent advice.

The rest of the book consists of an index of known shipwrecks off the coasts and islands of the Americas, by location, and a brief history of each.

Many brave souls are asleep in the deep, and Marx has created a wonderful testament to them.

Encyclopedic Review
This is not a book for the casual reader -- the text on underwater archaeology can be somewhat dense and technical, and the listings of shipwrecks are encyclopedic, not narrative.However, if you are a wreck diver, shipwreck enthusiast or archaeologist, this is a useful reference volume.Marx's knowledge of the subject matter is obvious, though put to more enjoyable use in his books on the underwater excavation of Port Royal. ... Read more

Product Description
Everything one could possibly want to know about Great Lakes diving is contained on over 400 pages. Included are the locations and descriptions of over 900 dive sites -- about 800 of them shipwrecks, with each vessel's history and a description of its dramatic demise.

This diving guide covers the St. Lawrence River, all five of the Great Lakes (Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior), all inconnecting waterways and inland dive sites throughout the Great Lakes region, for all levels of divers from novice to technical diving.

Also in this book are features on "The Hunt for Great Lakes Shipwrecks," "Great Lakes Marine Conservation," "The History of the Zebra Mussel Invasion," as well as information about scuba dive shops and charter boats!

This massive book is a clearinghouse for Great Lakes scuba diving information which divers from all parts of the country are finding increasingly appealing for planning their dive trips.This fact-filled book is a must-have for anyone contemplating scuba diving in the Great Lakes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Bible of Great Lakes Wreck Diving
Cris Kohl is the dean of Great Lakes shipwreck dive guides and has created what will likely be the last Great Lakes dive guide ever published.......there is simply no need for another.The breadth of coverage in this book is truly astounding.It contains info on literally every divable wrecksite on the five Great Lakes, with historical and dive info on each.In order to fit all the info into the book, Kohl had to resort to some pretty small fonts, but the result is still extremely impressive and really invaluable to divers, local historians and anyone who lives near the lakes.The book contains detailed history and site info on more than 1000 wrecks!Kohl has been collecting info on Great Lakes shipwrecks for over 30 years and has become a nexus for researchers, historians and divers.This has enabled him to collect accurate information from a large geographical area and from thousands of divers and historians.My only criticism of the book would be the small print, location numbers that are sometimes inaccurate and an occasional failure to accurately credit sources for information and photos.However, this might be forgiven due to the sheer volume of information presented and the impossibility of personally checking over 1000 wreck locations.If you are a midwest scuba diver, this is the one book you absolutely must own.

great wreck divers guide
This book has a ton of info on hundereds of dive sites in the great lakes! Primarily focuses on the fascinating wrecks that can be found in the lakes.
Major sites have a small blurb about the history of the wreck and a small black/white picture or map/drawing. LORAN location and lats and lons. Suggested dive profiles.
All sites have a depth and suggested experience level for the dive and a brief discription. Sites are grouped together by location and international borders are ignored - great for both US and Canadian divers! Some info about dive operators and accomodations to certain areas.
Overall, an excellent resource! I'll never be able to dive all the interesting sites in one lifetime. Provides enough info to spark a desire to explore the site but doesn't give too much away. ... Read more

Product Description
Fromthe first quarter of the 16th century, Bermuda bacame a landmark for Spanish ships sailing back to Spain from the New World. The desire to sight Bermuda to confirm their position often ended their voyage as they wrecked on Bermuda's outer reefs. To this day Bermuda's treacherous reefs have taken their toll on shipping. The reefs have claimed vessels ranging from ocean lines to small fishing boats. Bermuda Shipwrecks is the most comprehensive, accurate, illustrated collection of information, photographs, sketches and stories ever written about the legendary wrecks around Bermuda. Bermuda Shipwrecks includes over 100 illustrations comprised of 61 sensational color photos, 17 rare b&w historical images, 19 stamps, 4 sketches plus one map. Bermuda Shipwrecks conatins a wealth of enlightening information that gives the readers a nostalgic glimpse into the history and present condition of over 55 of Bermuda's most popular Shipwrecks. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

scuba junkie
THis is a great beginners book if you are looking for dive sites for all different ability divers. It gives a great little synopsis of all the dives in thearea. We have been there twice and it is great!!! Very helpful book. Thanks A+

Not what it says on the Cover!
The first thing that struck me when a copy of this book arrived through my letterbox was how thin it was. As a professional underwater photo-journalist & author who specialises in shipwrecks, I am also a shipwreck historian and, therefore, well aware of the shipwrecks to be found in Bermuda. This book does not do justice to those shipwrecks at all.

Bermuda Shipwrecks is a paper-back book measuring 9" x 6" (23cm x 15 cm) containing 72 pages. With 10 of those pages taken up with such bumf as title of the book (again), fairly ordinary foreword (much of which is repeated on the back cover), acknowledgements, something about the authors, index, how to use the book (which in this case means reading it!) and how to order more copies (as if!), there is precious little room for the details for which we purchased the book in the first place.

The book's cover calls this work "A vacationing diver's guide to Bermuda's Shipwrecks" but it is not even that.Any diver operating anywhere in the world will require diving information and in a number of cases this is wholly non-existent. In others it is less than two lines.

With much of the text punctuated with Teddy did this and then Teddy did that (a reference to Teddy Tucker (who wrote the foreword)) one is left wondering why Teddy didn't do the one thing he should have done - and write the book in the first place.Doubtless it will be called "The Adventures of Teddy!"

In short, this is book of short stories about how many of Bermuda's wrecks were lost.And lost is the right word for this book when it comes to detail.

Not worth the cover price.

N M

Old but the seas dont change
If you are the type of diver that likes to know the background on your wreck dives then this is for you. The history behind the ships and wrecks is very well laid out.Its a good tool to have if your going to dive the wrecks in Bermuda. ... Read more

Product Description
Sixteen-year-old Daniel is appalled at the prospect of spending eight months at the lifesavers' station. And yet, in the autumn of 1880, Daniel finds himself on the train to Cape Cod, where he will live among the coarse, dull surfmen and take orders from his crude, unsympathetic uncle, Captain Alder, the man in charge. At first Daniel's new life seems as comfortless and unrewarding as he had imagined, but the work is unexpectedly challenging, and to his surprise Daniel finds himself beginning to respect and admire the surfmen who risk their lives to save those lost in shipwrecks off the coast. Breathtaking adventure punctuates this lively, insightful coming-of-age story. An afterword traces the history of U.S. lifesaving from its origins to the present-day Coast Guard. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Entertaining
This is a wonderful book!Our entire family enjoyed the story - in fact, we really like this author!

Gene, Excellent
Daniel, the main character in Shipwreck Season, is sent away from his home to his uncles lifesaving station by the sea.Filled with anger and resentment, Danel must learn to respect others.This is an excelent book.All of the characters are very well developed and lifelike; they almost seem human.The story is set just after the year 1800.The story is very realistic, and so are the characters.There is no doubt in my mind as to the quality of this book but you have to read it to truly understand it.There are almost no objectionable parts in this book.Occasional and mild profanity is used, and parents can easily overwrite this if they are reading it to their kids.However, in one graphic point of the book, a young boy's body is washed ashore .Due to this I feel that only older or more mature children should read this book.Adults will like it to. Age 12 and up.

Excellent!
Shipwreck Season, by Donna Hill, is a story about a boy who grows and changes through his experiences as a surfman.It was a little confusing, but overall, I enjoyed it. Daniel, the main character, is forced to join his uncle's team of surfmen. At first Daniel is reluctant, but as the story progresses, he falls into the routine.He is always trying to prove himself to the other men.He keeps experiencing new challenges along the way.I definitely recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
The Year is 1500. Christopher Columbus, stripped of his title Admiral of the Ocean Seas, waits in chains in a Caribbean prison built under his orders, looking out at the colony that he founded, nurtured, and ruled for eight years. Less than a decade after discovering the New World, he has fallen into disgrace, accused by the royal court of being a liar, a secret Jew, and a foreigner who sought to steal the riches of the New World for himself. The tall, freckled explorer with the aquiline nose, whose flaming red hair long ago turned gray, passes his days in prayer and rumination, trying to ignore the waterfront gallows that are all too visible from his cell. And he plots for one great escape, one last voyage to the ends of the earth, one final chance to prove himself. What follows is one of history's most epic-and forgotten-adventures. Columbus himself would later claim that his fourth voyage was his greatest. It was without doubt his most treacherous. Of the four ships he led into the unknown, none returned. Columbus would face the worst storms a European explorer had ever encountered. He would battle to survive amid mutiny, war, and a shipwreck that left him stranded on a desert isle for almost a year. On his tail were his enemies, sent from Europe to track him down. In front of him: the unknown. Martin Dugard's thrilling account of this final voyage brings Columbus to life as never before-adventurer, businessman, father, lover, tyrant, and hero. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Lasting Story of Exploration and Adventure
I've read Martin Dugard before. His "Into Africa" traces Henry Morgan Stanley's search for British Explorer David Livingstone deep in the African jungle. "Farther Than Any Man" follows the career of Explorer James Cook. He wrote "The Murder of King Tut" with perennial fiction bestselling author James Patterson. While "Tut" is a bit of a mess and misses whatever target at which it's aiming,"Into Africa" is a thrilling ride, that's exhilarating to read and fulfilling to finish. "Farther Than Any Man" is somewhere in between...both enlightening and a little hard to follow at times. "The Last Voyage of Columbus" is both a historical survey, and at times a detailed narrative. It's not as strong as "Into Africa", and yet I'm finding it more lasting than the Cook bio.

The book outlines Columbus' first three expeditions to the New World, and about half way through delves deeply into his last journey. Columbus' final journey, in the very early 1500s, is successful with the benefit of historical hindsight. Columbus cruises the Central America isthumus and the northern peak of the South American continent. Columbus is still seeking his western water-based route to India, and as Dugard points out, comes tantilizingly close - less than 100 miles from the Pacific as he makes landfall on modern-day Panama. Columbus finds gold, but he's never able to fully bask in his ultimate validation of finding the New World. His expedition of about 150 men barely survives hurricanes, horrific wind storms, angry natives, a mutinous crew, and aggressively jealous Spaniards doing all they can to discredit the great captain.

Columbus comes across as a bit of a sad old man. He's clearly past his prime having failed at leading the Spanish colony at Santo Domingo in Hispanola (modern day Dominican Republic). Dugard portrays King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella's final approval of a fourth journey as a way to get rid of, and appease, the annoying and persistent explorer.

I'd rank this book three stars without a second thought if it weren't for the fact that I read it very quickly and, a few days after I've put it down, have found myself thinking about Columbus' horrid hardships, fierce loyalties he was able to instill, and polarizing effect he had on two different continents. Both of these indicate that the book was probably more than "good" at only 3 starts. If there was a "half" rating, I'd go with 3 and a half, but instead I'll just have to give Dugard and Columbus the benefit of the doubt.

A good read.
Dugard has a very easy and entertaining style.The information can be a little muddled at times (just look at the book's full title as an example), but overall a good read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great story, EXCELLENT photos
A few years back I borrowed this book from my local library. The TRUE story of the Cutter Mesquite is very intruiging, but I must say the best part of the book is the crystal-clear full color underwater photos of the wreck. Unlike most underwater wreck photos, these are bright, clear, in color and best of all interesting. You can see photos of a file cabinet with one drawer open and tons of soaked files still hanging from it. Also a xerox machine, and other office supplies and crew supplies that were perfectly good and usable but for some reason were not removed from the Mesquite before it was scuttled. It looks as though it was business as usual on the cutter right up until the very end.
Unfortunately this book is out-of-print, and I cannot seem to find it on ebay. A shame. Let's hope they re-issue it very soon! A must for Great Lakes wreck enthusiasts! ... Read more