Book Description
When Oxford archeologist Mensun Bound—dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the Deep” by the Discovery Channel—teamed up with a financier to salvage a sunken trove of fifteenth-century porcelain, it seemed a dream enterprise. The stakes were high: The Hoi An wreck lay hundreds of feet down in a typhoon-prone stretch of water off the coast of Vietnam known as the Dragon Sea. Raising its contents required saturation diving, a crew of 160, and a fleet of boats. The costs were unprecedented. But the potential rewards were equally high: Bound would revolutionize thinking about Vietnamese ceramics, and his partner would make a fortune auctioning off the pieces. Hired as the project’s manager, Frank Pope watched the tumultuous drama of the Hoi An unfold. In Dragon Sea he delivers an engrossing tale of danger, adventure, and ambition—a fascinating object lesson in what happens when scholarship and money join forces to recover lost treasure.
Customer Reviews:
Dragon Sea - a Riveting Read.......2007-08-17
I loved this book! Frank Pope opens a window to the complex aquatic battleground of treasure hunters and marine arachaeologist, where ambition, gold fever and extreme pressures test men to the limit - physically, mentally and ethically. An excellent true life adventure, bravely told.
Dragon Sea.......2007-07-24
It is a rare writer that can document without dryness, dramatize without histrionics. Frank Pope has managed to span the gap. Dragon Sea provides both an intellectual discussion of marine archeology and artifact without getting bogged down in academic quicksand. He also provides enough on-scene sweat and nerves to keep the reader wondering what's around the next corner from beginning to end. It is a thoroughly enjoyable book and a wealth of information for diving and archeological punters like myself. I had always wondered about the DB29 disaster. Mr. Pope opened a window on it for me without veering off topic.
A book like this should have been written earlier!.......2007-04-23
I thank Frank Pope for writing such a powerful book on the tragic fate of the Hoi An Hoard. Judging from the dearth of book on this important archaeological discovery and the fascinating aspects of Vietnamese ceramics, the book is indeed very timely and does some justice those treasures.
I picked up this book by accident and was riveted for the whole afternoon, until the very last sentence. Pope had a unique perspective on the whole project, and the book has a great balance between more action-based narrative and probing thoughts on the dilemma of money vs. knowledge, as the reader is drawn into the tumultuous months in the sea during the excavations.
I just hope that everyone reading this will appreciate such discovery, and also the importance of preserving the treasures of humankind varied past.
A top pick for a wide range of collections........2007-04-12
DRAGON SEA: A TRUE TALE OF TREASURE, ARCHAEOLOGY, AND GREED OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM comes from an archaeologist dubbed the 'Indiana Jones of the Deep' by popular TV, who teamed up with a financier to salvage sunken treasure in Vietnam's Dragon Sea. No small venture, this required a fleet of ships and a crew of 160: their efforts would not only result in success but would change thinking about Vietnamese arts. Readers needn't be archaeology students to appreciate this: epic action and adventure reads with the drama of fiction but includes all facts - including insights on Vietnamese culture and arts - making it a top pick for a wide range of collections.
A Real Page Turner.......2007-03-09
Some years ago, I happened on several Ebay auctions of blue and white covered jars and bowls which were part of the Hoi An Hoard. The description said they were 500 years old and had been recovered from the bottom of the South China Sea. I did some quick Internet reading on the Hoi An Hoard and my interest was sparked. I bought several lots of the beautiful pottery which had rested on the sea floor since before Columbus came to the New World. (From reading Dragon Sea I now know that they are pieces of lesser interest and beauty!)
I recently read that a book had been written about the salvage operation. I quickly ordered Dragon Sea. I read it just as quickly. The story of the Hoi An Hoard is a well written, fascinating tale full of bad guys, good guys and really over worked guys. It is the tale of fortunes won and fortunes lost by gambling on the sea and its hidden treasures. Author Frank Pope, who was actually involved in the Hoi An operation, weaves a quick moving story with wonderful characters. The best part is that those characters are real people -- each with an agenda of his own. The book is filled with wonderful detail -- from the spraying of the beer girls to the skin conditions of the saturation divers who worked for more than a month at incredible depths. But Pope's very best descriptions are of being caught at sea when the Dragon Strikes and the crew and barge are caught in the teeth of a major typhoon. You feel as if you are really there -- and are glad you're not. Pope teaches about sunken treasure, saturation diving,archeology and the politics of academia with ease.
I no more than put the book down than my husband snatched it up. He read deep into last night and awoke this morning with his glasses still perched on the end of his nose. Two thumbs up from our household! P.S. I treasure my 500 year old jars from the bottom of the South China Sea even more now that I know the amazing story of suffering, intrigue and greed which brought them to me.
Amazon.com
In his introduction to this book, James Cameron, the director of the hit movie Titanic, remarks that the 1912 sinking of that great ship has yielded more books than all but two other historical events--the life of Christ and the death of John F. Kennedy. Considering that vast ocean of print, it may come as a surprise that there's much left to say about the unfortunate vessel and the iceberg that sent it to the bottom of the Atlantic.
But Charles Pellegrino finds an unexplored niche with Ghosts of the Titanic, which mixes the memoirs of survivors with learned speculation on the fate of certain of the ship's passengers--some of them shot to deter a rush on the few lifeboats--to reconstruct just what happened on that fateful April night. Pellegrino also offers an intriguing look at the science behind recent forensic investigations of the Titanic, which have enabled scholars to model the minute-by-minute disintegration of the ship as it slipped into the depths--for, he argues, instead of the "traditional (and mythical) 300-foot-long 'gash' or 'split,' the Titanic was felled by a series of punches, stabs, and bullet hole-like punctures" that allowed 24,000 metric tons of water to enter the ship within minutes of its collision. Along the way, Pellegrino offers asides on such strange phenomena as the deep-ocean bacteria that are slowly devouring the wreckage, and glimpses of the odds and ends (including the well-preserved remains of a last lamb supper) that the ship has turned up.
While it's almost certainly not the last word on the subject, Pellegrino's book should appeal to Titanic junkies everywhere. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
The nightmare that began on the evening of April 14, 1912, did not end even as it shattered the lives of passengers and crew, their families, and their hopes into a mile-wide field of wreckage two and a half miles below the ocean's surface. It was just the beginning. A mystery that has survived decades, the loss of the Titanic two hundred miles off the coast of North America remains a defining moment in American history. It continues to haunt and to compel archaeologists like bestselling author Dr. Charles Pellegrino to piece together the shocking secrets left behind.
In Ghosts of the Titanic, firsthand accounts and oceanic findings join to create the most vivid picture yet of the incredible night the Titanic went down. Offering new conclusions about the sinking and new insights into human nature in the face of disaster, Pellegrino draws signposts from the past for the future.
Using the latest technology to penetrate the ship's grave-where strange bacteria and a water temperature only two degrees above freezing have kept many of the ship's artifacts and even food from decay-Ghosts of the Titanic re-creates those last horrifying moments onboard the doomed liner and reveals fascinating details about life on the bed of the Atlantic. With new discoveries about the ship's fate and history, it showsWhat really happened to the Grand StairwayWhy the lookout never saw the massive iceberg before it was too lateHow diaries and letters from passengers came to be perfectly preserved at the bottom of the oceanWho was looting cabins as the ship went down How a 3.5-billion-year-old living fossil is turning the Titanic itself into the world's largest living organism
Customer Reviews:
Best Book on the Anatomy of the Titanic Tragedy.......2007-04-17
This is the best modern inquiry into the causes of the Titanic sinking.I had to ask myself a question after reading this insightful book.Was the disaster planned by European communists? People may scoff at the notion of a socialist-labour conspiracy here.Yet,if you read between the lines,it has some credible possibilties that may be true.One name that i read over was that of 'Winterstorm' on the cruise passenger list.It turns out that that name is also that of a Swedish communist spy for the fledgling Bolsheviks.Is this a coincedence or a real spy for the growing communist movement in Europe?The idea of the Titanic being an enclosed floating rat trap containing robber barons and mega-capitalists,is not that absurd.Was Winterstrom passing encoded messages via the ship's new experimental Marconi radio system? Was Winterstrom a secret agent who knew the doomed ship's impending encounter with the iceberg.Was Winterstrom,et al,distractors of the ship's officiers? How could experienced sailing men be so bold and reckless,in such icy troubled waters of early Spring.If Captain Smith was gambling on a safe voyage,how could he not monitor every berg movement ,on the ship's westward course.Why were the spy-glasses missing from the crow's nest? Leaving the next look-out man helpless,until a replacement pair was located.The possible scenerios of sabotage are many and still will fascinate maritime readers forever.Awesome reading!
An Instant Classic.......2006-06-22
As years rolled on by since the Titanic set sail from Southampton, and Sank five days into her maiden voyage, technology as well as the human understanding of the elements of science began to evolve. So much, that the fabled liner was located 2 1/2 miles below the ocean's surface, 74 years after she foundered. Yet, a certain fog seems to surround the ship, rendering her tale perplexing, and when considering facts, figures and information, nearly incomplete. Accordingly, Dr. Pellegrino began to decipher the Titanic's, say, hieroglyphics laying on the bed of the Atlantic, in three sections, blown into a mile wide radius of debris. Through his book "Ghosts of the Titanic", he took the steps required to better understand the RMS Titanic. He took steps forward into our advanced civilization, into the future, and out to space. He also took steps back to a time or a world rather, seemingly so distant from our own today. A time when quite possibly, the Titanic may have existed, and then ceased to exist suddenly, altering the lives of many and shocking the minds of many more.
In any event, the sinking of the Titanic has carried on a certain legacy among people. A grievous, sorrowful aspect of history, perhaps, handed down through first-hand accounts from survivors, and remarkable new evidence utilizing the latest technology. Yet there still remains a chapter of words unspoken, and I like to believe Dr. Pellegrino has embarked on this hidden scroll, of things those claimed by the Titanic would have liked to say. He mentioned such things in "Ghosts of the Titanic". His exceptional analysis of the ship's history contributed. In fact, one of the grandest characteristics of Dr. Pellergino's writing style in "Ghosts of the Titanic" is that he allowed the tragic aspects of the Titanic speak for themselves. Much like he stated "the Titanic is a Greek tragedy written by God, with Shakespeare as his muse". Dr. Pellegrino did an exceptional job of allowing God's story to take it's own course, and present itself to the reader. Possibly, living every moment of that story, alongside the ghosts of the Titanic themselves, awoken from their lingering slumber amongst the Titanic's wreckage. Often times, he uses your mind to take you into the minds of the people involved. And he never lets you forget, that the Titanic is a story about people. Just when everything reaches it's climax and it becomes difficult to grasp the idea that all the horrors of April 15th 1912 may seem so unrealistic, or maybe even so deeply imbedded into history that they appear to be near impossible. Yet, that very detail of human pride and arrogance is the key focus of what we all can learn from the Titanic's story, from the actions and mistakes of those that "lived and breathed that history". (James Cameron).
Ghosts of the Titanic remains a collection of thoughts, quotes, actions and the length of the altered lives involved in the disaster. Pellegrino's experiences with the Titanic are shared and so eloquently described that they truly effect the reader. The Titanic is composed of so many intertwining stories of damaged lives that it becomes difficult not to completely connect with the fellow humans, and their agony - The Navratil brothers, Edith Russell, Thomas Andrews of even Officer Murdoch. Their lives are portrayed like the immortalized texts on the stone tablets they really are due to the Titanic - Helen Churchill Candee, or Major Peuchen, and their lives aboard the vessel ,and after it. Many people like to place themselves in their positions, and imagine how they would react. Reading Ghosts of the Titanic, it's your turn to witness the pandemonium, or standby and watch the lives of 2,200 people, on different ends of a social spectrum, share that one dramatic night.
It's Pellegrino's unique expressed ability to take such subjects and allow them to branch off into so many, that truly defines the significance of science. The ability to unmask the overlapping characteristics of history inevitably repeating themselves like an endless complex cycle with humans at it's center. The logic is phenominal. And often times, it's amazing to learn we have control over this phenomenon, by learning how it effected others before us, others in that time long ago when 1500 people lost their lives to a sinking vessel. One traveling 21 knots into an ice field known to lie ahead, out of greed and arrogance. One that carried an insufficient amount of lifeboats, or one that left a scar on the hearts of so many, and inspired so much more in it's wake. More than any individual could possibly imagine.
Dr. Pellegrino honestly knows how enthrall his reader. By explaining the functions of rusticle organisms that inhabit the empty corridors of the RMS Titanic. The pattern or chain reaction of events that took place then and do now is hard to miss. He introduces a new world where sea snow disturbs the liners deterioration and the deterioration of our own ozone layer. Global warming and increasing CO2 levels in our atmosphere holds it's own tragic tune. This web of events, and experiences takes it's toll on the venerable heart, it allows the brain to wander, and leaves the soul enough warmth to regret ever attempting to leave the icy night RMS Titanic disappeared beneath the ocean's surface, only to resurface again. He weaves together the finest silk both history and science have to offer.
I've encountered a world, I will carry on with me forever. The books is fast paced, and quite detailed. Pellegrino is clever, and his use of events from his own life and how the books subject - Titanic and science - have effected him proves to be an effective way to draw in the reader. I highly recommend it to any reader, willing to take the adventure.
Rusticles aren't boring and I love this book.......2005-10-30
Pellegrino does have a busy mind and he takes interest in so many angles. Many reviewers complain this book gets boring, but for me (no scientist) the rusticles and their importance were the most fascinating aspect of this Titanic story, one of innumerable accounts of that tragic night.
The "rusticles" are a new life form, rust and bacteria symbiotically eating the carcass of the ship. Medical research on rusticles may someday save more lives than Titanic lost. They deserve all the attention Pellegrino gives them.
A fresh angle Pellegrino offers on this old story: the dangerous "don't challenge authority" syndrome. Capt. Smith knew better than to speed through ice-laden waters on a moonless night. His higher-ups, however, kept pressuring him to increase speed, and he obeyed. How hard it is for us to challenge authority, risk our jobs, dare to defy orders. But if only Capt. Smith had...
"If only" is the litany of all tragedies, such as Romeo and Juliet and the endless little details which might have made all the difference.
The market is glutted with Titanic books, but this one is one of the most creative and thought provoking. Facts may be skewed here and there, but overall it's a great read.
The Ghosts were somewhat lost.......2005-09-19
I was interested in the author's perspective of the individuals and their accounts on the Titanic. The relevance of the discoveries at the wreck site were timely when the book was written but somewhat dated to a Titanic history student. I found his interpretation of the development of life as troublesome. It really spoiled my enjoyment of an otherwise good read. The quality of the book itself was excellent.
These reviews made me think again.......2005-03-13
Well, I caught a few errors when I wsa reading it, but some of the other commentary here has made me even more cautious of Dr. Pellegrino's scholarship. (That thing about Pellegrino claiming Lord interviewed Lightoller after Lightoller had died is particularly disturbing.) This book is a lot of fun to read, in spite of (and at times because of) the fact that it's totally all over the place; information is scattered randomly throughout and there's no apparently logical order to it. Yes, he does also go off on some tangets--some of which are interesting, and some of which are maudlin, overly personal and just embarrassing. The best parts are those where Pellegrino's voice does not dominate, but where we get to hear extensively from other, very well-informed people like Ballard, Lord and yes, even Jim Cameron.
Be warned, though: Pellegrino fabricates dialog for conversations that have never been supported with documentary evidence, and is a much better oceanographer than a historian.
Customer Reviews:
Titanic.......2006-03-23
Do you like old ships? Well, I know the right one for you. It is the Titanic. It is about a ship that hit an ice berg and went down. So go under water with Dr.Robert Ballard and explore the Titanic. Good Luck! This book is recommended for 8 and up.
A Sad, Yet True Look at the TITANIC .......2006-02-12
Exploring the TITANIC is a very profound read. Robert Ballard (author of this book) is an avid diver, with the dream of finding and exploring the TITANIC. He joined a bunch of French explorers, and traveled far into the deep of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland where the TITANIC sank in 1912. Ballard used Argo (an advanced water-safe camera) to take pictures of the TITANIC until he found that he could not use Argo anymore because the rough waves were pounding against it. Minute after minute, hour after hour, the Knorr (the submarine Ballard was traveling on) floated in a sea of darkness because the only light they had was the light from Argo. About ten hours went by before Ballard decided to use Angus. Angus was an older camera that Ballard had used in previous explorations. In an hour or two, Ballard had found the TITANIC. Somehow he was not satisfied. He wanted to take clear pictures but did not know how to get them with the technology that he had with him. He pondered this for days. He knew that he was about 13 feet above the TITANIC. Then it came to him that he just needed to go down 13 feet more to get his pictures. Ballard convinced the Captain to go down the 13 feet. When they reached their target, they were able to get their pictures.
Ballard's dream was still not fulfilled because he had not yet explored the TITANIC. About a year later, Ballard and two other divers went underwater to explore the TITANIC. They had traveled down four or five times to complete their mission of exploring the TITANIC. Ballard's dream was fulfilled.
I would recommend this book to any reader that is NOT sensitive. This book told about people on the TITANIC who died. I think the author told us too much about people's lives and made us care about them too much. It was sad when you found out the person died. If they weren't killed, then one of the person's loved ones was killed. For example, Jack Thayer was talked about very much in the beginning. I became fond of him because the author gave so much detail about his life. When Ballard told us that Thayer had survived the crash, he did not stop there. He went on to tell us that Jack's father and his friend did not make it. This made me very emotional. If you would like to learn about Robert Ballard and his exploration of the TITANIC, then by all means, read this book. If the sad parts about the people who died bother you, just skip those pages and you'll still learn a lot about exploring the TITANIC.
If you like reading about the Titanic you will love this book!!.......2005-07-10
It's a true story about the Titanic and what things Robert Ballard and his team find in the Titanic.
A fabulous read.......2001-12-21
I first read this book almost 15 years ago, at age 5 : I loved it, and read it uncountable times. Today it is still just as fascinating. Beautifully illustrated and clearly written, it was the first of many Ballard books that I read. I would also recommend the Discovery of the Bismark and The Wreck of the Isis, just as interesting but less well known. A great way to start reading about the great ships of the past.
Read about the Hole thing from the Beginning.......2001-11-22
Goes behind the Titanic. Why did the Titanic sank, why it was built, how they came up with the name Titanic etc. It has everything you need to know about the Titanic. Even has real actual pictures taken of the Titanic in the water and above.
Customer Reviews:
Great photographic complement to "Ship of Gold".......2005-12-29
Category: treasure hunting
Boats: SS Central America and a big, capable ROV
Heroes: Tommy Thompson
Location: USA, Midwest and East Coast
Synopsis: Coffee table companion book to Gary Kinder's excellent Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea. Thompson has put together a very good set of photos and descriptive text that doesn't overlap the Ship of Gold story. It's great to see the systems and treasure recovered that you read about in detail in the earlier book.
The Picture Companion to Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea.......2002-03-16
Tommy Thompson is one methodical scientist. He found a ship that sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1857 that had eluded searchers for 130 years. He has taken the same methodical approach in creating this book "America's Lost Treasure".
Gary Kinder wrote a 1998 bestseller on Thompson's search entitled "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea". It is one of the best pageturners I have ever read! More amazing is that it actually happened! The ship was the United States Mail Steamship "Central America" which was making rounds between the Atlantic coast of Panama and New York City during the California Gold Rush era. She was a side paddlewheeler steamship and was hauling a huge cargo of gold ingots, freshly minted gold coins, gold nuggets, and gold dust along with 38,000 pieces of mail and 578 passengers. Much of the gold was being brought to New York to shore up the bullion holdings of banks that had been putting out too much paper money without the available gold reserves to back it. Most of the passengers were returning from the Gold Rush; many were women and children. The ship sank after a heroic battle with a hurricane in 1857 off the Carolinas taking about 425 lives with her and all the gold. Both books chronicle Thompson's epic adventure finding the ship and recovering the gold down 8000 feet underwater where even the US Navy couldn't effectively recover items. Kinder's book clocks in at over 500 riveting pages but, is largely without pictures of all the incredible finds. "America's Lost Treasure" fills in that photographic void quite admirably in it's 186 pages.
"America's Lost Treasure" is broken down into a background history of America at the time leading up to the Central America's sinking, a detailed account of the CA's fateful last voyage, a background of the equipment and people involved in the search and rediscovery of the CA, the discovery of the ship and the 'Garden of Gold', a review of the personal items found at the bottom other than the gold, and a section on the other scientific discoveries made at the site such as decay processes and new species of life found. There are hordes of very appropriate photographs that perfectly illustrate the topic discussed in the very readable and concise narration. The page layout is very well done and makes full use of the book's ten inches by ten inches size. Particularly interesting is the discovery and opening of several intact passenger's trunks revealing intact clothing and still visible photographs! The gold, however, is the expected showstopper.
Overall, I can't recommend this book enough when read in companion with "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea". Some people will bristle with disfavor on the efforts in general to recover items from this wreck feeling it is a desecration of history and wrong. I couldn't help but be astounded by the disciplined and rigorous scientific and engineering skills put on display in the efforts. This is an absolutely fascinating pictorial account of a remarkable period in the history of America. It will rivet your attention from beginning to end and have you looking back at sections again and again. It is one of the best coffee table books in existence. The lost treasure found is truly breathtaking and this book is an absolutely worthy account of it! VERY highly recommended!
As exciting as any mystery novel!.......2001-11-26
Tommy Thompson is one of those unusual individuals with the fantastic mind of an inventor/engineer, yet with the ability to work with people to bring out their best. Our government should take note of this man, or hopefully they have, and give him the freedom to let his mind find solutions to many of our problems, as he has shown he can do in this book. It was an adventure, filled with suspense and I would recommend the picture book to go along with the text so you can see the magnificent photos of his find.
As exciting as any mystery novel!.......2001-11-26
Tommy Thompson is one of those unusual individuals with the fantastic mind of an inventor/engineer, yet with the ability to work with people to bring out their best. Our government should take note of this man, or hopefully they have, and give him the freedom to let his mind find solutions to many of our problems, as he has shown he can do in this book. It was an adventure, filled with suspense and I would recommend the picture book to go along with the text so you can see the magnificent photos of his find.
Splendid Book, Manipulated Reader, by fermed.......2001-11-13
This book is chronologically a sequel to the narrative "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea" by Gary Kinder, in which this writer masterfully described the tragic history of the "Central America" and the details of the successful recovery (by Tommy Thompson's group) of the gold she carried when she sank in 1857. Kinder's name is not mentioned in the body or the index of this book. What happened?
The good news is that this is a spectacular book: it is beautifully printed and illustrated. The pictures of the sunken "Central America" loaded with gold and lying in deep waters since it went under are simply breathtaking. The gold ingots, and coins and nuggets and dust have acquired a queer beauty during the years they have rested in the sea bed; the luster of the metal is still there even as it has been affected by is 131 year immersion in the depths: to be crawled over and probed by the strange denizens that thrive down there, and to react to the mysterious chemistry that is created in the deep.
Yes, this is a beautiful book that is irresistible to look at. When exposed to the passinge gaze of others it is invariably picked up and held, and exclamations of awe become intermingled with "Can I borrow it?" One must be strong if the book is to remain ours.
The not so good part is the feeling of sheer manipulation that the book imparts, based on what the book does not say--but should. I remember how distressing it was that "Ship of Gold" lacked clear photographs of the treasure found. It seemed downright stingy not to publish at least a few pictures of the loot. Well, here are the missing photos, yours for [item price] plus shipping. So what is missing in this one?
For one there is no manifest of what was taken out of the "Central America." While in the previous book (if I remember correctly) it was stated that the ship sank with 20 (or so) TONS of gold, in this book the author is ever so elusive about totals.Here he speaks in these tersm: "In addition to many tons of gold..." or "This was compounded by the sinking of the "Central America," which sent its huge load of gold...to the bottom of the sea." It isn't that Tommy Thompson doesn't know how to count: "Bound for New York with 578 passangers and crew and 38,000 pieces of mail, the "Central America" also contained tons of gold..."
Yes, there are lots of beautiful pictures of the artifacts and even clothing that was brought up, but no accounting of exactly what was extracted. The absence of this accounting (just how many tons of gold, how many coins, bars, ingots, how many glass bottles) renders the book of limited historical value. It would have taken no more than a couple of pages to furnish such information, but one feels the absence of this data was a conscious decision of the author.
In summary, if you want to regale your eyes with the treasures of this ship, get the book. I you are interested in the exact details of this find and recovery, don't.
Amazon.com
As Woods Hole oceanographer Robert Ballard demonstrates in his absorbing, profusely illustrated book about his years-long hunt for the wreck of the Titanic, science isn't all that different from Hollywood. Just as a Hollywood type--say, the director whose quest to make the world's most expensive film is chronicled in Paula Parisi's Titanic and the Making of James Cameron--must use the cachet of his studio connections to raise cash, a Woods Hole scientist must use that eminent institution's reputation to win financing for his or her projects. Like the movie that sprang from the finding of the wreck, Ballard's scientific exploration is a tale of triumph against long odds. He's also got some good historical data on the drama of the sinking. Here are a few ear-witness accounts of the moment of the iceberg's impact on the Titanic: "A disquieting ripping sound like a piece of cloth"; "A thousand marbles"; "As though somebody had drawn a giant finger along the side of the ship." Ballard quotes the most precise description of the fatal instant, given by colorful Second Officer Lightoller: "Not that it was by any means a violent concussion, but just a distinct and unpleasant break in the monotony of her motion." Ballard's book helps you get the feeling of climbing aboard and being there for that distinctly unpleasant moment. --Tim Appelo
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book.......2007-01-07
This is a sensational book.I have read this one quite a bit.
I love the bit where they find the boiler on the bottom of the ocean.
It talks about the trials they went through trying to find the elusive Titanic.Nobody had seen that ship since it sunk in 1912.
I have always loved reading about that ship,something about the whole story has fascinated me.
I think the era it all happened in,as well as the beauty of the ship itself.It certainly had a mystique of its own.
To look at the pictures of the ship how it has deteriorated over time is very ghostly.To see objects such as dolls heads and boots realy shows you the tragedy that once happened on a very cold night.
The stupidity to push the ship full speed through an iceberg field maked the mind boggle.Playing dice with all those lives,and to top it all off the lack of life boats on board.
Dr.Robert D. Ballard became a legend himself after the discovery of the most famous ship to ever hit the waves.
A most outstanding book........2004-09-21
Dr Robert Ballard will forever remain the man who found the Titanic. In so doing, he became the world's most famous ocean explorer who found the world's most famous ship.
It is not for me to inform readers of the story of the Titanic. Almost everyone grew up knowing something about that ship - even if the finer points of information they thought they knew were inaccurate.
Having then achieved the outstanding feat of finding this elusive shipwreck, Bob Ballard has put together the most complete - and yet again "outstanding," tale of search, discovery and finally success, coupled with an accurate portrayal of the life and death of the ship itself. All the facts and historic photographs are there - and, speaking as a professional shipwreck historian, he really has done the most thorough job of work here.
Finally, he has put together the most (and I deliberately use that word again) "outstanding" collection of artwork created by Ken Marschall. I may be wrong, but it seems to me nobody had heard of this artist until the first editions of this book appeared - now he is a household name amongst those in the know.
From thousands of photographic images taken far below the surface, Bob Ballard created montage after montage of the various sections and profiles of the wreck (i.e. big photographs made up of thousands of little photographs) so that Mr Marschall was able to provide us with paintings which look like single colour photographs of this and that section which go together to make up the entire wreck.
I congratulate Dr Ballard on an excellent and professional job of work. Altogether, the most outstanding book for which 5 stars are not enough.
NM
Very well written account.......2002-02-26
I bought this book soon after the hype brought on by the film. I have always been a history fan. The stories surrounding the fate of the Titanic have always intrigued me.
I knew of Ballard from previous expeditions that he had done. I have seen his work on The Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel.
This book is well thought out. From the search in the early days to the actual discovery and exploration. It's amazing how Ballard was able to stick with it over the years and the difficult times.
The book is written more as a story than as a text book. Plenty of history. The underwater photos are magnificent. I read the book and just wonder at all the problems that they had to overcome. The setbacks. The failures. It's all here in an easy to read and follow book.
If you are at all interested in the Titanic and it's discovery, this is a good book to read.
Very complete description of the discovery of Titanic.......2001-09-19
This book describes the discovery of the Titanic in a perfect way. Besides telling the sad story of her maiden voyage, that ended so tragically, Dr. Ballard describes his own struggle to complete his long time wish to find Titanic. He talks about troubles raising funds, the tragedy of almost losing the discovery to another expedition and the very exhaustive and mostly boring search. But also about the joy of finally finding the wreck and his emotions during all of this. All this is told from a integer point of view, also crediting the other people for their part in the discovery. The book includes many photographs and two nice full-color foldouts of the wreck. This new edition also includes a chapter in which Dr. Ballard comments on more recent visits, conducted by others, to the Titanic and his views on the (commercial) salvaging of Titanic wreckage.
The actual story of the discovery plus beautiful images..........2001-04-04
The ever interesting Titanic lives on.
The best part about this book is almost being there with Ballard as this great ship is seen again by human eyes for the very first time in many decades. And of course the great images (both the actual pictures and the illustrations of how the parts of the wreck are situated on the bottom) that this book contains.
Very worth while if great historic event in general and the Titanic in particular are among your interests.
Book Description
A breathtakingly illustrated true tale of adventure and discovery to tie in with a groundbreaking new 3-D large-screen movie from the director-producer of Titanic.
In the late summer of 2001, James Cameron, the director-producer of the highest-grossing picture in Hollywood history, led a new deep-diving expedition to the wreck of the lost liner Titanic. With him was a team of underwater explorers that included the artist Ken Marschall, the historian Don Lynch, and two actors from the movie, Bill Paxton and Lewis Abernathy (who played Brock Lovett and Lewis Bodine). Their equipment included state-of-the-art digital 3D cameras, a pair of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and a specially built deep-water lighting platform that illuminated the fabled ship as never before. In a series of historic dives they filmed deep inside the ghostly liner, obtaining haunting, never-before-seen images.
In spring 2003, this remarkable journey into the heart of the Titanic will be presented coast-to-coast in a digital 3D giant screen film, Ghosts of the Abyss. For those who will be drawn anew to the story of the Titanic, as well as for those who have never stopped being fascinated by the ship's tragic fate, Ghosts of the Abyss will be a revelation in pictures and words. Cameron compellingly describes just what keeps him returning to the Titanic, and the meticulous journals kept during the dives form a dramatic adventure narrative. But what will truly astonish are new, incredibly vivid images from within the ship's staterooms and public rooms, matched with archival images from 1912 and new paintings and diagrams--a "then-and-now gallery" that captures as never before the history, the drama, and the legend of the Titanic.
Customer Reviews:
Ghosts of the Abyss: A Journey Into The Heart of the Titanic.......2007-04-01
Bought for my grandson's 7th birthday. He loved it, he is into everything Titanic right now. Even my husband loved it book, as did his father.
She still stands as a silent sentinel..........2007-02-18
This book is an excellent tribute to those who designed,built and sailed on the world's most famous ship. It is also a fine tribute to those who sacrificed so much to find the ship laying on the ocean floor,at a depth of 2 1/2 miles below the surface,375 miles SE of Newfoundland,and 1,000 miles due East of Boston; and bringing back to us, in unimaginable detail ,how this magnificient ship, in all her splendor, looks today in her final resting place.For many decades ,there was wild speculation of how the ship would look after so many years under such great pressures and even if she could ever be found. All that speculation has been resolved,thanks to the efforts of these determined and talented people.Not only have they found her,visited her,returned with fantastic photographs;but have also done a superb job of sharing it with us through Motion Pictures,Documentries, beautiful,haunting and imaginative drawings and keepsakes such as this dazzling book.
Where this book shines is that it shows what things originally looked like ,using actual pictures at the time;and then showing what they look like now,after over 90 years of ravages by time and elements.
While the photos alone would make this an exiquisite volume,the text covers much information on the ship,how events unfolded and why things happened the way they did.
The painting by artist Ken Marschall of the Titanic, majestically forging ahead ;while she is being fatally ripped open by the iceberg shows the spirit of man against all odds of nature;and even though man is often set back,he refuses to be defeated. This scene in History is reminiscent of the spectacular explosion and loss of life with the Challenger Spaceship.We all owe a gerat debt of gratitude to the artists who portray images such as Marschall and who have the imagination and talent to paint such a picture as is on page 35, showing the Titanic breaking up,the many unfortunate passengers and crew heading with the ship to their watery graves;while a few fortunate are saved.The lifeboat with its few survivors ,where the artist shows that while some look on,others can't even bear to watch.While photographers can produce excellent images of events,if they get the opportunity;it takes an artist to record events like this.
The book is dedicated to those who perished on April,15,1912,and on September 11, 2001. As the world watched the events of 9/11,the crew who gave us the scenes in this wonderful book,were actually at sea ,diving on the Titanic.
We need books like this to remind us of the hopes, struggles and endurance of Man against both the forces of Nanure ,as with the Titanic and and the Evils of Man, as we saw on 9/11.
Ghosts of the Abyss: A Journey Into The Heart of the Titanic.......2007-01-11
Awesome, in every sense of the word... One of the best books on the wreck i have ever viewed and it ties in brilliantly withthe movie which is probably one of my favourites too! I recommend this to any Titanic bod..
Going to an abyss can be a good thing.......2006-08-13
This book is a welcome additon to any on the RMS Titanic. Its not just history but of the crew of the deep sea submarine. The Titanic always captures ones imagination. This book shows the wear, and tear that nature is bringing the wreck of the Titanic. Its sad how much has changed since her discovery by Bob Ballard. The book goes into depth through pictures, and artwork of famed painter Ken Marschall. What is happening to the liner is awful. I also can respect a book that goes to the abyss without raping the Titanic that is a graveyard too, that deserves to be left alone to its fate by nature. Thank you for Amazon for allowing me to review this book, and give a little opinion on the subject of Titanic.
Haunting.......2006-08-06
"Ghosts of the Abyss" features a collection of the greatest Titanic Wreck images to date. Cameron has wandered into areas of the ship inquiring minds like my own have often wondered about. The contrast of the Titanic then to what she is now reveals the tragic aspects of this signifciant historical disaster. What was by far catching were several 3-D models present here and there such as the Grand Staircase among other locations within the ship. The angles of the images taken and lighting of the wreck were brilliant. If anything, the rare images of the D-Deck vestibules make the book worth the price. A must have for anyone who is captivated by the former elegance of the ship of dreams.
Customer Reviews:
Still Beautiful.......2007-05-21
I have been in love with Titanic since her dicovery in 1985. I was five years old at that time. the Return of Titanic, has brought her even closer to me. To see her still as beautiful today as she was befor her fall. A little rusty, still grand! The photos take are great and have inspired me to look for other shipwercks, of Robert D. Ballard's.
This is a most own by any whom love the Titanic or any other ship of her time.
Re-hash of old material dominates book.......2005-04-10
When Ballard returned to the wreck in 2004, he had before him the opportunity to make his case for encouraging salvage and interactive expeditions to Titanic to come to a halt, in order to preserve the decaying liner. He also had the opportunity to depict the liner in a then-and-now format, from his photographs from 1985 and 1986, compared to the present.
Instead, the book is laden with what could only be described as re-hashed material from his previous book, "The Discovery of the Titanic".
Opportunity was had with this book to offer a more comprehensive look at the forces of nature and man at work to break down the wreck with which many have become fascinated.
The boat was missed, in some sense, almost literally, with this book.
The only saving grace that makes the book somewhat worthy of purchase and not checking out at the local library are the few 'new' photos of debris field items, including the aft grand staircase dome top, lying flattened in the sediment, as well as the 2004 mosaic. Unfortunately, the mosaic itself is cropped poorly, and many of the 2004 pictures are dark or unclear. However, one thing is clear - Titanic isn't as pretty as she was when first re-photographed in 1985. Readers will get a glimpse of the result of what happens when metal and salt water mixes over a period of over nine decades.
Deja vu all over again...........2004-12-31
First off, I am an avid fan of the whole Titanic story, and went to the Titanic Artifacts exhibit to see items brought up from the ship. But this book is very disappointing, especially if you have Ballard's book 'The Discovery of the Titanic' (1987) because this book repeats so much of what was in that book. So for those who do not have that book, this book will make a fine addition. I was hoping for so much more in the way of new pictures but really was not safisfied with what was offered. I feel the book was put together quickly to make the case for preserving the site and the ship and with so much filler from old material was not a good value. A book simply focusing on the threats and the current state would have been better. However, for those new to the whole saga, this book will suffice.
Disappointing....could have been so much more.......2004-12-27
A very fast read. Got it on Christmas and was done the next day. Ballard calls it Return to Titanic, but if you are looking for lots of photos and discussion about that topic, you will be very disappointed. It took Ballard over 100 pages to get to finally showing a picture from his 2004 return to the ship. Everything up to that point was historical, other sources, or his 1986 photos. The book was structured in the same way that his other books have been presented. History of the ship in the first part, discussion of methods, equipment, and finding the ship and the dives in the second, then finally a presentation of his findings. In all his other dive books, this has been a GREAT format and I have enjoyed them immensely. However, it just didn't work for me here. The story of Titanic has already been presented ad nauseum in many other books, including Ballard's first Titanic book. The first 50 pages of his 2004 book are just a rehash of the story with very few new facts or tidbits of info.
And the previous reviewer is very on the mark when he mentions Ballard's strong opinions about leaving the ship alone, making it a museum, etc. Ballard is entitled to his opinions, and they may help shape the future of marine archeology, but they are so strongly presented and so often reiterated, that they become somewhat of a turn-off. If Ballard is so interested in keeping the ship intact and turning it into a museum, then he needs to satisfy my desire to see the objects in context in the "museum". I want lots of pictures! He states he did a complete mapping of the objects in the debris field, including areas where no one else has been before. So show me lots of pictures. But he doesn't. There are only 30 2004 ocean floor photos presented in the entire book. Several of those were exciting new items that have never been shown in any of the other books (by Ballard or other authors). But there could have and should have been so much more. If you want it to be a museum, then share your findings with us. We don't all have access to telepresence or deep sea submersibles.
If my review sounds like a diatribe against Ballard, I suppose it probably is. I love his books. But this one could have done so much more and it kind of made me angry that it didn't, especially after his going on and on about making it a "look but don't touch" museum. For the novice who hasn't read a ton of Titanic material, it's good, for just the format that I mentioned early in my review (provides history etc). However, if you are a Titanic or shipwreck buff, I think you will find this book frustrating for its lack of sharing a significant amount of what Ballard saw during his 2004 dives. However, you'll still want to add this to your library for the info and pics he does present.
Beautiful pictures and strong opinions..........2004-11-29
Since I find the whole Titanic story fascinating, I checked out Return To Titanic - A New Look At The World's Most Famous Lost Ship by Robert D. Ballard with Michael S. Sweeney. It's a beautiful book with a definite agenda.
Ballard was the person who originally discovered the sunken remains of the Titanic in 1985. He returns for another look at the ship in May 2004 and undertakes a project to get as complete of an external photo record of the ship as possible. He has definite opinions about the large number of visitors and scavengers who have, in his view, greatly accelerated the deterioration of the ship over the last few years. By comparing photographs of certain key areas, you can see where damage has occurred. Certain popular spots on the ship have become defacto landing areas for submersibles, and they've broken down decking and walls. Pirate scavengers have literally torn open parts of the ship or cut off sections in order to get prized souvenirs, like the phone system from the crow's nest where the first iceberg sighting occurred. The photography is beautiful, and the story of the return trip is interesting.
The only thing that keeps me from giving this book a full five stars is the fact that the author is *very* opinionated about the damage to the ship being caused entirely by human visitors. He's adamant that things should be a "look but don't touch" situation, and I'm inclined to agree. But writing off all deterioration to people instead of the ravages of being submerged for over 90 years is a bit extreme. Since there's no baseline from 1912 forward, you have to assume that pictures from 1985 chronicle the way the ship was during all that time. I don't know that you can prove that conclusively. Regardless, if the Titanic is of interest to you, you should enjoy this book quite a bit.
Book Description
WANTED
FOR the most heinous crime of
PIRACY
The following notorious and knavish captains and sailors, whose evil deeds and bold stratagems have made them the most wanted men upon the high seas.
HENRY MORGAN
WILLIAM DAMPIER
JEAN BART
WILLIAM KIDD
THOMAS TEW
HENRY AVERY
EDWARD "NED" LOW
EDWARD TEACH also known as
BLACKBEARD
SAMUEL BELLAMY also known as
BLACK SAM
BARTHOLOMEW ROBERTS also known as
BLACK BART
As well as the following cruel and unnatural WOMEN:
CHARLOTTE DE BERRY
ANNE BONNY
MARY READ
A substantial reward is offered for all and any information leading to the capture and arrest of these vile persons.
Customer Reviews:
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-04-09
It may only be thirty-two pages long, but PIRATES MOST WANTED is an in-depth, exciting look into the life and times of thirteen pirates - not to mention three "cruel and unnatural women."
From Blackbeard (otherwise known as Edward Teach) to William Kidd (a pirate who wasn't actually a very successful, well, pirate), pertinent facts, historical dates, and interesting pieces of information can be found about the lives of these men and women who sailed the high seas. Although no one knows for sure where the name Davy Jones (as in Davy Jones's Locker) came from, some say he might have actually been a real-life pirate of the seventeenth century. The words avocado and barbecue? They were introduced into the English language by a pirate - truly. There are many more interesting facts within the beautifully bound pages of PIRATES MOST WANTED, some of which you'll find fascinating, others of which you'll find nauseating.
Whoever designed the layout of the book truly knew what they were doing, from the skull-and-crossbones cover with the bright green jewel eye, to the nifty little unfolding picture of the Captain's cabin, to the extra "The Little Book of Pirates Records" that's attached to the back cover. Inside those pages, you can find out such facts as the largest ever booty haul, the luckiest pirate, and the best dressed pirate.
For pirate lovers of all ages, this is one book you definitely need for your collection!
Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"
Customer Reviews:
A Haunting and absorbing history.......2006-05-21
Although this book is supposedly about the sinking and finding of the Titanic the true story in this book is about the effect the Titanic has had on all those who have been in contact with her. Charles Pellegrino's emotional narrative on both the sinking and the discovery of this special ship keep this from being just another dry documentary. Of special intrest (especially in retrospect) is his description of how anyone who has come in contact with her (Titanic) has had their life altered by the experience. Remember this book was written BEFORE the James Cameron blockbuster and look at the effect Titanic has had on his life. Recommended for anyone who is a Titanic buff.
A most interesting book.......1998-02-05
Mr. Pellegrino has written an excellent book about that tragic ship and about the background of the men who found her. A must have for any serious TITANIC "buff". It is also a great companion book to Dr. Ballards "Dicovery of the TITANIC" as it offers insights not contained in his book.
Book Description
By the middle of the nineteenth century, as scientists explored the frontiers of polar regions and the atmosphere, the ocean remained silent and inaccessible. The history of how this changed--of how the depths became a scientific passion and a cultural obsession, an engineering challenge and a political attraction--is the story that unfolds in Fathoming the Ocean.
In a history at once scientific and cultural, Helen Rozwadowski shows us how the Western imagination awoke to the ocean's possibilities--in maritime novels, in the popular hobby of marine biology, in the youthful sport of yachting, and in the laying of a trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. The ocean emerged as important new territory, and scientific interests intersected with those of merchant-industrialists and politicians. Rozwadowski documents the popular crazes that coincided with these interests--from children's sailor suits to the home aquarium and the surge in ocean travel. She describes how, beginning in the 1860s, oceanography moved from yachts onto the decks of oceangoing vessels, and landlubber naturalists found themselves navigating the routines of a working ship's physical and social structures.
Fathoming the Ocean offers a rare and engaging look into our fascination with the deep sea and into the origins of oceanography--origins still visible in a science that focuses the efforts of physicists, chemists, geologists, biologists, and engineers on the common enterprise of understanding a vast, three-dimensional, alien space.
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