Lighthouse Encyclopedia

Book excerpt: A wealth of facts and history fill this beautifully designed armchair and reference book. This single volume, packed with full-color and vintage photos, contains everything a lighthouse lover or maritime historian wants to know about lighthouse history, changing technologies, lighthouse keepers, and the lenses themselves. A detailed index of more than 150 lighthouses around the world offers quick and easy access to basic information—know the height, age, elevation, optic type and status for every lighthouse! An appendix listing lighthouse groups nationwide makes it easy to see these historic treasures, visit museums and get involved with preservation. See how the appearance or location of lights has changed over time. Read about the historical contributions made by Augustin Fresnel, Winslow Lewis and Stephen Pleasanton, and learn about breakwater lights, caissons, lightships, mercury baths, daymarks and clamshell lenses. The most complete reference book on lighthouses—which won a Benjamin Franklin book design award in hardcover—is finally available in paperback. Ray Jones is a leading authority on lighthouses and the author of more than 14 books and countless magazine articles on American history. He lives in Pebble Beach, California.