Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic coast, a guide to lighthouses of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.

This book calls itself “your guide to the lighthouses of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia” and it is that. But it is also a very good introduction to the history of lighthouses along the east coast and also tries to answer the question of why these structures continue to hold such an interest for so many.

The photographer of the book, the excellent photographer of the book, Paul Eric Johnson, tackles that question in his introduction.
“In the light of recent world events, lighthouses may seem trivial to some. For others, including me, America's lighthouses- and the hope they symbolize- have become even more significant. The world has definitely changed. But when surrounded by marsh grasses as far as I can see, with the ocean lapping at my feet, and a distant beacon alight against the sun's fading color, I can imagine the way it was before.”

Yes, the interest in lighthouses is very much about the 'way it was before' and this book gives a nice introduction to the interaction of American history along the east coast and these lights. From the first settlements and the rise of trade, the importance of safe navigation became of great importance. Throughout the wars, from the Revolution, up through the War of 1812, the Civil War, WWII, the lighthouse has played a part. And they are also a guide to our advancing technology, from the first most primitive lens, to the introduction of electricity and wireless radios, to the unmanned, fully automated, often solar powered lights of today. All this is covered in a very interesting fashion in this book. DeWire also gives us a view into the behind the scene, more personal aspects of the lights. We get to meet some of fascinating characters, good and bad, that have been the lights keepers throughout the centuries and learn something about what their lives were like.
While the text is very interesting and DeWire has some excellent stories to share, also very important to this book are the very beautiful photographs of Mr. Johnson, as well as some of the historic photos they have included.

...full review at... http://caitesdayatthebeach.blogspot.com/2008/10/review-of-lighthouses-of-mid-atl... ( )