Lighthouses: A Pictorial History of Lighthouses Around the World

Crossing open waters has always been a dangerous and sometimes deadly vocation, but drawing close to the end destination is the most hazardous part of the sailor's journey. Reaching the right harbor during the night and knowing how to avoid razor-sharp rocks or reefs is a task that can defeat the most experienced navigator - with fatal results. Since earliest times the response to these dangers has been to erect a light-bearing tower - a beacon to sailors that could guide them safely into port. Some of these early lighthouses were basic stones on the shores, but others, like the Colossus of Rhodes, a 110-foot (33m) statue of the sun god Helios built in 282 BC in the Mediterranean, became wonders of the ancient world. Architecturally imposing and with an air of romance to them, lighthouses continue to fascinate us. Often there are tales of strange events connected to lonely lighthouses - tragic stories of keepers and ghosts at sea. Leo Marriott's Lighthouses, illustrated with more than 100 color photographs, takes readers on a historical and international tour of these wonderful structures and recounts tales of great courage and tragedy, as well as details of why and how lighthouses were built.Leo Marriott is the author of 'Lighthouses: A Pictorial History of Lighthouses Around the World', published 2003 under ISBN 9781585748365 and ISBN 1585748366.