Overview

In a work rich in maritime lore and brimming with original historical detail, Eric Jay Dolin, the bestselling author of Leviathan, presents the most comprehensive history of American lighthouses ever written, telling the story of America through the prism of its beloved coastal sentinels. Set against the backdrop of an expanding nation, Brilliant Beacons traces the evolution of America's lighthouse system, highlighting the political, military, and technological battles fought to illuminate the nation's hardscrabble coastlines. In rollicking detail, Dolin treats listeners to a memorable cast of characters, including the penny-pinching Treasury official Stephen Pleasonton, who hamstrung the country's efforts to adopt the revolutionary Fresnel Lens, and presents tales both humorous and harrowing of soldiers, saboteurs, ruthless egg collectors, and most importantly, the light-keepers themselves.

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9781515951353

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Reviews

A delightful journey with excellent sketches, renderings, and resources for museums and organizations. ---Kirkus Starred Review

Author Information

Eric Jay Dolin is the author of Leviathan, which was chosen as one of the best nonfiction books of 2007 by the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe; Fur, Fortune, and Empire; and When America First Met China. A graduate of Brown, Yale, and MIT, he lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts, with his wife and two children. An award-winning audio engineer for over forty years, Tom Perkins has expanded his skills to narrating and has more than sixty titles to his credit. He learned by working with the world's best voice talent during his career, and he continues to engineer a variety of projects.

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