Extremely well-written and beautifully illustrated history of American lighthouses from the Colonial era through the Revolution, the Civil War, and the post-bellum improvements in technology (particularly the widespread use of Fresnel lenses), winding up with the demise of many lighthouses in the modern era and their adaption into public historical sites or privately owned homes, bread-and-breakfasts, and the like. (As an historical/literary aside, inadequacies in the Fire Island Lighthouse contributed to the 1850 death-at-sea of Margaret Fuller.)

Also includes two lengthy and particularly interesting biographical chapters of lighthouse keepers.

Copiously illustrated with black-and-white images that are very well integrated with the text, along with an eight-page (nineteen plates in all, the color pages generally including more than one plate) of beautiful color paintings and photographs.

Might be of particular interest to subscribers to the Lighthouse Digest. ( )