Sheridan Books

Mordigan Bryre, an errant harper, is the protagonist in this classic `hero quest' tale. Digan is an orphan who was raised by, and apprenticed to, Cormeyer Stareyes, master bard to the king of Marineaux.
After Mordigan's stubborn nature and lying ways make him lose his postion, he encounters the witch Freitanya on the road and she sets him on a secret quest to win a magic lute from the magician Talthos. In the course of his journey, Mordigan grows up and repents his lying ways, and wins the heart of the princess Allysian.
All the classic hero quest elements are there, the orphan hero who never knew his parents, the wise-woman, the princess, the sorcerer, etc.

While a nice story - this is one of those books that made my fingers itch to edit it. Not because it was bad! The writing is technically flawless, but I must confess I found it a little flat. I think this book was the victim of one of those editors who kept stressing a nice, tight story without excess description or froo-froos. I think more physical descriptions and character development would have really made the story resonate, and I know that the whole quest sequence was WAY too short.

Dismissed from his place as a musician and challenged to only tell the truth by a witch, Mordigan Bryne has his hands full when he winds up wandering the roads to nowhere in particular.

The Princess Allysian takes it into her head to find him for reasons of her own so cuts off her hair, dresses like a boy and takes to the road only to wind up in prison.

Where will their futures take them? Will Mordigan find his destiny and will the princess be freed to find him or will their paths never cross? It may be only the witch knows for sure.

A fun, well told tale that any fan of romance will enjoy. The story is flavored with the once-upon-a-time of the fairy tales of childhood with witches, wizards, and castles, and will remind any reader of those fun reads.

I'm happy to recommend this tale to any romantic. Talented author Rie Sheridan weaves a story that will keep you reading and you'll be looking for other books by her. Enjoy. I did.

I just finished reading the first Harry Potter book at last. I love how easy it is to read. So when I decided to read THE LUTE AND THE LIAR by RIE SHERIDAN, I was timid because the book was written by a friend.

My fears and worries were totally unbased. While reading it, I realized the story flowed as easily as Harry Potter. It flowed so easily, in fact, I didn't even realize I was halfway through the book.

The story strikes home (being a bard myself) as we meet the thoughtful bard, Mordigan Bryre, who is a compulsive liar, until he meets a witch on the road. She offers him the chance to gain magical instrument, but to earn it, he is not allowed to lie. He goes on a quest to recover it and is beset with poverty and peril, before attaining his prize and learning a little bit more about himself.

Overall, I was very impressed. Rie's use of metaphors and similies have her own magic. And of course, the book is a classic folk story. It's almost astounding to me that something so beautiful could be written by someone I know. But lo and behold, THE LUTE AND THE LIAR is a gem of a novel that will leave you enchanted by the music that flows through the pen of Rie Sheridan.

The "liar" of the title is 17-year old Mordigan Bryre, an apprentice musician whose talent is recognized by his master, Cormeyer, but whose arrogance and constant fibbing make Master Corneyer doubtful as to whether Mordigan's talents outweigh his disadvantages. Princess Allysian, to whom Mordigan gives music lessons, has no such doubts. Her 15-year old heart belongs completely to the handsome and talented Mordigan - except he doesn't know it. Hasn't a clue. Would never guess. After all, Princess Alyssian is a princess, the king's daughter, and Mordigan is - well, as he would put it, a nobody. An unknown orphan. A commoner, to say the least. A commoner who may someday be a bard, but that's as high as Mordigan's ambition flies.
These two teens are as lovable a pair of lovers as has ever been created in fiction. Lovers? Yes. But the kind of lovers who first don't realize each others' love; secondly, have an impossible time getting together; thirdly, once they get together, have a hard time staying alive long enough to even mention love, far less enjoy it happily ever after. Despite all thse complications, "Lute" is a fun read, and it certainly left me with a smile on my face.

Once upon a time a princess fell in love with an apprentice bard although she never told him what was in her heart. Mordigan Bryre never knew that princess Allysian loved him for he was too involved with his music. He is only two weeks away from getting his journeyman's certificate when his path crosses that of the witch FreiFanya causing him to be late for his music lesson with the princess.

His master kicks him out of the guild house. Dian decides to follow through on the deal he made with the witch and journeys to the Azure City to ask the wizard Talthos to make a magic flute for him. The wizard agrees if he can persuade the griffin to part with some teeth and the unicorn to give him some hair from her tail. He accomplishes the feats but the wizard reneges on the bargain. Dian travels to another city and is unfairly tossed in jail next to the cell where the Princess Allysian is kept. Together they free themselves and journey back home where Dian is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of love.

THE LUTE AND THE LIAR is a moving and beautiful fairy tale for adults. The hero goes from being a vain and cocky liar to a honorable and trustworthy man willing to do anything to protect the woman he loves. The princess is a feisty and strong willed young woman determined to get what she wants and doesn't let anyone in her way. Rie Sheridan is a refreshing new voice in the fantasy genre.

Harriet Klausner

Jack Coote's "Total Loss: A Collection of 45 First-Hand Accounts of Yacht Losses at Sea" is a compendium of short (2-8 pages) accounts of yacht losses, and each story is followed by a short "Lessons Learned."

The stories are a mix of losses in storms, losses due to navigational errors, explosions/fires, and other disasters. Because they were written by participants, the stories are of uneven quality - some are excellent and gripping, others dry and forgettable. Because the stories are so short, none are epic sagas of struggle and survival on the high seas. Also, some photographs/illustrations would have helped bring the boats and people to life and added depth to the book, especially because some readers may not be familiar with all the different types of sailboats in this book.

The "Lessons Learned" from each experience are likewise of uneven quality - some draw important and note-worthy lessons that all sailors should heed, while others simply restate and quote what the reader read just a page or two earlier.

One lesson that I learned is never to sail with the couple who had two (!) accounts of yacht losses in this book!

This is a good read for anyone interested in sailing and a must read for anyone serious about sailing.

This book has it all!
There is a high portion of learning by mistakes of other skippers. Most of them were very experienced, but that did not made them invulnerable. Coote and Gelder are clear in their analysis: it can happen to us all. The only way to be sure is to stay at home, reading in front of your fireplace. If you choose for that option, you will have nice thrills reading "Total Loss".
Warning: Do not put this book on your bedside table! It will certainly keep you awake...

i've probably read `total loss' 5 times now, it is an extremely hard book to put down and every year or so i find myself gravitating back to it again; for the armchair sailor these quick 45 stories are very entertaining and for the real sailor they are hugely, hugely instructive. for anyone who sails more than 4 hours from port, on a boat of any size, from dinghy to open 60, i believe the book is simply a top 10 "must read" for a really comprehensive anecdotal understanding of accidents and how they happen. each story is from a different, first person author, ranging over much of the 20th century, yet the book somehow achieves a coherent and very readable tone that other sailing compendiums regrettably lack. another, very similar, also excellent book is Joachim Shult's "mayday." enjoy, and leave a clean wake!

This book badly needs to be edited by a marine expert. It could also be improved by publishing some statistics on how many such sinkings occur so how likely are some of the events.

Conclusions are from the skippers involved. This leads to errors and even deliberate misinformation.

The story of "Strumpet" is the worst; a father and two young boys spend the night on a yacht. The two boys have a kerosene lamp for light in the forward berth. The boys are called to breakfast and then the boat sets out, and soon the interior is engulfed in flame and smoke.

The skipper's explanation is that the boys put out the lamp, but supposedly the residual heat of the glass set the sleeping bags on fire and the fiberglass ignited with miraculous speed.

Finally the guy states that he will never go cruising in a fiberglass yacht again!

You tell me: Do you think the residual heat of glass ignited the sleeping bags--or do you think maybe two young boys forgot to put out the lamp before coming down to bacon and egg? Here's a clue: The first words out of the submitter's mouth in the conclusion are "Naturally the insurance company required a full explanation." Obviously they got a doozey.

Other stories also have questionable conclusions. One yacht's sinking is blamed on an off center companionway. Then it is noted that the ballast shifted in the yacht, causing her to list over far enough on the same side to allow water in. OK, the cause of this yacht's sinking is the shifting ballast, the companionway location was NOT the cause of the sinking. If your yacht has an off center companionway, don't worry, it's OK.

There are some REALLY GOOD STORIES! The story about the poorly maintained propane system leading to an explosion at dock that lost one sailor his leg should be read by EVERYONE. This stuff is just plain dangerous.

In conclusion, you should get this book and read it because it demonstrates why you need to have an EPIRB, life raft, abandon ship bag, and be ready to use them at any time. Stuff can happen that you have no control over. But be warned that the conclusions are not from experts and may be incorrect or misleading in some cases.

Get the book.

Forty-five fascinating accounts of every sailor's worst nightmare. Whether you own a sailboat, or just go sailing regularly, buy this book! Even if you don't sail, it is still a morbidly interesting read. Aside from hair-raisingly gruesome tales of sailboat shipwrecks (both protracted week long foundering, and instantaneous and catastrophic crashes are covered), the book also analyzes what went wrong in each case. These analyses may avert some future disasters, and probably have prevented many already. None of the stories involve deaths, only some injuries, but still should please even the most voyeuristic reader's desire to vicariously experience carnage at sea.

I was so anxious to get his book, and I was delighted with the condition when I received it. It is just like a new book, and the delivery was swift - I would definitely buy from this seller again.

This one is mixed, though let me say from the outset, it's worth reading.

The bad, or at least not-so-good?
The center of this mystery drains your energy, possibly in part because of the almost Tolstoyesque proliferation of characters - almost, because nobody in this novel has a half-dozen nicknames you have to keep straight. There is also a heavy and almost repetitive ladling of timetables and alibis that a more stringent editor might have pared down.

Too, you might get a bit tired of the way the New Zealand police force sucks up to Alleyn, especially since he seems never to be wholly on top of his form. (As another reviewer says, except in one letter from Alleyn, there's no Fox to act as an intelligent sounding board. When at his boss's side, Fox serves to reveal Alleyn's sharpness, and without Fox, much of that sharpness can't surface.)

The good side?
There are moments that bring the story to life. Amazon and the publisher have enabled the "search in this book" feature above: search on `fascination train' without the single quotes and read the page. Late-night, cross-country passenger train rides are rare in my country, the US, but I've been on a couple, and Marsh clearly has captured the essence.

Plus, the backstage world is well depicted - you get to see a little about how the technical side of theater lives and breathes. The novel revolves around a fabricated tech "accident" and there's a bit of foreshadowing that brings depth to a later statement, "when men are working aloft. I remember the stage-manager told me the [stage] hands always have their tools tied to their wrists." The reality of backstage is that when everything is perfect, nobody really notices - and when something goes awry, the stagehands could not feel worse.

There is also a crystal moment between Alleyn and Carolyn Dacres, a picnic excursion that the smitten Alleyn orchestrates to soften the usual grilling session. Here, Marsh expresses both the essential goodness (and grief) of the actress and the essential attraction of the New Zealand back country.

There are also memorably complex characters. Is it coincidence that surname of the Oxford-educated Maori physician, Dr. Rangi Te Pokiha, is about as close as you can get to "paheka," the Maori name for European settlers on the ranges of their land? And don't miss St. John Ackroyd, the acrid comedian.

And the last lines of the book, quoting a letter from Miss Dacres to Alleyn sent to him after all has been said and done, presents a touchingly human denouement.

I guess this is a roundabout way of saying, all Marsh is good; some are better than this; but this has fine moments.

A good read, but I miss the comraderie and banter that goes on between Inspectors Alleyn and Fox, as well as the fingerprint and photography experts, Bailey and Thompson. It's strange, because I didn't feel the same way about _When in Rome_, where Alleyn is traveling outside of England, and therefore is without his usual force. Anyway, it's still a good read. Once again, the theatre becomes the stage for a murder, when a carefully timed birthday gag goes wrong and ends up killing someone who doesn't seem to have an enemy in the world. Taking place in New Zealand, Marsh gives the reader a good introduction to her native country.

Published in 1937, VINTAGE MURDER is the first of several novels in which Ngaio Marsh sends Inspector Alleyn to her homeland of New Zealand--and, not unexpectedly, with lethal results.

Alleyn travels by train in the company of Carolyn Dacres, celebrated actress, and her theatrical company, and when a possible assault and a curious robbery plague the company en route they turn to him help. Unfortunately, however, these incidents prove so much prelude, and a party following the company's opening night in Middleton proves deadly indeed.

Marsh is particularly well known for creating remarkably credible characters, and certainly such creations as Carolyn Dacres, St. John Ackroyd, Francis Liverslidge, Dr. Te Pokiha, and Bob Parsons prove her talents; on this occasion, however, she does not quite manage to extend those talents to the entire cast, and in certain instances I found it a bit difficult to tell one individual from the other, something very unusual for a Marsh novel. In any case, her sense of location is as powerful in VINTAGE MURDER as it is in the very best of her works, and her means of murder is classic Marsh, something that would be totally unbelievable in any context except the one she creates.

Final thoughts on the book: while not quite in the same class as OVERTURE TO DEATH, NIGHT AT THE VULCAN, BLACK AS HE'S PAINTED, and DEAD WATER, VINTAGE MURDER is nonetheless a truly enjoyable work, sure to please both old fans and newcomers alike.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Roderick Alleyn of New Scotland Yard is visiting New Zealand on holiday for health reasons in 1937 - a very long journey in distance, then and now, and in those days by sea voyage. He'll be away from Fox, Bailey, Thompson, and the rest of his team for quite a while - more than 3 months in New Zealand itself. The story opens during a long train trip across South Island with some of his fellow passengers from the ship - the Carolyn Dacres English Comedy Company.

Ms. Dacres is the sparkling leading lady; her middle-aged, humdrum husband, Alfred Meyer, runs the business end of the company. Hailey Hambledon, Carolyn's handsome leading man, wants her to arrange a divorce with Meyer and marry him. Carolyn refuses, claiming religious scruples; it's hard to say if Carolyn loves Hailey, or is merely being diplomatic. Some of the character actors have been gambling heavily. Valerie Ganes, a mediocre actress (a dilettante with a rich father) suffered the loss of a large amount of cash, but isn't keen on even a quasi-official investigation. Meyer's business partner, Mason, seems habitually worried about money.

Meyer *seems* oblivious to all this, and after a successful run in Middleton (fictional city), arranges an elaborate birthday party for Carolyn, with an eye toward publicity, and including a flashy gimmick of lowering a huge champagne bottle from the rafters. But someone apparently decides to launch a venture by aiming the bottle at Meyer's head.

At this point in his career, Alleyn had only had one murder case entangled with the world of the theatre - _Enter a Murderer_, which occurred 2 years before this story opens - so the matter of the earlier case (and the name of the murderer) are mentioned several times. In fact, a character actress in the company was a minor character in the earlier book. While one can enjoy and follow the plot of _Vintage Murder_ without having read the earlier story, it has added depth after reading the earlier book - and if they're read out of order, the solution of the earlier book is given in the 1st chapter of this book.

While this is only the second 'theatrical' case Alleyn investigated, several more were to come, and other changes took place shortly after the events in this book. Taking ship for the return journey to England as _Artists in Crime_, the next book, opened, Alleyn was to meet Agatha Troy for the first time. :)

I have just finished Sheridan's book of Arizona history; I was disappointed to say the least. While there were numerous factoids on events/names, many of them did not seem relevant to the current topic at all, they were just thrown in to "wow" the reader with his knowledge of Arizona.

Most importantly, the history of Arizona itself, as presented in the book, was twisted and manipulated with Sheridan's overt liberal view on the subject matter.

I've read several books on Arizona history and in many ways this is one of the best. I think that there are several things that set this book apart. First, it is very thorough. Each of its 400 plus pages is filled with fact and information. Additionally, it covers some topics in more depth than similar books. For example, this book contains a lot of information about early Hispanic settlers, their history and impact on the state. Other texts seem to focus more on the history of European settlers who came to the state. It also seems that the author spent a lot of time researching this book from original records and documents. He is not just restating information found in other history books. If I had to come up with a negative for this book it's that the writing style leans toward being "academic." If you're looking for a "fun" book on Arizona, full of colorful stories or humorous anecdotes, then this is not the book for you. However, if you really want to learn about the state's history then this book should be part of your collection.

I've lived in Arizona most of my life, and had a good general background understanding of information on earlier times in Arizona. This book really helped to fill in a lot of blanks, and explained things in a very sensible, well-thought-out manner. Starting in pre-historic times, leading into the early Native American migrations and settlements in the Southwest, on to Spanish exploration and colonial days, followed by Mexican and then American ownership of this territory - all of this is well laid out, and well researched and explained.

I would highly recommend this book for any resident of Arizona, anyone interested in early history, and especially for anyone with interest in how we ended up where we are today.

Sheridan makes the history (which I've always found to be boring)of Arizona interesting. His wit in writing keeps my attention. He talks of the people of Arizona like he knew them personally and makes me want to meet them. He gives a thorough review of time from Arizona's earliest known history of the Hohokom peoples, early industries, issues involed with statehood to more recent history including the establishment of national parks and tourism. Sheridan explains how Arizona's politics have been shaped by large industries mainly mining. This in an excellent and enlightening read even if you aren't much interested in history.

Boat-building is a technical area where good manuals are printed in any language, but somehow very poor about interior design and construction. This book, very practical, professionally tested and full of detailed color images, fills up the gap. The manual is intended to help both the amateur boatbuilder, both the professional carpenter. The planned interior is intended to be a medium-size one, but with the same skill you can construct a longer boat.

I have a 1976 production sailboat that needs refurbishing. My needs have been established by 25-years of usage and I will swap unused bunk space for accessible storage. Michael Naujok will be my guide. I will enjoy his presence every step of the way. This is one beautiful book with clear, crisp color photographs showing the stages of fabrication, installation, and finishing. It's a very enjoyable companion.

Naujok started with a bare production hull for a 34 foot sailboat, and finished it to standards equal to any production yacht. Along the way he took great photos showing the details of each step. The illustrations are excellent. A great feature of this book is that it systematically takes you through the entire fitting-out process.
Like all books, this one is limited in how much information it can pack into one volume. Completing a yacht interior usually involves applying the skills of a cabinetmaker, electrician, plumber, upholsterer, etc., and while this book shows you what's involved, you'll need other materials if you're not experienced in each of these areas. Surprisingly, all of the work is done with hand tools and a limited number of portable power tools (and, I guess, a lot of patience...). Stationary woodworking machines such as tablesaw, bandsaw, and sanders would save considerable labor.
My biggest criticism has to do with the translation. The book was originally written in German, and translated in the UK. As such, much of the terminology and product names are unfamiliar in North America. For this reason you'll want to refer to other sources. But, if you're considering building or rebuilding a boat interior, books are going to be your least expense.

A well-written step-by-step guide for refitting a sailing vessel. The photographs were excellent. Mr Naujok included many helpful hints on projects. I had hoped for more detailed instruction on redoing headliner and ideas for modernizing an old interior than what was covered in this book. However, it is a valuable reference book for do-it-yourselfers.

I bought his book not only to have a reference to canal travel but to scope out costs of such travel. While there are several, not easily found cost references, I found no specific information leading to the unavoidable conclusion that the old adage, "if you have to ask, you can't afford it", applies. Which I resent. Mr. McKnight should re-write this book adding what the costs of entering each canal, what are the average costs of meals, wine, fuel, and comparisons of food among the various sources on that route. I am not an inexperienced traveler and always have some advance feeling for cost so that unplanned surprise costs are not faced. I can understand his reluctance to include costs, as so many change fairly rapidly, but relative costs should be an important part of all travel books.

Now in this updated and expanded fourth edition, Hugh McKnight continues to draw upon his nearly four decades of experience and undeniable expertise in making Cruising French Waterways an essential reference and guidebook for anyone wanting to sail or motorboat along one of France's 5000 miles of waterways. Extensive descriptions of scenery and historic locales make Cruising French Waterways as ideal for armchair travelers as it is for vacationers whetting their anticipation for what to expect. Black-and-white and color photographs offer a glimpse of the ancient wonders waiting to be discovered. Packed with detail cover to cover, Cruising French Waterways spares no effort to explore the depth and beauty of the scenic French countryside.

This book is great, it not only tells you about each canal but also gives you a history of the canals and a break down of the area you are travelling through and lots more information.

I got this book as reference for a medieval historical I was writing, set partially on the Saone and Rhone rivers. This was possibly the best reference I used since I can't go over there to check out the place in person, and the people I know who have been there haven't been able to give me much information.

This book recounts incredible detail about the countryside and regional dishes, availability of shopping, hotels, and tourist spots, and there are little humorous stories about some of the stops along the way. The detailed accounts of each lock along the canals is absolutely amazing and I'm sure quite helpful for those who actually find themselves there.

Unfortunately, the canal system of France was started after my book was set, so I couldn't use the lock and interesting layovers along the canal info, but...

Now I want to go to France and cruise all these fascinating rivers and canals! I'm afraid that's going to cost considerably more than this book does. Until then, I'll continue to peruse the book and dream.

This book had me totally absorbed from page 1. An extraordinary and remarkable true story of a familys' trip around the world and astounding tale of survival at sea after their schooner was attacked by a pod of Killer whales and sank, leaving the family of 6 adrift for 38 days without food or water. Eloquently written, it presents with clarity and coherence scenes and events that pluck at the heart strings in describing their ordeals. The author has managed to place the reader at the centre of the action as their nightmare unfolds. This book will make you smile and even cry as you share the emotional turmoil and unyielding dynamics of a family living in close confines aboard the yacht as well as when they were fighting for survival in their raft. Based on his father's classic book "Survive the Savage Sea" Douglas, a young adolescent boy who was forced to become a man overnight, has added almost 60% of new material including pictures, maps and illustrations to create a real masterpiece that has already been screened on the National Geogrphic Channel as a docu-film. Once started you wont put it down till your finished.

The Last Voyage Of The Lucette is the complete and previously untold true story of an event first described by the author's father, Dougal Robertson, in "Survive the Savage Sea." Here, the son interweaves his own perspective - he was eighteen years old at the time - with the original narrative of a harrowing nautical voyage. In January 1971, the Robertson family set sail from England in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe; eighteen months later in the middle of the Pacific, their 43-foot schooner Lucette was holed by killer whales and sank. Four adults and two children survived for 38 days adrift in a survival raft, then a 9-foot dinghy, until a Japanese fishing vessel rescued them. A gripping narrative of survival, and especially, the difficulties of getting along together in extremely cramped quarters and desperate conditions. A handful of black-and-white and color photographs illustrate this amazing story of family togetherness under the most unusual and trying situations.

An awe inspiring account of the family journey. Compelling reading for all! I couldn't put it down.

I thought this was going to be a retelling of the story first told by Dougal Robertson in his excellent Survive the Savage Sea. But his son, Dougal, is incorporating most of the text from the earlier book, and is even writing from his father's point of view throughout this book. So 30 years later he's writing as his father to offer additional observations, which are now mixed in with his father's observations. I'm returning this book to Amazon.

Like the previous reviewer I grew up sailing on Buzzards Bay and attended Tabor Academy where I participated in their life changing sail training program. The experiences during those years had such a profound impact on me, that when I grew up I became the executive director of the American Sail Training Association (2001-2006). I still live and sail on Buzzards Bay and from these combined perspectives I can say that this is one of my favorite books of all time. I recently purchased 10 copies for a youth maritime education program that I created and manage.

Part sail training essay and part cruising guide, Peffer, a prep school English professor and travel journalist, uses his immense writing talent to capture the essence and spirit of sail training.

Anyone interested in learning about sail training and/or the history of Buzzards Bay should read this book.

Having not only sailed in this area for years (a Tabor Academy grad), but also a native-born son of Buzzards Bay, I can say that much of this book is nothing more than self-indulgent rubbish! It amazes me that after several years of sailing student crews around in this yacht (and no, it is not 'a fishing schooner,' or anything like it!) that the author has so little to say about his student crew. After all, the whole PURPOSE of these cruises is supposed to be about young men and women and THEIR personal development, not so some self-satisfied 'yachtie' can get a free ride for the Summer! The commentary about such places as Naushon Island are also offensive, especially considering the generous nature of the Forbes family in even allowing the author and his students to land on the private island at all, let alone opening it up to all and sundry (Ted Kennedy himself has been summarily chucked off the island in the past for trespass!). No doubt the author would welcome a bunch of vagrants fetching up on his front lawn to camp for the Summer too! A quick look across the Sound and the over-priced tourist horrors of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket should be reason enough to celebrate the isolation and pristine nature of the Elizabeth Islands generally, and Naushon in particular! Apparently the author has 'agonies of conscience' in just about every other harbor he has fetched up at as well, and it makes me wonder, why doesn't he just give up sailing, join some sort of monastery somewhere and leave the rest of us alone?

Buzzards Bay is a pocket of salt water on the southern Massachusetts coast line. Logs Of The Dead Pirates Society: A Schooner Adventure Around Buzzards Bay is an absorbing account of a routine cruise on Buzzards Bay that became a rite of passage and a deeply personal quest for Captain Randall Peffer. He ruminates on the bay's history, and presents unusually keen and articulate insights on the bay's islands, coves, towns and townspeople. Part travelog, part biography, part regional history, Logs Of The Dead Pirates Society is the memorable, engaging, highly recommended account of the schooner Sarah Abbot, her crew of high school students studying marine biology, and Captain Randall S. Peffer.

For anyone interested in Buzzard's Bay, Massachuesetts, whether a cruiser or landlubber, this is a must read. Peffer, and his crew explore the bay of today and yesteryear aboard a traditional sailing schooner. The historical perspectives of the bay were interesting, but even more engaging were his tales of the daily life of he and his crew of "dead pirates"(actually high school students seeing the bay for the first time), and the characters they meet on their adventures. In the final chapter Peffer manages to draw together beautifully his personal and historical exploration with the lives of his student crew. Stir it up!

While I think this was a good book I also think that there was a lot of information presented that had little to do with the Lusitania or the sinking. I concede that you must persent background information but the entire first half of this book dealth with the rules of the Sea at the time, The British Empire's instructions to merchant ships, Churchill's directives, etc. I think that this is great information but felt that it might have taken the space of more information that could have been presented on the ships story itself.

Missing also, is the German U-Boat side. What did they think, why did they do it? There has to be information in German records on this, why were they not consulted when presenting the information in this book?

I did enjoy the analystic view of the cargo and if it actually contributed to the sinking. The clues that were traced in the sipping manifests. The book also explores the theory that the sinking was actually caused by Churchill's directives to ships at sea, making them enemy combatants in a time of war.

This is a decent book but I think it should be read as one of many on the subject and not taken as the sole source of information.

The Lusitania was the ship that was simply loved by a Nation. State-of-the-art when launched and the very first passenger liner to be equipped with steam turbines, she became the fastest Liner on the North Atlantic passenger routes. She was popular with passengers and a resounding commercial success. This was a ship that had everything.

Suddenly, all that came to an end on 7 May 1915 when she was torpedoed and sunk. The reaction - both at home and abroad was simply incredible. Although the loss of the Titanic - just 3 years earlier, was still very fresh in peoples minds, this was different. That had been an accident and those bodies had been buried in far-away Canada. This time they were buried in Ireland and the photographs of the day said it all. This was viewed as one of the most diabolical and savage acts of all time - and even helped bring America into the War.

The Lusitania - Unravelling the Mysteries is hardback measuring 12 in x 8½ in and contains over 130 pages of solid information, facts, maps, paintings, photographs and even cartoons - all reproduced from the time in question. The Author commences with his own background and reveals how he is well-qualified to write a book such as this. In a skilfully planned book, he provides all the relevant information and paints an excellent scene with his various descriptions of the Lusitania and other, similar ships - with their Peacetime and Wartime roles. He then moves on to the German submarine menace, British Intelligence and the code-breaking of the day as he carefully and deliberately provides a fully detailed prelude to the sinking with details of other submarine incidents off Ireland - that were never relayed to the Lusitania.

Then we have the tragedy itself and, of course, the aftermath. There are distressing photographs of dead children and heartbreaking stories of those who survived - having lost all other members of their family. There is the grief that overwhelmed Ireland and photographs of both the Memorial in Cobh and one or two of the more dramatic headstones - "Foully Murdered by Germany" and "Victim of the Lusitania Crime." The Sham tribunals and the way in which blame was wrongly laid at the feet of the ship's master - Captain Bill Turner, in a bid to deflect public opinion away from government ineptitude are covered in great detail as is the fact that the ship was carrying munitions (as was common practise) and therefore, a justified target of War.

Concluding with a chapter on "The Mysteries Unravel, the author brings a semblance of sense to what happened almost 100 years ago and includes two photographs taken by Scuba Divers in order to bring the story of this great ship right up to date. The book ends with the a cartoon depicting the Mother of "Civilisation" kneeling on the beach and weeping for those lost on the Lusitania.

A poignant and thought-provoking account and one that is expertly crafted - this is simply a first-rate book. How sad that the wreck itself has never been designated a "War Grave."

NM

Maritime disaster buffs will enjoy the new theories and fresh opinions on the tale of the ill fated Lusitania. For those readers who may not be familiar with her story, it is a well told and interesting look at her sailing career and tragic end.

My efforts to acquire this book were quite considerable but very much worth it. The debate about the sinking of the Lusitania is one which still has much life in it. Mr O'Sullivan has engaged in a extensive research both archival and forensic to try shed light on what happened that May afternoon in 1915. His results are a direct challenge to the coal dust theory of Dr Ballard's 1993 explorations. Mr O'Sullivan also lays out his research into the functioning of British Admiralty in general and the function of Room 40 in particular. His conclusions don't let the admiralty off the hook of responsibility but then it doesn't find them guilty of deliberate planning to set the ship up either. I will not say any more but recommend you buy the book and read it.

What I can comment on is the copious quantity of illustrative material. English artist Stuart Williamson has contributed four first class paintings that are worthy of Ken Marscall himself. Mr Marschall's work is also featured as well as rare paintings, photographs(including a hitherto unseen side profile of U 20) and rare colour newspaper cartoons that comment on the sinking. Overall an excellent book. The only criticism that I can level at the book, with great reluctance, concerns the reproduction of Mr Marschall's work. The images lack the sharpness of the originals as seen in ART of TITANIC. However this does not stop me giving the book the highest possible rating and recommending its purchase by anyone with an interest in this field. The best 24 pounds I have ever spent!

My older brother was one of the 84 officers & crew lost on the Bullhead. I had been searching for some information about him for a long time because I was only 11 years old when WWII ended. He was 12 years older than I and joined the navy, as did our father in WWI, when he was just a youngster of 19. He had a son, my nephew, whom he saw only once or twice. The Bullhead was the last US Naval vessel lost during the war. It went down in the Java Sea in early August of '45 only weeks before the Japanese surrender in September. I never knew what my brother did on the boat. He was the baker and is mentioned in two or three paragraphs on page 40 of the book. It has given me a sense of closure because I never knew what happened or when my brother lost his life in service to our country. I'm glad I found the book and can recommend it to anyone interested in naval history.

My uncle, Harry A. McDermott, MoMM3, was one of the sailors onboard when the USS Bullhead was lost.

This was a good book for anyone who has served aboard a diesel boat. The style was that of a writer who did not fully understand the "mind of a submariner (SUB-ma-REEN-er)", . . . but who could blame him! He was a reporter, the only one ever allowed to go on patrol during the "real thing". The language is somewhat typical of the flavor that was fed to the public in those days, but if for no other reason than that, it is worth a place on the library shelf of all of us who have served aboard the diesel boats. It is historically important. I recommend it to all lovers of the "Silent Service", of whom I am one, qualified to wear the "twin dolphins".

Overdue and Presumed Lost is a moving account of the patrols of the USS Bullhead. The author who was aboard the submarine's first patrole captures the drama as well as humor of life on a submarine on active patrol. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the "silent service" of our Armed Forces. The author's style of writing makes this a quick read yet also a moving account.