Maritime Mysteries

Michael Palin brings the fascinating story of the Erebus and its occupants to life, from its construction as a bomb vessel in 1826 through the flagship years of James Clark Ross’s Antarctic expedition and finally to Sir John Franklin’s quest for the holy grail of navigation - a route through the Northwest Passage, where the ship disappeared into the depths of the sea for more than 150 years. It was rediscovered under the arctic waters in 2014.

Endeavour is the story of a ship, an idea, and a way of looking at the world. It is grounded in the Enlightenment, an age of endeavors, with Britain consumed by the impulse for grand projects undertaken at speed. Endeavour was also the name given to a collier - a commonplace coal-carrying vessel - made of oak, bought by the Royal Navy in 1768. No one could have guessed it would go on to become the most significant ship in the chronicle of British exploration. Endeavour also had a role in American history, witnessing the bloody birth of the republic.

The Providence Rider is the fourth installment in the extraordinary series of historical thrillers featuring Matthew Corbett, professional problem solver. The narrative begins in the winter of 1703, with Matthew still haunted by his lethal encounter with notorious mass murderer Tyranthus Slaughter. When an unexplained series of explosions rocks his Manhattan neighborhood, Matthew finds himself forced to confront a new and unexpected problem. Someone is trying - and trying very hard - to get his attention.

With Cape Cod Harvest, award winning author Jim Coogan (Sail Away Ladies) and well-known Cape writer Jack Sheedy (Dennis Journal) have assembled a series of stories and tales about one of America's most famous and beloved places. Covering more than three centuries and extending across a wide range of topics, this collection of more than 80 stories is the third collaboration between the two authors. A much-awaited sequel to the authors' popular Cape Cod Companion (1999) and Cape Cod Voyage (2001,) this book should delight everyone with a connection to the "Narrow Land."

Following the fall of Rome, the sea is increasingly the stage upon which the human struggle of western civilization is played out. In a world of few roads and great disorder, the sea is the medium on which power is projected and wealth sought. Yet this confused period in the history of maritime warfare has rarely been studied; it is little known and even less understood. Charles Stanton uses an innovative and involving approach to describe this fascinating but neglected facet of European medieval history.

SUNKEN TREASURE, PIRATE SHIPS, SMUGGLERS, LOST AIRCRAFT – CALIFORNIA TEEMS WITH HISTORICAL INTRIGUE. Award-winning writer, explorer, and investigator David Finnern delves into the far corners of the Golden State to uncover the forgotten tales and sunken mysteries of the past. The treasure-laden Brother Jonathan slams into a submerged rock and sinks in 1865 to become California’s worst maritime disaster. The airship USS Macon was one of the largest flying objects ever built, only to crash into deep water off Monterey in 1935. The USS Bennington lay quietly at anchor until a mysterious ...