BEYOND THE GOLDEN GATt A Maritime Hi story of Ca liforn ia
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D., SUNY Maritime College's Provost and Vi ce President of Academic Affairs has released his latest book, Beyond the Golden Gate: A Maritime History of California. It is an immersive look at the maritime history of California that will inspire additional scholarship in this overlooked but critically important field. Beyond the Golden Gate: A Maritime History of California (ISBN 9780989939) is published by the Fort Schuyler Press, and is ava ilable at www.sunymaritime.edu/Fort Schuyler Press/ index, or at Amazon.com Question? Please call 718-409-7247
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GALVESTON'S THE ELISSA
T11r T \1.1. S111r nF Trx . \~ by Kurt D. Voss All proceeds from this pictorial histo1y benefit the ELISSA preservation fund
describes as "rhe crown jewels oflighrhouse illuminarion" for rheir superior abiliry ro projecr lighr. The adoprion of rhe Fresnel lens, according ro Dolin, was rhe single mosr importam change ro rhe American lighrhouse sysrem rhar rransformed irs lighrhouses imo "brilliam beacons." While celebraring rhis landmark move, Dolin is crirical of penny-pinching Treasury official Srephen Pleasomon (1776-1855), whom he believes hamsrrung rhe coumry's efforts ro adopr rhe revolurionary lens earlier. Brilliant Beacons is abour more rhan jusr rhe technology of American lighrhouses, however. Ir discusses rhe hisrory of rhe US Lighrhouse Serv ice, including an imponam srndy of rhe personnel involved wirh lighrhouses-people like rhe Founding Farhers, skillful engineers, inspiring leaders and heroes, and even saboreurs. Mosr importandy, Dolin's book rells rhe srories of rhe keepers, borh male and female, who fairhfully kepr rhe lighrs burning rhrough calm and srorm, ofren wirh rhe assisrance of rheir families. The only weakness in rhe book's reach is irs lack of coverage of America's floating lighrhouses-lighrships. 1hough rechnically rhey were nor " li ghthouses," and therefore need not be covered, many do consider them in rhe same caregory and may be disappoimed rhat they are not discussed. Thar said, this omission does nor detract from the value of rhis book. Ir makes an excellem companion volume ro Dennis Noble's Lighthouses & Keepers: The US Lighthouse Service and Its Legacy (1997) . This hisrory of American lighthouses is borh engaging and enjoyable, whether for academics, who will nor be disappoimed in rhe rhoroughness of rhe author's research, or for lighrhouse hisrory buffs who will enjoy irs compelling narrarive. It is highly recommended for both.
c. DOUGLAS KROLL Keizer, Oregon
The Sea Mark: Captain john Smith's Voyage to New England by Russell M.
Published by Arcadia Publishing and Galveston Historical Foundation $21.99. 128 pages, 200 photographs Autographed copies ava ilable at (409) 763- 1877, or online at:
www.tsm-elissa . org 60
Lawson (Universiry Press ofNew England, Hanover, NH, 2015, 228pp, 9 781611685169; $29.95hc) John Smirh had a specific role when he ser sail for the New World in 1606. He was sem there more than just ro explore; his rask was ro promore. His eyewi rness accoums of reeming warersJ anciem foresrs,
and orher ab undam natural resources were meant to inspire a sense of advemure in rhe common Br itish citizen. His accounts, while fascinating, may not reveal his true characrer or represent an accurare reponing of his experiences. They are nor journals; rhey are adve rtisements.
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So, how do we get at the true personaliry of]ohn Smirh?Amhor Russell Lawson believes thar we can do so through a careful analysis of his reports from rhe New World. Moreover, he believes we should strip ourselves of any perceived knowledge of Smirh and his life gained from reading rhe words of any of his chroniclers and biographers, who reported on him years, decades, and even cenrnries afrer his dearh. Smith 's actions, as recorded in his own wriring, rel! us all we need ro know. For instance, Lawson poims ro Smirh 's use of the word "salvages" insread of "savages" in describing rhe Narive Americans whom he encoumered. While many adventurers used rhe laner term as an expression of eirher religious or moral character deficiencies, Smith regularly chose rhe former, defining the Native Americans primarily as forest dwellers, wirhour placing judgmem upon them. From rhis fact Lawson draws his illustration of Smith 's compassion (relative to the age, for he also describes Smirh as a violem man in a violent rime) and his diplomacy. Lawson also hyporhesizes rhar Smirh only began his coastal exploration of New England after failing ar his intended tasks. Sm irh believed he would fish, whale, and mine when he reached the coast of New England. When neither whaling nor fishing panned out, he lefr some men behind ro fi sh, and rook orhers in and our of rhe rocky coves and inlets of Ma ine, and down to rhe sand ier shores ofNew Hampshire and Massachusem. Smith did his best ro coax his fe llow co urntrymen across rhe sea, tirelessly writiing abour rhe boundless lands
SEA JHISTORY 154, SPRING 20 16