100 Best Lighthouse Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best lighthouse books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Featuring recommendations from Hermione Lee, Sam Altman, Yuval Noah Harari, and 19 other experts.
1

The Light Between Oceans

A captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished debut novel that opens in 1918 Australia - the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds.

Australia, 1926. After four harrowing years fighting on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day's journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

2

Hello Lighthouse

A new picture book that will transport readers to the seaside.

Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of a lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp's wick, and writes every detail in his logbook.
less

See more recommendations for this book...

3

16 Lighthouse Road

Olivia Lockhart
Cedar Cove, Washington

Dear Reader, You don't know me yet, but in a few hours that's going to change.

You see, I'm inviting you to my home and my town of Cedar Cove because I want you to meet my family, friends and neighbors. Come and hear their stories—maybe even their secrets!

I have to admit that my own secrets are pretty open. My marriage failed some years ago, and I have a rather…difficult relationship with my daughter, Justine. Then there's my mother, Charlotte, who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

4
A MacGregor classic from "America's favorite writer" ("The New Yorker").
AVAILABLE DIGITALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME
Cartoonist Grant Campbell has shunned the outside world, preferring to live and work alone--until a storm brings artist Genevieve Grandeau to the door of his lighthouse. Gruff and guarded, he offers her shelter for one night, never expecting how the glamorous beauty will affect the rest of his days...
Includes an exclusive preview of Nora Roberts's new book "The Witness."
less

See more recommendations for this book...

5

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge

On the Manhattan bank of the Hudson River, a small lighthouse--made of steel and painted bright red--proudly protects boats with his faithful beam. One day a great expanse of gray steel, which also shines a bright light into the fog and darkness, is built over it. The little red lighthouse feels insignificant and useless in comparison but soon learns that . . . small can be mighty! less

See more recommendations for this book...

6

Galaxies and Oceans

Seizing his one chance to escape, Ethan Hosking leaves his violent ex-boyfriend, leaves his entire life, and walks into the path of a raging bushfire. Desperate to start over, a new man named Aubrey Hobbs walks out of the fire-ravaged forest, alive and alone. With no ID and no money, nothing but his grandfather’s telescope, he goes where the Southern Cross leads him.

Patrick Carney is the resident lighthouse keeper in Hadley Cove, a small town on the remote Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia. After the tragic death of his lover four years ago, he lives a solitary...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

7
For the first time in her life, struggling bakery owner Julie Farmington has something that is all hers. She’s not interested in any entanglements or anything that takes her mind off her goal—including the handsome stranger who is only in town for a month. But her traitorous heart won’t listen to reason as she starts to fall for the man who is just going to leave when he returns to his own life in Seattle. Just add yet one more name to the list of people who have walked out of her life.

Forced to take time off work, Reed Newman makes a spur-of-the-moment decision and books a trip...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

9

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse

Built in 1880, Oregon's Tillamook Rock Lighthouse has had the most notorious reputation of any lighthouse on the Pacific Coast of the United States. Fierce storms regularly catapulted huge boulders through the lantern, with waves that broke over its 136-foot height earning it the modern nickname "Terrible Tilly." It has been described as a pint-sized Alcatraz, and many keepers could not stand its confinement. However, there were some who actually enjoyed it and even came to love it. A rare glimpse of the more pleasant side of daily life on "the Rock" is shown in newly rediscovered historic... more

See more recommendations for this book...

10

New England Then and Now®

Vintage photos from 100 years ago are paired with the same viewpoint photographed today. Despite the lapse of a century, these classic locations have been beautifully preserved and have been photographed at the onset of Fall. Includes: Hartford, New Haven, Yale, Bar Harbor, Martha's Vineyard, Kennebunkport, Portland, Wiscasset, Old Orchard, Boston, Cambridge, Harvard, Marblehead, Rockport, Salem, Truro, Bethlehem, Manchester, Mount Washington, Portsmouth, Narrangansett, Newport, Providence Brattleboro, Bennington, Montpelier, Rutland, and more. less

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
11
As the land of Navronne sinks deeper into civil war and perilous winter, everyone wants to get their hands on the rebellious sorcerer Valen -a murderous priestess, a prince who steals dead men's eyes, and even the Danae guardians, whose magic nurtures the earth and whose attention could prove the most costly of all.

Addicted to an enchantment that turns pain into pleasure -and bound by oaths he refuses to abandon- Valen risks body and soul to rescue one child, seek justice for another, and bring the dying land its rightful king.
Yet no one is who they seem, and Valen's search...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

12
•  What lighthouse is the farthest north in North Carolina?

•  Is the Bodie Island Lighthouse on an island?

• What’s a shoal and why is it dangerous for ships?

• What pirate used to hide out on Ocracoke Island?

•  Which South Carolina lighthouse is called “The Leaning Lighthouse”?

•  What lighthouse was the last one built in South Carolina?

•  What North Carolina lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in America?

•  Which lighthouse was moved 1600 feet inland?

•  Which lighthouse was designed like a...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

13

The Lightkeeper

When his pregnant wife dies in a shipwreck, Jesse Morgan gives up his wealth and place in Seattle society. He relegates himself to a tiny community where he dedicates his life to protecting others from the ocean. As keeper of a remote lighthouse along a dangerous coast in the Pacific Northwest, Jesse rejects all social contact so that he can brood about his loss. When the sea tosses up a beautiful pregnant woman, the lone survivor of another shipwreck, Jesse finds he has a second chance at life and love.

Mary Dare is an outspoken Irish woman who takes poverty, single motherhood,...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

14
Vinalhaven Island has been the home port of a productive commercial fishing fleet for over 200 years. By 1819, Vinalhaven vessels were fishing for cod and herring from Seal Island all the way to Labrador waters. By 1878, Carver's Harbor was lined with docks, fishhouses, a sail loft, a net factory, and the Lane & Libby fish plant. Throughout the 19th century, boats brought bait, salt, and supplies to Vinalhaven and returned with fish and granite from the island's quarries. Lighthouses at Brown's Head, Heron Neck, Saddleback Ledge, Goose Rock, and Matinicus guided mariners through storms.... more

See more recommendations for this book...

15
A compelling, vibrant saga of conflict, love, and a young man's search to fulfill his dreams.

In this enthralling first novel of the St. Simons Trilogy, Eugenia Price shares the compelling story of James Gould, a young man with a passionate dream. Raised in post-Revolution Granville, Massachusetts, Gould could only imagine the beauty and warmth of lands to the south. It was there that he longed to build bridges and lighthouses from his very own design and plans. The gripping story unfolds as Gould follows his dream to the raw settlement of Bangor on the Penobscot River, to St....
more

See more recommendations for this book...

16
The story, in photographs, of the last caretaker of the ancient monastery on the remote, windswept Strofades islands--an architectural and historical treasure now in danger of destruction

The Strofades: two small, flat, windswept islands rising out of the Ionian Sea, known to the ancient Greeks as the home of the terrible Harpies, and to most modern Greeks simply unknown. On the larger of the two islets, Stamfani, stands a massive fortified monastery, founded as early as the thirteenth century, for centuries a refuge for honest seafarers and a target for pirates and Turkish...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

17
The low rumbles of the fog signal and flashing beam of light from the powerful lens have guided mariners away from the perilous waters surrounding Point Arena Lighthouse since 1870. After the great earthquake in 1906 and the rebuilding of the tower in 1908, Point Arena’s navigational aids continued to warn ships away from the peninsula off Northern California’s Pacific coastline. The original tower was replaced with a concrete cylindrical tower that rises 115 feet from the headland. This became the first lighthouse tower in the United States constructed with materials found to be superior to... more

See more recommendations for this book...

18

The Lightkeeper's Daughters

Though her mind is still sharp, Elizabeth's eyes have failed. No longer able to linger over her beloved books or gaze at the paintings that move her spirit, she fills the void with music and memories of her family—a past that suddenly becomes all too present when her late father's journals are found amid the ruins of an old shipwreck.

With the help of Morgan, a delinquent teenager performing community service, Elizabeth goes through the diaries, a journey through time that brings the two women closer together. Entry by entry, these unlikely friends are drawn deep into a world far...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

19
Halloween in North Carolina’s Outer Banks becomes seriously tricky when librarian Lucy Richardson stumbles across something extra unusual in the rare books section: a dead body.

Wealthy businessman Jay Ruddle is considering donating his extensive collection of North Carolina historical documents to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, but the competition for the collection is fierce. Unfortunately, while the library is hosting a lecture on ghostly legends, Jay becomes one of the dearly departed in the rare books section. Now, it’s up to Lucy Richardson and her fellow librarians to...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

20
After her father’s death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren’t supposed to have such roles, so it’s only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper–even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.

Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He’s secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation--the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He’s not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
21

The Wicked Deep

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

22
Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant brings the peaceful sounds, sights, and characters of the coast vividly to life with all eight adventures in the Lighthouse Family series, now available together in a beautiful boxed set.

This boxed set, containing all eight books in the beloved Lighthouse Family series, is the perfect introduction to Seabold the dog, Pandora the cat, and their three adopted mouse children. The family makes new friends, helps neighbors in need, and enjoys the passing of the seasons in their cozy lighthouse home by the sea.

This collection...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

23

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie (On My Own History)

In the winter of 1856, a storm delays the lighthouse keeper's return to an island off the coast of Maine, and his daughter Abbie must keep the lights burning by herself. less

See more recommendations for this book...

24
The only guide to Michigan lighthouses that includes maps and directions. Includes a photo of each light, plus concise text that combines color description, fascinating history, and practical advice. A must-have resource. less

See more recommendations for this book...

25

The Night Mark

She has nothing to live for in the present, but finds there's something worth dying for in the past.

From Tiffany Reisz, the international bestselling storyteller behind The Bourbon Thief and The Original Sinners series, comes an enthralling new novel about a woman swept away by the tides who awakens to find herself in 1921, reunited with the husband she's been mourning for four years. Fans of Kate Morton and Diana Gabaldon will fall in love with the mystery, romance, and beauty of an isolated South Carolina lighthouse, where a power greater than love works its magic.
less

See more recommendations for this book...

26

Lighthouses of North America

Lighthouses of America is a celebration of soaring brick towers, glittering lenses, steamships and windjammers, deadly storms and dramatic rescues, tough men and dedicated women--all of them a part of America's rich maritime heritage. less

See more recommendations for this book...

27

Lighthousekeeping

Lighthousekeeping tells the tale of Silver ("My mother called me Silver. I was born part precious metal, part pirate."), an orphaned girl who is taken in by blind Mr. Pew, the mysterious and miraculously old keeper of a lighthouse on the Scottish coast. Pew tells Silver stories of Babel Dark, a nineteenth-century clergyman. Dark lived two lives: a public one mired in darkness and deceit and a private one bathed in the light of passionate love. For Silver, Dark's life becomes a map through her own darkness, into her own story, and, finally, into love.

One of the most original and...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

28
The sheer beauty of the elegant, lonely lighthouses along our shores - and their unspoiled, scenic natural settings - has captivated our collective imagination. More than simply picturesque, the lighthouse has become an enduring symbol of salvation, fortitude, and heroic folklore. The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses is a panoramic, lavishly illustrated history of these legendary buildings and celebrates the rich heritage of our ancestors' courageous efforts to grade manners through treacherous seas and storms. less

See more recommendations for this book...

29

Lighthouses of America

A spectacular collection of America's most iconic and stunning lighthouses. Through gorgeous photography, this book celebrates these unique and magnificent beacons and their history. The construction of lighthouses began as this new nation's first public-works project in 1789 and established the United States as a maritime world power by making ports safe for navigation. These structures--many still active and serving their original purpose even in the era of global positioning systems--are living museums, yet they often prove difficult to access for visitors due to their necessary... more

See more recommendations for this book...

30
The national bestselling author of Booked for Trouble returns with another charming mystery set in the most literary lighthouse in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
 
Misfortune blows into North Carolina’s Outer Banks when a dead body in a boat on the shore leaves local librarian Lucy Richardson racing to solve a strange new mystery....
 
After a successful party at Bodie Island’s Lighthouse Library, librarian Lucy Richardson is ready to curl up with her cat, Charles, and a good book. But her R and R is cut short when she notices some mysterious...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
32
The sheer beauty of the elegant, lonely lighthouses along our shores—and their unspoiled, scenic natural settings—has captivated our collective imagination. More than simply picturesque, the lighthouse has become an enduring symbol of salvation, fortitude, and heroic folklore. The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses is a comprehensive and fascinating work, where you’ll discover.

- Profiles of every kind of lighthouse, from the boldly striped 196-foot tower overlooking the notorious Diamond Shoals off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to the many octagonal and pyramidal beacons built...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

34
Combe Island off the Cornish coast offers respite to over-stressed high authorities who require privacy and security. But demanding author Nathan Oliver is found strangled and hanging from the renovated lighthouse. Investigator Adam Dagliesh, his inspector Kate Miskin, and sergeant Francis Benton are all pre-occupied with their personal and love lives. The first victim was thoroughly disliked by visitors and residents for valid reasons, but the second, a recovered alcoholic priest, was admired by the skeleton staff. Suspects include Oliver's daughter Miranda, editor Dennis, animal researcher... more

See more recommendations for this book...

36
The many moods of Michigan's majestic sentinels are brought to life by the amazing images in Ed Wargin's Legends of Light. Wargin, one of the region's most talented photographers, has been busy shooting Michigan lighthouses, trying to capture each in a manner that exudes the unique character of our most popular lakeshore monuments. By land, air, and sea Wargin takes you on a personal tour of his favorite locations--from the remote and rarely seen to the most heavily visited tourist sites. From summer's gentle sunshine to winter's bitter fury, each page of this book reminds the reader why... more

See more recommendations for this book...

37

Forever Mine

Their love was fated . . .


A mail-order bride from Cincinnati, Ariah Scott traveled all the way to Oregon to marry one man, only to lose her heart to another. What will become of her now? Ever since her father died at the hands of a vengeful relative, Ariah's life has been shadowed by dark secrets. And now her forbidden desire for Bartholomew Noon fills her with uncertainty -- and a secret longing that can never be fulfilled.


And forbidden . . .


From the moment Bartholomew saw Ariah standing alone at the Portland train station. the keeper of...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

38

The Octopus

Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant brings the peaceful sounds, sights, and characters of the coast vividly to life in the fifth book of the Lighthouse Family series, in which the family explores the shore with an octopus friend.

Every once in a while, a full moon shines over the lighthouse and causes the tide to recede. For Cloe the octopus, this turns out to be a wonderful opportunity to explore the world that exists outside of his ocean home. As he embarks on his expedition, he encounters the lighthouse family by the beach and they explore the treasures of the uncovered ocean floor...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

39

Point of Direction

Hitchhiking her way through Alaska, a young woman named Anna is picked up by Kyle, a fisherman. Anna and Kyle quickly fall for each other, as they are both adventurous, fiercely independent, and in love with the raw beauty and solitude of Alaska. To cement their relationship, they agree to become caretakers of a remote lighthouse perched on a small rock in the middle of a deep channel—a place that has been uninhabited since the last caretaker mysteriously disappeared two decades ago. What seems the perfect adventure for these two quickly unravels, as closely-held secrets pull them apart, and... more

See more recommendations for this book...

40
Get bound up in murder in the first Lighthouse Library mystery!

For ten years Lucy has enjoyed her job poring over rare tomes of literature for the Harvard Library, but she has not enjoyed the demands of her family’s social whorl or her sort-of-engagement to the staid son of her father’s law partner. But when her ten-year relationship implodes, Lucy realizes that the plot of her life is in need of a serious rewrite.

Calling on her aunt Ellen, Lucy hopes that a little fun in the Outer Banks sun—and some confections from her cousin Josie’s bakery—will help clear...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
41

Haunted Maine Lighthouses



What is it about lighthouses that make them bastions of spiritual activity? Built for strength and permanence, they are nonetheless vulnerable, protecting lives yet isolated and remote. Unforgiving of human frailty, these outposts inevitably become the settings for tragedy--and for the spirits that linger on at the site of their ruined hopes, their sufferings, their obsessions.
With its incessant fogs and infamously craggy coast, Maine has the second highest number of lighthouses in the country. Many of these 64 beacons are shrouded in wisps of rumor and mystery. There are...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

43
This color by numbers book for adults is filled with stunning lighthouse scenes from around the world. Mountains, oceans, beach scenes, tropical lighthouses, and arctic lighthouses, this book has it all. This therapeutic coloring book is the ideal way to relieve stress and relax. So sit back, relax, and color! less

See more recommendations for this book...

44
There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twenty-something, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts.

Luckily for her, that all comes in handy when she stumbles across Dex Foray, an eccentric producer for an upcoming webcast on ghost hunters. Even though the show’s budget is non-existent and Dex himself is a maddening enigma, Perry is...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

45
When Spanish explorers turned their ships north in the summer of 1775, they were searching for new territory for the Spanish crown. Nearly 300 miles north of San Francisco, they found safe harbor in a small but beautiful bay they called Trinidad. The Spaniards erected a large cross on Trinidad Head and left the Bay of Trinidad prominently marked on maps of what would become the fledgling state of California. Many came to Trinidad to seek their fortunes--from fur traders and Gold Rush miners to pioneer homesteaders and timber barons. They found the land already inhabited by indigenous Yurok... more

See more recommendations for this book...

46

The Ridge

In an isolated stretch of eastern Kentucky, on a hilltop known as Blade Ridge, stands a lighthouse that illuminates nothing but the surrounding woods. For years the lighthouse has been considered no more than an eccentric local landmark-until its builder is found dead at the top of the light, and his belongings reveal a troubling local history.

For deputy sheriff Kevin Kimble, the lighthouse-keeper's death is disturbing and personal. Years ago, Kimble was shot while on duty. Somehow the death suggests a connection between the lighthouse and the most terrifying moment of his life....
more

See more recommendations for this book...

47
Befitting its role as Wisconsin's thumb, Door County has its own unique pulse. It is the "Door of the Dead," which some historians blame for more shipwrecks than any other body of freshwater in the world.


It is also the idyllic paradise "north of the tension line," that sends many unsuspecting tourists spiraling into an addiction that lands them in a summer home. The variety of nature's splendors and terrors is matched by the cast of characters that has risen up among them. In Door County Tales, these characters are given free rein, which seems only proper in a place...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

48
I for one had no idea that the 14 lighthouses dotting the Scottish coast were all built by the same Stevenson family that produced Robert Louis Stevenson, Scotland's most famous novelist. But Bella Bathurst throws a powerful, revolving light into the darkness of this historical tradition.

Robert Louis was a sickly fellow, and - unlike the rest of his strong-willed, determined family - certainly not up to the astonishing rigours of lighthouse building, all of which are vividly described here.

To build these towering structures in the most inhospitable places imaginable...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

49

The Lighthouse Handbook

West Coast

The perfect companion for lighthouse buffs, this comprehensible and travel-friendly full-color field guide covers over 150 lighthouses on the West Coast, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada! 

For centuries the lighthouses of the West Coast have played a key role in the maritime history and lore of the nation. From majestic structures to the smallest treasure, these beacons have guided ships safely for countless years and endeared themselves to lighthouse fans everywhere.
 
This definitive handbook features beautiful full-color photographs, highly regarded directions...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

50
Forty drawings of Cape Hatteras, Montauk Point, Cape Canaveral, Quoddy Head, Point Reyes, and many other lighthouses. Captions. less

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
51
The rebellious son of a long line of pureblood cartographers and diviners, Valen has spent years trying to escape the life ordained for him. His own mother predicted how he would meet his doom-and her divination is nearly fulfilled when he winds up half-dead, addicted to an enchantment that converts pain to pleasure and possessing only a stolen book of maps. Offered sanctuary in a nearby monastery, Valen discovers that his book-rumored to lead men into the realm of angels-gains him entry into a world of secret societies, doomsayers, monks, princes, and madmen, all seeking the key to the doom... more

See more recommendations for this book...

52

Skylarking

Kate and Harriet are best friends, growing up together on an isolated Australian cape in the 1880s. As daughters of the lighthouse keepers, the two girls share everything, until a fisherman, McPhail, arrives in their small community. When Kate witnesses the desire that flares between him and Harriet, she is torn by her feelings of envy and longing. But one moment in McPhail’s hut will change the course of their lives forever.

Inspired by a true story, Skylarking is a stunning debut novel about friendship, love and loss, one that questions what it is to remember and how...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

53
Scene of Patrick Henry's "give me liberty or give me death" speech, Richmond pulses with history. Since 1992, Richmond magazine columnist Harry Kollatz Jr. has recorded the city's heritage in "Flashback." This collection of Kollatz's most entertaining columns will delight all who love the River City. less

See more recommendations for this book...

54
Several lighthouses have called Racine home, but none is more synonymous with the nautical heritage of the "Belle City" than Wind Point. Always a beehive of activity, the Wind Point Lighthouse is one of the larger lighthouse complexes on the Great Lakes, and a hardworking keeper, two assistants, and their families made their livelihood here. For over 125 years, the tall stately tower has faithfully stood guard, shining its bright beam out over Lake Michigan nightly. Countless mariners relied on the Wind Point Lighthouse, along with a booming trademark foghorn for safe passage. Today the Wind... more

See more recommendations for this book...

55

Caspian Finds a Friend

Caspian Finds a Friend is an imaginative picture book about how the power to change our world lies within ourselves.

Caspian lives in a lighthouse surrounded by a cold gray-blue sea—every day, he watches, wishing for a friend, but no one comes. So, Caspian decides that wishing is not enough.

What follows is a friendship story between a boy and a bear that is tender, warm, and perfect for gift-giving.

• Features lyrical text and evocative illustrations
• Teaches the lesson about how reaching out...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

56

The Light at Tern Rock

Ronnie and his aunt are tending the Tern Rock lighthouse while the keeper takes a vacation. Ronnie loves living in the lighthouse, and looks forward to telling his family about it at Christmas. But will lighthouse keeper Byron Flagg return in time for Ronnie and Aunt Martha to make it home for Christmas? A Newbery Honor Book. less

See more recommendations for this book...

57
With more than 360 color photos and maps, this image-rich guide covers all 92 lighthouse locations in the New England states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. For tourists, historians, lighthouse enthusiasts, and other travelers, here are practical directions and historical tidbits not only on the lighthouses, but on the tours, attractions, and other sites of interest in the coastal communities these beacons have long protected. Enjoy boat cruises, organizations involved in local lighthouse preservation, and plenty of indoor and outdoor attractions and entertainment, including... more

See more recommendations for this book...

58
What would you do if you found a body under a lighthouse? If you love cosy crime, classic murder mysteries, clever animals and cake, try Murder at the Lighthouse, a small town crime story set in Exham on Sea, in Somerset. Newcomer Libby Forest, recovering from a disastrous marriage and seeking a new life baking cakes and making chocolates in the town, finds a body under the seaside town's iconic nine-legged lighthouse. The police put the death of the ageing rock star down to an accident, but Libby remains convinced the woman was murdered. After a second sudden death, Libby has to face up to... more

See more recommendations for this book...

59
The Agatha Award-nominated series continues--featuring Alex Winston and his inland lighthouse getaway. When a cursed gem disappears--and dead bodies appear--Alex must stop a killer and save his beloved inn before the next life claimed is his. less

See more recommendations for this book...

60
Hudson, with its scarlet past, is still intriguing in many ways. It is the new go-to destination being discovered by tourists, chefs, world-famous artists and celebrities, motion pictures, and major magazines. Visitors say there is a palpable vibe of creative energy. Home to the largest number of self-employed people in New York, Hudson is a unique city where one can start their own business and not feel out of place. In vintage photographs, Hudson covers a rich history that includes the story of the Mohicans, whaling, and the multitude of factories in the Industrial Age, as well as the... more

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
61
The Point Reyes Peninsula has a rich history encompassing thriving Native American settlements, visits by Francis Drake and Spanish explorers, dramatic shipwrecks, Mexican rancheros, famous dairy farms, railroads, and one of the country's most spectacular lighthouses. These historical facets spawned the three small towns of Olema, Point Reyes Station, and Inverness; each is unique with its own distinctive foundations. Most of the land is now within Point Reyes National Seashore, a refuge created during the Kennedy administration and now one of the more popular destinations on the California... more

See more recommendations for this book...

63
-- Written and fully illustrated in the same engaging style as the very popular Bansemer's Book of Florida Lighthouses
-- The artist/author traveled to each lighthouse along the Carolina and Georgia coasts and faithfully recorded each light's visual splendor and detail
-- The only book showing how each lighthouse looks today
-- Intertwines history with local legends and folklore
-- These lighthouses remain steadfast reminders of bygone days and careful recorders of our country's history
less

See more recommendations for this book...

64
The Oregon Coast has been the site of shipwrecks even before Lewis and Clark s arrival in 1805. Even as the population grew, the federal government let the Oregon Coast go unguarded by lighthouses and lifesavers for decades. Economic and political pressures finally forced the government to build the first Oregon lighthouse in 1857 at the Umpqua River. The LifeSaving Service followed in 1878 with a station at the mouth of Coos Bay. Eventually, most of the harbor entrances and headlands were protected by both the Lighthouse Service and the LifeSaving Service, the precursor to today s Coast... more

See more recommendations for this book...

65
“Lighthouses are a reflection of the human spirit and a mirror to our past.”—from the Introduction

No symbol is more synonymous with Wisconsin’s rich maritime traditions than the lighthouse. These historic beacons conjure myriad notions of a bygone era: romance, loneliness, and dependability; dedicated keepers manning the lights; eerie tales of haunted structures and ghosts of past keepers; mariners of yesteryear anxiously hoping to make safe haven around rocky shorelines. If these sentinels could talk, imagine the tales they would tell of ferocious Great Lakes storms taking their...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

66

Pacific Coast Highway in California

More commonly known as Pacific Coast Highway, State Route 1 ribbons along or near the Pacific Ocean from Northern California at Leggett in Mendocino down to Southern California at San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. Its construction began in 1913 and was done incrementally, largely because of funding issues, shortage of labor, legal challenges, deep canyons, steep mountains, solid rock, and unstable earth. A true modern marvel, its unique and extraordinary construction allows easy access to some of the country's most famous and historical places and picturesque sights. Thousands of pounds... more

See more recommendations for this book...

67

The Eagle (The Lighthouse Family, #3)

Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant brings the peaceful sounds, sights, and characters of the coast vividly to life in the third book of the Lighthouse Family series, in which the family discovers the beauty of the forest.

In a lighthouse by the ocean, Seabold, a dog, and Pandora, a cat, live with their three little mice children, Whistler, Lila, and Tiny. One day, Lila and Whistler decide they want to investigate the mysterious forest that stands near their home. What adventures could be waiting between those trees? Brother and sister ask permission to go exploring and discover...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

68
After the first settlers reached northwestern Michigan, the region's immense pine forests were quickly cultivated into a thriving lumber industry. Coastal towns sprang up to support sawmills, and soon lumber schooners arrived to carry large loads of timber to ports across Lake Michigan. Their journeys were not without dangers, however. Rudimentary harbors made docking and loading hazardous while shoals and reefs, hidden beneath the water's surface, threatened to ravage the unsuspecting vessels. The need for lighthouses to mark these dangerous waters and harbor entrances was crucial to prevent... more

See more recommendations for this book...

70
From the Straits of Mackinac to the Detroit River, Images of America: Lighthouses of Eastern Michigan reveals intriguing stories of lighthouses and the people who depended on them. Readers will enjoy discovering what happened when a large ship fell 20 feet over one of the Soo Locks and the captain commented, "Good-bye Old World," as well as of a persistent ghost that caused havoc with the Coast Guard. Which lighthouse was a construction miracle in 1874? And whatever happened to the lost lighthouses of the Detroit River? A collection of the mysteries, storms, fires, and heroics surrounding the... more

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
71

Northport

From bungalows along the coves to the magnificent Victorian houses along Bayview Avenue, Northport truly provides "Images of America."


Once known as Great Cow Harbor, the area that is now Northport grew from a rural farming and fishing village into an industrial hub. Shipyards dominated the harbor's shoreline, while brickworks and sand mines provided building materials for New York City's skyscrapers. As industry flourished, the community grew, and essential amenities for transit, education, and worship were established. During the 19th century, wealthy oyster barons...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

72

Ghosts of the Treasure Coast

The Treasure Coast is such a popular destination that some choose to never leave. From the spirits of ancient Indians who once inhabited the beaches to the pirates who spied for passing victims from the safety of the inlets and coves, the region is infused with eerie, tragic history. A phantom widow keeps watch from the Boston House window for men long ago lost at sea. Spirits of the victims of a murderous cop linger at the Devil's Tree, where their bodies were found. The dreaded pirate Black Caesar still steers his ghost ship toward Dead Man's Point in the St. Lucie Inlet. Authors Patrick... more

See more recommendations for this book...

73
The Ventura County coast has been illuminated for more than a century by three distinctive lighthouses, united in their mission of warning mariners of coastal hazards and guiding ships to safe passage. Port Hueneme's original 1874 Victorian Stick Style lighthouse stood sentry until it was replaced in 1940 by the still-standing art moderne structure, which guards the only deepwater port on the California coast between San Francisco and San Pedro. The Anacapa Island Light, a cylindrical brick structure in the Channel Islands lit in 1932, was the last new lighthouse on the West Coast. Ventura,... more

See more recommendations for this book...

74
Thursday, February 28, 1861
P. Cloudy. Wind N.W. Fresh
Mr.Lincoln has arrived at last in Washington....
In one week, he inherits the trouble of this great, unhappy country. In one week, the responsibility will be his--whether we come together again a Union,or fall entirely to pieces. And here we sit, in Delaware, on the border between North and South, half the state hauling slaves, half the state opposed to the practice....

It is hard enough to hold a family together. Poor Mr. Lincoln. It is in his hands to hold a whole country together.... My hands are calloused...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

75

The World's Greatest Lighthouses

Escape into these spectacular color photographs of more than 50 of the world's most beautiful lighthouses. They hail from North American shores such as the Outer Banks, Nova Scotia, Bermuda, and the California and Oregon coasts, as well as throughout the Mediterranean, the North Sea, the South Pacific, Asian waters, and the Caribbean.This book is dedicated to the lighthouses of history, legends, films, novels, and personal reveries. Spectacular Atlantic storms rage just outside the cozy interiors, which often contain the most unusual furniture. The text covers the individual characteristics,... more

See more recommendations for this book...

76
Rediscover the magic of the Enchanted Forest in this history of Maryland's Storybook Park, the first children's theme park on the East Coast.


The history of the Enchanted Forest is one of magical beginnings. When it first opened in 1955, Ellicott City's storybook land became the first children's theme park on the East Coast. Young visitors could climb aboard rides like the Little Toot tugboat, Mother Goose and Ali Baba or encounter animals like peacocks and burros. Upon its closing in 1989, Marylanders who cherished memories of the Enchanted Forest were deeply...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

77

Dauntless

Joe Nesmith leads a peaceful life as the lighthouse keeper on Dauntless Island, a small island off the coast of Australia where the occupants are proud of their mutinous history and have very long memories.

When graduate student Eddie Hawthorne comes to Dauntless, he brings with him a historical diary that might just throw everything the islanders have ever believed into disarray—and one of them might even resort to deadly measures to make sure that Eddie’s research never sees the light of day.

When Eddie is attacked, Joe is drawn in to helping him discover which of the...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

78

Lighthouses of the Carolinas

Eighteen lighthouses still stand in the Carolinas, from Currituck Lighthouse near the Virginia border down to Haig Point Lighthouse near the border with Georgia. Author Zepke tells how they were built and how they have weathered hurricanes, erosion, and neglect. Some are open to visitors; others can be seen from the coast or on a passing boat. In this second edition, all the travel guide information is updated, along with new sections on light keepers,  the U.S. Lighthouse Board, and a timeline. less

See more recommendations for this book...

79
Ready-to-color illustrations of 30 authentic sentinels by the sea include accurate depictions of the ancient Pharos light in Alexandria, Egypt (one of the Seven Wonders of the World); a 2,000-year-old Roman lighthouse in England; an early 18th century pillared construction in Riga, Latvia; and 27 other sturdy structures. Captions cite location and historical data.
less

See more recommendations for this book...

80
Lighthouses are an icon of a simpler, more romantic era, which partly explains why they are so wellloved today. Unlike many other countries, France has resisted the trend toward total automation, and in many small ports and seaside towns, the lighthouse keeper is still a wellknown and respected figure. World renowned lighthouse photographer Jean Guichard's famously dramatic photographs of storms at sea illustrate only too well the perilous working conditions the lighthouse keepers face, and the text by Rene Gast provides a fascinating glimpse into the daily lives of these men and women, whose... more

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
83
Discover the thrilling, mysterious history of the shipwrecks found beneath the waves of Rehoboth Beach.


Under the hot summer sun, vacationers stroll the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, chewing saltwater taffy and listening to the gulls' raucous cackle. Few realize that under the sparkling water rests a graveyard. Horrific nor'easters, treacherous shoals and simple human error caused the demise of countless ships, giving birth to legends of treasure and terror. There is De Braak, rumored to hold millions of dollars in gold; the Mohawk, which burned like a torch in the...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

84

The Edge of the Earth

From the author of Drowning Ruth, a haunting, atmospheric novel set at the closing of the frontier about a young wife who moves to a far-flung and forbidding lighthouse where she uncovers a life-changing secret.

Trudy is a polished, college-educated young woman from a respectable upper middle-class family, and it’s only a matter of time before she’ll marry Ernst, the son of her parents’ closest friends. All should be well in her world, and yet Trudy is restless and desperate for more stimulation than 1897 Milwaukee will allow. When she falls in love with enigmatic...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

85

Virginia Beach in Vintage Postcards

First visited by English settlers in 1607, Virginia Beach has been a popular tourist destination ever since. The sea, sand, and sun are the most popular attractions, but throughout history the city has also been known for its unique architecture. The first geodesic dome built in the United States, designed by Buckminster Fuller, was the city's convention center for many years. The Cavalier Hotel, when built in 1927, was the state's largest brick structure. The new Cape Henry lighthouse, completed in 1881, remains the tallest cast iron lighthouse in the country. The lighthouse it replaced, a... more

See more recommendations for this book...

86
The 1848 discovery of gold in the hills of California brought prospectors and adventurers west; many came across the country on the treacherous western trails, while others came by sea. The rugged coast of California and the dangers of the San Francisco Bay waters claimed many ships and their passengers. The loss of these ships and the ever-increasing number of vessels converging in the San Francisco Bay made it evident that navigational aids were desperately needed. To enhance maritime safety in the region, the San Francisco Bay's first light, located on Alcatraz Island, began construction... more

See more recommendations for this book...

87
From the seventeenth to the twentieth century, New Jersey's low-lying, sandy coast has been the site of thousands of shipwrecks as ships bound for New York City or Philadelphia foundered on its offshore shoals. As coastal and international trade dramatically increased after the War of 1812, the federal government was forced to increase safety aids to mariners. To ensure their safe passage, a series of lighthouses was built and the U.S. Life-Saving Service was created. More than two centuries of the history of New Jersey's treacherous coast are preserved in Guarding New Jersey's Shore:... more

See more recommendations for this book...

88
Take a ghostly journey through Long Island’s history, from Native American legends and beyond. Ghosts lurk at the Execution Rocks Lighthouse, where Revolutionary War Patriots were brutally tortured and killed by the British during the Battle of Long Island. Popular gathering places have otherworldly tenants, including Bayport’s Grey Horse Tavern and the Cutchogue Village Green, where several old buildings—and their former inhabitants—are preserved. Long Island’s history is unearthed and preserved through its ghost stories and spirits that have made their presence known. Through extensive... more

See more recommendations for this book...

89

Goldfish Ghost

Goldfish Ghost was born on the surface of the water in the bowl on a dresser in a boy's room. The boy's room was pleasant and familiar, but Goldfish Ghost wanted company, so he set out to find a friend.

He floats over the neighborhood, past the pier, and let the breeze carry him into town where he discovers that not many people pay attention to goldfish ghosts.

Off he floats, searching for the perfect home and the perfect friend...

and then he hears a voice...
less

See more recommendations for this book...

90
A collection of chilling tales from the most haunted places in Western Michigan.


Western Michigan is home to some of the state's most picturesque places - and also some of its most chilling tales. Ghost story researcher and enthusiast Amberrose Hammond exposes the mysterious and spirit-ridden world of many beloved Michigan destinations as she skillfully weaves narratives of a world unseen by most. From the lingering spirit forever working in the Grand Theatre and the band of melon-headed children prowling the Saugatuck State Park to the lights of the Lake Forest...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
91
Cape Canaveral is a name that evokes visions of giant rockets and a shuttle thundering into space. In fact, the cape's history is much older than the space program. In the beginning of European exploration of the New World, maps marked Cape Canaveral as a hazard for sailors. Its treacherous shoals and currents caused the destruction of many ships and the deaths of many seafarers. The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, built in the 19th century, became a welcome landmark, warning ships of dangers and serving as a beacon of light for a bright future. In addition to serving as a major seaport, Cape... more

See more recommendations for this book...

92
Readers say it best: "fascinating book" with "beautiful photos" and "information regarding all kinds of light houses"
From ancient times until the present, lighthouses have symbolized safety, homecoming, and the seafaring way of life. Lighthouses of the World provides gorgeous full-color photos showcasing lighthouses from around the world. From the Barnegat Lighthouse on Long Beach Island, to the ancient Kõpu Lighthouse in Estonia (first constructed in 1531), Lighthouses of the World traverses continents in order to provide stunning color photography and illustration...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

93
John and Laura Leita delve in to the oddities that make Long Island unique and it may be more odd than you thought possible!


Long Island's history is well known, but often overlooked are the island's unique and bizarre stories and treasures--the most interesting locations and darkest legends. From hidden haunts and legends like the Indian Princess of Lake Ronkonkoma to well-known events like the Amityville Horror House murders, this collection chronicles the tales of restless spirits, unrequited loves and otherworldly visits that riddle the island. There is much to be...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

94

Haunted Pensacola

Pensacola may boast the world's whitest beaches, but the sands of time reveal a dark history in America's first settlement. It's no surprise that one of the nation's oldest cities is also among the most haunted, with culturally diverse spirits from the ages of the Spanish founders and British settlers through the turbulent era of the Civil War. Author and expert Alan Brown presents a survey of unexplained mysteries at Pensacola's eerie landmarks. The infamous haunted lighthouse, the ghosts of St. Michael's Cemetery and the tale of the headless woman of Ramona Street are just a few of the... more

See more recommendations for this book...

95
Elinor De Wire has been writing about lighthouses and their keepers since 1972. During that time she found that hundreds of lighthouse animals wandered into her research notes and photo collection. This book is the story of all these cold-nosed, whiskered, wooly, hoofed, horned, slithery, buzzing, feathered, and finned keepers of the lights. Where else would a dog learn to ring a fogbell; a cat go swimming and catch a fish for its supper; or a parrot cuss the storm winds rattling its cage? Who other than a lightkeeper would swim a cow home, tame a baby seal, adopt an orphan alligator, send... more

See more recommendations for this book...

97

Lighthouse Island

Paulette Jiles, the bestselling author of the highly praised novels The Color of Lightning, Stormy Weather, and Enemy Women, pushes into new territory with Lighthouse Island--a captivating and atmospheric story set in the far future--a literary dystopian tale resonant with love and hope.

In the coming centuries the world's population has exploded. The earth is crowded with cities, animals are nearly all extinct, and drought is so widespread that water is rationed. There are no maps, no borders, no numbered years, and no freedom, except for an elite few. It is a harsh world for an...
more

See more recommendations for this book...

98
As the coastal towns of southwestern Michigan began to grow in the 1800s, commerce and shipping traffic flourished, making way for the development of lighthouses to ensure vessels' safe passage into port. Lighthouses of Southwest Michigan takes readers on an exciting journey through the history of seven such structures, from the St. Joseph, South Haven, and Kalamazoo River Lights to the Holland Harbor, Grand Haven, Muskegon, and White River Lights. Through a rare collection of archival photographs, this book explores the legacy of these fascinating structures, the people who maintained them,... more

See more recommendations for this book...

99

Ghosts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Michigan's beautiful Upper Peninsula plays host to some of the state's most spine-tingling ghost stories. At Old Victoria, a ghostly apparition continues to rock in her favorite chair. Visitors can still hear the screams of miners trapped and killed in the wreckage of the Mansfield Mine disaster. Trampled to death over false claims of fire, the victims of the Italian Hall Disaster linger on in Calumet. And Mackinac is home to more than one hundred ghosts, making the island one of the state's most haunted places. Local author Jennifer Billock recounts the chilling tales of the UP's spectral... more

See more recommendations for this book...

100
Once called the home of the Jersey Devil, the Pine Barrens of New Jersey are more than meets the eye.


The Pine Barrens of New Jersey cover 22 percent of the most densely populated state in the country. It is the largest stretch of open space between Boston, Massachusetts, and Richmond, Virginia. It reaches across 56 municipalities and 7 counties. The name came from early settlers who thought the area was a vast wasteland, but it is anything but barren. Underneath this incredible natural resource lies almost 17 trillion gallons of some of the purest water on earth....
more

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read the top Lighthouse books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.