Lighthouses

by Philip Plisson

Beacons of safety shining in the night, alerting sailors to dangers at sea, lighthouses have been a part of the coastal landscape for thousands of years. From the earliest towers, which burned coal and wood to produce fiery signals, to today's computer-automated structures, the world's vast network of lighthouses continues to provide a vital link to safety for those who travel at sea.

The ideal young person's introduction, Lighthouses traces the history of these powerful beacons from the first known structure, built in Alexandria Egypt in 300 BC, through the introduction of the powerful Fresnel lens, and up to today's fully automated behemoths. Readers can also explore the sometimes harrowing job of the lighthouse keeper, both past and present.

Stunning photographs by avid lighthouse photographer Philip Plisson bring these fascinating structures to life.

78 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

Philip Plisson is a French photographer best known for his maritime photography. Together with his son Guillaume, who is also a photographer, he set up the publishing company Pêcheur d'Images. He has produced numerous books including collections of photographs featuring Brittany, Ireland, Scotland and the ocean liner Queen Mary 2. His 65th book, Les Marées, was named Maritime Book of the Year at the 2012 Paris Boat Show.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief but interesting overview of lighthouses with some beautiful photos. If you already know about them, it won't reach you anything new, but it's a handy high level book by someone with a clear passion.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative.

[Lucy Jeanette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and interesting. This could convince anyone to love lighthouses.