Close To Shore
5 journalers for this copy...
Subtitled: 'The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916'.
I'm not entirely sure whether this book is fiction or non-fiction, or a kind of blend of the two. It looks fascinating, anyway, and I'm really looking forward to reading it.
From the front cover:
'THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
'A remarkable story ... a flash photo of the moment when our fascination with sharks transformed from awe into mortal dread.'
-Entertainment Weekly'
From the back cover:
'A TRUE STORY OF TERROR IN AN AGE OF INNOCENCE
'One of the Ten Best Books of the Year.'
-People
Combining rich historical detail and a harrowing, pulse-pounding narrative, Close to Shore brilliantly re-creates the summer of 1916 when a rogue great white shark attacked swimmers along the New Jersey shore, triggering mass hysteria and launching the most extensive shark hunt in history.
'Deserves a place among the adventure classics.' -The New Yorker
'Gripping ... thoroughly researched ... fascinating.' -Denver Post
'Though Jaws capitalized on the series of 1916 shark attacks described in this book, Capuzzo's grateful, painstakingly researched account is even more compelling.' -New York
'[Capuzzo's] deep and detailed research breathes life into the period. An absorbing page-turner.' -Miami Herald'
This is a trade paperback copy from Broadway Books, published in 2001. The book was first published in 2000.
I got this book from an Amazon Marketplace seller. Sometime last summer I think ... ?
I'm not entirely sure whether this book is fiction or non-fiction, or a kind of blend of the two. It looks fascinating, anyway, and I'm really looking forward to reading it.
From the front cover:
'THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
'A remarkable story ... a flash photo of the moment when our fascination with sharks transformed from awe into mortal dread.'
-Entertainment Weekly'
From the back cover:
'A TRUE STORY OF TERROR IN AN AGE OF INNOCENCE
'One of the Ten Best Books of the Year.'
-People
Combining rich historical detail and a harrowing, pulse-pounding narrative, Close to Shore brilliantly re-creates the summer of 1916 when a rogue great white shark attacked swimmers along the New Jersey shore, triggering mass hysteria and launching the most extensive shark hunt in history.
'Deserves a place among the adventure classics.' -The New Yorker
'Gripping ... thoroughly researched ... fascinating.' -Denver Post
'Though Jaws capitalized on the series of 1916 shark attacks described in this book, Capuzzo's grateful, painstakingly researched account is even more compelling.' -New York
'[Capuzzo's] deep and detailed research breathes life into the period. An absorbing page-turner.' -Miami Herald'
This is a trade paperback copy from Broadway Books, published in 2001. The book was first published in 2000.
I got this book from an Amazon Marketplace seller. Sometime last summer I think ... ?
I started reading this today. It's an absolute page turner, I could hardly put it down. :-) One thing has been explained: it is non-fiction, but reads almost like fiction. Certainly just as intriguing and engrossing.
More later when I've read the whole thing ...
More later when I've read the whole thing ...
I finished this today. WOW!! What an amazing book! This is easily one of the best books I've read this year. Top three. :-) Certainly the best nonfiction. I won't be surprised if I end up not reading any nonfic as good for the rest of the year either.
This book was so incredibly well researched, it just blew my mind. Capuzzo has done an amazing job with it - mindblowing. As I was reading I could hardly believe this wasn't a work of fiction ... the characters were so detailed and so vividly described that it really felt much more like a novel than a history book at times. :-) Not all novelists are able to realize their characters so well. I was genuinely impressed. :-)
The book tells the story of the July days in 1916 when a shark for the first time - at least in properly recorded history :-) - made attacks against humans on the American east coast. This was an enormous shock to a nation in which seabathing had just caught on and where the common wisdom was that sharks were not dangerous to humans and attacks by these animals were entirely mythical. It was one of those things that supposedly couldn't happen ... yet did. Only four people were killed, and one more severely injured, but the whole thing took on huge proportions and became something of a national trauma. Peter Benchley drew heavily on these events when he created his novel 'Jaws'. Reading this book I could easily spot any number of parallels between this book and the novel.
The story of the shark attacks and the public response to them is fascinating, but the real strength of this book is the fantastic way in which it brings the world of 1916 to life for the reader. This is partly due to Capuzzo's skills as a writer, which are significant, and partly to his superb research. Both very impressive. I was very entertained by this book and I also feel that I learned a lot from it. Not to mention that I was introduced to a number of new and interesting topics that I want to read more about. ;-) This is a book I'd recommend to almost anyone. It was just a wonderful read in every way. :-)
This book is available for loans now ... I hope to be able to use it as part of a book spiral I got the idea for today. :-)
This book was so incredibly well researched, it just blew my mind. Capuzzo has done an amazing job with it - mindblowing. As I was reading I could hardly believe this wasn't a work of fiction ... the characters were so detailed and so vividly described that it really felt much more like a novel than a history book at times. :-) Not all novelists are able to realize their characters so well. I was genuinely impressed. :-)
The book tells the story of the July days in 1916 when a shark for the first time - at least in properly recorded history :-) - made attacks against humans on the American east coast. This was an enormous shock to a nation in which seabathing had just caught on and where the common wisdom was that sharks were not dangerous to humans and attacks by these animals were entirely mythical. It was one of those things that supposedly couldn't happen ... yet did. Only four people were killed, and one more severely injured, but the whole thing took on huge proportions and became something of a national trauma. Peter Benchley drew heavily on these events when he created his novel 'Jaws'. Reading this book I could easily spot any number of parallels between this book and the novel.
The story of the shark attacks and the public response to them is fascinating, but the real strength of this book is the fantastic way in which it brings the world of 1916 to life for the reader. This is partly due to Capuzzo's skills as a writer, which are significant, and partly to his superb research. Both very impressive. I was very entertained by this book and I also feel that I learned a lot from it. Not to mention that I was introduced to a number of new and interesting topics that I want to read more about. ;-) This is a book I'd recommend to almost anyone. It was just a wonderful read in every way. :-)
This book is available for loans now ... I hope to be able to use it as part of a book spiral I got the idea for today. :-)
Book spiral was announced today!
Forum thread: http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/20/5309061/1
List of participants:
Findabair, Oslo, Norway DONE!
Deepswamp, Oscarshamn, Sweden DONE!
mysticalzoe, Londonderry, NH, USA DONE!
Guinneth, Manchester, NH, USA DONE!
August 21st, 2008:
Ring completed, thanks to everyone who participated!
Forum thread: http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/20/5309061/1
List of participants:
Findabair, Oslo, Norway DONE!
Deepswamp, Oscarshamn, Sweden DONE!
mysticalzoe, Londonderry, NH, USA DONE!
Guinneth, Manchester, NH, USA DONE!
August 21st, 2008:
Ring completed, thanks to everyone who participated!
Journal Entry 5 by 
LeishaCamden
at To its first reader in Passed by hand, Book Spiral -- Controlled Releases on Monday, May 5, 2008
LeishaCamden at To its first reader in Passed by hand, Book Spiral -- Controlled Releases on Monday, May 5, 2008
Released 16 yrs ago (5/5/2008 UTC) at To its first reader in Passed by hand, Book Spiral -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
I talked Findabair into joining the spiral, at least for this first book ;-) - we'll see if I can force 'Jaws' on her as well. (No pressure, Findabair ... !! ;-)
She took the book with her from meetup today, so now the spiral's rolling! I can't wait to hear what everybody thinks of this book! :-)
I talked Findabair into joining the spiral, at least for this first book ;-) - we'll see if I can force 'Jaws' on her as well. (No pressure, Findabair ... !! ;-)
She took the book with her from meetup today, so now the spiral's rolling! I can't wait to hear what everybody thinks of this book! :-)
Got the book at the meetup yesterday. I started reading a bit yesterday evening already, and so far I'm very impressed with how the author paints a detailed picture of society and ways of thinking in the US in the early twentieth century. Looking forward to reading more (stupid work ;)!
Oh yes, I certainly agree with Leisha that this is a very good book! It certainly does read more or less like a novel, and is quite the page-turner, which I'd say is a feat for a non-fiction book.
In some sense, I can't help but feel that the literary quality of the book is almost to high for a non-fiction. The style of the book and the focus on story-telling gave me an instinctive feeling that the author might be glossing over uncertainties and unsolved questions in his research. Mind you, I'm not saying that the author is in fact deliberately misleading us - as far as I know, his research is painstaking and thorough. The reason for my feeling is probably more due to how I'm not used to reading non-fiction that is written in the style of a fiction.
I wrote in my previous JE that one of the things I liked the most after having read a little was the portrayal of life in the US in the early twentieth century. After finishing the book, I still think this is the true strength of the book: it gives a very interesting picture of how society was with respect to gender roles, family life, attitudes to work and leisure time, how far medical research had come along - and how all of this was in the process of changing. With the descriptions of society as a backdrop, the shark attacks are described and analysed in terms of how people reacted to them and how they affected people's attitudes towards sharks.
An interesting bit of trivia that I was happy to learn: the word shark comes from German schurke, meaning 'crook' and 'scoundrel', which I presume is the same as the Norwegian skurk.
All in all, a book I certainly recommend - and I do believe I'll have to read Jaws as well, Leisha ;)
In some sense, I can't help but feel that the literary quality of the book is almost to high for a non-fiction. The style of the book and the focus on story-telling gave me an instinctive feeling that the author might be glossing over uncertainties and unsolved questions in his research. Mind you, I'm not saying that the author is in fact deliberately misleading us - as far as I know, his research is painstaking and thorough. The reason for my feeling is probably more due to how I'm not used to reading non-fiction that is written in the style of a fiction.
I wrote in my previous JE that one of the things I liked the most after having read a little was the portrayal of life in the US in the early twentieth century. After finishing the book, I still think this is the true strength of the book: it gives a very interesting picture of how society was with respect to gender roles, family life, attitudes to work and leisure time, how far medical research had come along - and how all of this was in the process of changing. With the descriptions of society as a backdrop, the shark attacks are described and analysed in terms of how people reacted to them and how they affected people's attitudes towards sharks.
An interesting bit of trivia that I was happy to learn: the word shark comes from German schurke, meaning 'crook' and 'scoundrel', which I presume is the same as the Norwegian skurk.
All in all, a book I certainly recommend - and I do believe I'll have to read Jaws as well, Leisha ;)
I´m excited - when I´m reading your notes!
Looking forward!
Looking forward!
Best read this year! Thanks LeishaCamden!
I have lived with the shark and 1916 for some days!
The world are so different and It is not!
Can´t help the feeling for the shark - which was first in the sea....
Looking forward to the rest of the spiral.
Made some bookmarks, let them follow the book. LeishaCamden and findabair will recieve theirs after midsummer!
I have lived with the shark and 1916 for some days!
The world are so different and It is not!
Can´t help the feeling for the shark - which was first in the sea....
Looking forward to the rest of the spiral.
Made some bookmarks, let them follow the book. LeishaCamden and findabair will recieve theirs after midsummer!
Recieved in the mail today, will read asap.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Finally sending this book off, it took too long. Enjoy!
Finally sending this book off, it took too long. Enjoy!
I received this today and am really looking forward to reading it!
The film 'Jaws', based on Peter Benchley's novel, is one of my all-time favorites, so I assumed I'd love this account of the actual events that inspired Benchley to write his book. Unfortunately, I found Close To Shore less than riveting, for some reason.
Part of my problem may have been the lack of sympathetic human players in the drama, or perhaps I was spoiled by reading Into Thin Air earlier this year (one of the most compelling nonfiction books I've read in my life.) Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood to appreciate Capuzzo's portrait of early 20th century America. Whatever the reason, I had to work to finish the book because I simply wasn't terribly interested.
I do have to say that it picked up a bit towards the end of the book, when the shark made its way up inland to Matawan. It's chilling to think that a creek in the middle of town, some eight miles from the ocean, could hide such a creature. (Those poor boys!) The book has also inspired me to find out a bit more about great whites.
Thank you for sharing it, LC. It will be on its way home to you shortly!
Part of my problem may have been the lack of sympathetic human players in the drama, or perhaps I was spoiled by reading Into Thin Air earlier this year (one of the most compelling nonfiction books I've read in my life.) Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood to appreciate Capuzzo's portrait of early 20th century America. Whatever the reason, I had to work to finish the book because I simply wasn't terribly interested.
I do have to say that it picked up a bit towards the end of the book, when the shark made its way up inland to Matawan. It's chilling to think that a creek in the middle of town, some eight miles from the ocean, could hide such a creature. (Those poor boys!) The book has also inspired me to find out a bit more about great whites.
Thank you for sharing it, LC. It will be on its way home to you shortly!
Journal Entry 14 by Guinneth at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (8/13/2008 UTC) at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed back to LeishaCamden today.
Mailed back to LeishaCamden today.
Oops ... !!
This book actually arrived back home two days ago, I've just been forgetting to journal it. :-)
Thank you to everyone who participated for sharing your thoughts with the rest of us. Thanks for keeping it moving! And a special thanks to Deepswamp for the great bookmarks! I'll make sure Findabair gets hers when she comes back from Ireland. :-)
The book will go into my Permanent Collection, at least for now ... but it's available as a loaner to interested readers.
This book actually arrived back home two days ago, I've just been forgetting to journal it. :-)
Thank you to everyone who participated for sharing your thoughts with the rest of us. Thanks for keeping it moving! And a special thanks to Deepswamp for the great bookmarks! I'll make sure Findabair gets hers when she comes back from Ireland. :-)
The book will go into my Permanent Collection, at least for now ... but it's available as a loaner to interested readers.
