Synopses & Reviews
Mankind has always had a morbid fascination with the mysteries of the sea. There's also a very good reason why sailors are so notoriously superstitious. Stories of ghost ships, mysteriously abandoned vessels and tales of unexplained disappearances on the high seas have been circulating for as long as man has sailed the oceans.,
However, some of these mysteries have a more abiding fascination than others. Since the Mary Celeste was found drifting and abandoned in 1877, or since the future King George V encountered the ghostly wraith of the Flying Dutchman's ship off the Cape of Good Hope a decade later, mariners and landsmen alike have tried to explain away these mysterious encounters.
Since the Mary Celeste first captivated the world's attention, several other equally inexplicable cases of ships being abandoned have been unearthed. Apart from the highly tangible evidence of the vessels themselves, only a few tantalizing clues were left behind to suggest what human tragedy lay behind the blue water mystery. In a few even more perplexing cases the loss of an entire ship along with her crew have occurred without leaving behind any clue as to what went wrong. The often well-founded vessel simply disappeared without a trace.
Equally fascinating is the substantial body of tales about ghost ships, either vessels with a reputation for being haunted, or cases where the ship itself has appeared as a phantom.
It would be easier to dismiss many of these stories if the ghostly appearance didn't appear in the accounts of numerous reputable witnesses. Many of these ghosts and ghost ships cannot be rationally explained away.
The author Angus Konstam describes himself as a natural sceptic, unwilling to accept these stories at face value. However, after uncovering all the evidence he has admitted that some of these accounts simply defy logic. Follow him on his investigative journey into some of the most abiding and perplexing mysteries of the sea.
Review
Praise of Angus Konstam and other books he has written:"While Titanic does indeed feature this famous tragedy, it details the history and salvaging techniques of other ill-fated ships...Booty, bounty, and the activities of bloodthirsty pirates add extra spice to these dramatic accounts. The reference section is as juicy as the body of the work with its tantalizing facts and informative tidbits."
--School Library Journal, on Titanic
"Author Konstam, onetime Arms Curator at the Tower of London and lately Chief Curator at a maritime museum in Key West, has put together a pair of oversized paperbacks, stuffed with photos and drawings. These two titles are remarkably well done. Konstam covers the entire history of piracy, from the miscreants that Caesar hanged in ancient times down to the pirates that infest corners of the Far East today. Feature pages about the various types of ships favored by sea brigands are especially choice, complete with excellent color drawings and plans."
--KLIATT, on The History of Pirates
"Renowned historian and museum curator Konstam, in association with the National Maritime Museum, has produced a masterly account of exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries...Lavishly illustrated with maps, charts, and paintings, this book includes informative chapters on the construction of ships and the navigational science of the era. Essential for all public and college libraries, this is an enjoyable book for lay readers as well as specialists."
--Library Journal, on Confederate Submarines and Torpedo Vessels 1861-65
Synopsis
There are few images more chilling than an abandoned ship drifting at sea.
Ghost Ships is an anthology of the best true-life accounts of vessels, which for whatever reason, never made
port. These are stories that prove the real mysteries of seafaring life are even stranger and more chilling than any fictional account.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea, many ships have met with a tragic end. The first section of the book, Doomed Vessels, includes the most famous, such as the Titanic, and the Lusitania--sunk by a torpedo in 1915. The next section, Haunted and Phantom Ships, explores the modern-day observances of supernatural events. Here are stories of ominous ghost ships, such as the Flying Dutchman, said to appear as an omen; and of mysterious figures that are glimpsed aboard haunted ships, such as the Queen Mary, where visitors have seen the figure of a lone woman. Nautical mysteries such as the Mary Celeste, a ship found empty and adrift in 1872, make up the final section of this book.
Ghost Ships explores the tragedy and what lies behind these amazing narratives
and enduring legends.
Synopsis
The stories behind the haunted ships that mysteriously roam the seas.
About the Author
Angus Konstam has worked as chief curator in museums on both sides of the Atlantic, but usually spends the summer in North Carolina. He specializes in books on naval or military history, but has been able to draw on his training as a historian, maritime specialist, and archaeologist to write numerous other historical works.