August 7th is National Lighthouse Day. When I learned that, of course I had to find some books!

The Golden Age of American Lighthouses: a Nostalgic Look at the U.S. Lights from 1850 - 1939 by Tim Harrison and Roy Jones is a collection of photos of lighthouses, lighthouse keepers, lightships and so on. It was a good read, but seemed to pretty much ignore the west coast (with a few exceptions).

Many lighthouse keepers were women. The men would go off to war, or off to search for gold, some died and the wives took over their duties. Mind the Light, Katie: the History of Thirty-Three Female Lighthouse Keepers, by Mary Louise Clifford and J. Candace Clifford contains short biographies and photos of some of them. Nicely done, but still not much on the west coast.

While Lighthouses of Washington: a Guidebook and Keepsake, by Bruce Roberts and Ray Jones did cover Washington lighthouses, it really is more of a tourist guide, with just a little history. Still the pictures were good, and it was nice to learn the status of the lighthouse today. Some are gone, many are tourist destinations, some you can see just from a boat, or across the water.

A book from the series I like so much Images of America did offer more about Washington lighthouses, but just those on the outer coast. As usual with this series, the pictures are wonderful and with excellent captions. Lighthouses and Lifesaving on Washington's Outer Coast, by William S. Hanable is worth a look.

It seems there were always animals at Lighthouses (more than I would have guessed). Read all about them in The Lightkeeper's Menagerie: Stories of Animals at Lighthouses, by Elinor De Wire. From dogs to cats, horses and mules, to livestock (many became pets), to the local wildlife and even a few sea monsters, this was a great read. Some saved lives (a bark could carry further on a stormy night than the foghorn), some provided eggs, some hauled coal from boats to the lighthouse, some just gave comfort, but most were welcome. A very nice read.

I've seen some of the old Fresnel lenses in museums and they are beautiful. Learn all about them, and their inventor in A Short Bright Flash: Augustin Fresnel and the Birth of the Modern Lighthouse, by Theresa Lighthouse. They greatly improved the distance a light could be seen, those on ships loved them, and yet, the U.S. was reluctant to make the change (very frustrating). Lighthouses went dark (and were destroyed) during times of war. A lighthouse along the west coast of Canada was attacked during WWII, but the German subs were chased off. By the Nootka Indians in canoes!

Here's one for the bakers and creative types: Making Great Gingerbread Houses: Delicious Designs From Cabins to Castles, From Lighthouses to Treehouses, by Aaron Morgan and Paige Gilchrist. It was fun looking at the pictures of all the projects, and the lighthouse gingerbread creations are delightful.

There will be more books on Lighthouses, I'm sure, but this is enough for now. And, don't forget The Light on the Island from the September 9, 2014 post. :-)

Reading Hermit With Dog