Tamara C. (tamara) reviewed Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence on + 78 more book reviews
Gripping take of the Vitorian shark attacks along the east coast. The author is saying that the culprit was a great white, but I've always heard that it was a bull shark. Nevertheless, it is still a very spine-tingling tale fot those of you who are fascinated by things like this. And it delves into the mannerisms and behaviors of the late 1800's society.
Sandra D. (bookcrazychick) -
Very entertaining book.
Bette R. reviewed Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence on + 36 more book reviews
An interesting true story. A page turner
Barbara B. (babblboom) reviewed Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence on + 9 more book reviews
This was an interesting book, as it provided all kinds of history about the people and the times. . A lot of details but good infpormation
C.M P. (selkie) reviewed Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence on + 418 more book reviews
After having read the advanced reader's excerpt, the completed version was a bit disappointing. (I know, I know, one is not supposed to compare the book with an advanced reader's copy.) Nonetheless, it was a very good book. It just would have been a lot better if the editor had not butchered it. The original version was so much more detailed, providing a vivid portrayal of Victorian life, which the final version only hinted at.
Th book is, in a way, a biography of a rogue shark. But it also includes fascinating facts about sharks in general; their cannibalistic tendencies, their strong sense of smell, the sandpaper-like texture of their skin & the fact that it can retain enough salt to temporarily survive in freshwater, their methods of attack not only on animals & humans, but on boats as well.
Equally interesting are the misconceptions the Victorians had about sharks. It is difficult to comprehend that at that time people did not believe that the great white was a man-eater at all, & blamed the attacks on orca. Moreover, how tragic that at that time they did not have the medical knowledge to deal with shark attacks.
Th book is, in a way, a biography of a rogue shark. But it also includes fascinating facts about sharks in general; their cannibalistic tendencies, their strong sense of smell, the sandpaper-like texture of their skin & the fact that it can retain enough salt to temporarily survive in freshwater, their methods of attack not only on animals & humans, but on boats as well.
Equally interesting are the misconceptions the Victorians had about sharks. It is difficult to comprehend that at that time people did not believe that the great white was a man-eater at all, & blamed the attacks on orca. Moreover, how tragic that at that time they did not have the medical knowledge to deal with shark attacks.
Cheryl (boomerbooklover) -
Account of rogue shark attack in NY/NJ area in 1916, basis for the novel JAWS.
