Coral Castle: The Story of Ed Leedskalnin and his American Stonehenge [Hardcover]

Rusty McClure (Author), Jack Heffron (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2009

Coral Castle is the first book to take an objective, journalistic look at one of America's most intriguing places Coral Castle, located in Homestead, Florida. Edward Leedskalnin, an eccentric Latvian immigrant, built Coral Castle in the 1920s and 30s. Working alone with primitive tools, he quarried, carved, and set in place more than 1,100 tons of coral rock, creating what is commonly known as the American Stonehenge. How he accomplished this amazing feat remains a mystery. Some believe he was simply a talented stonemason and engineer. Many others believe he had somehow harnessed anti-gravity powers. Several books have been written on Ed's otherworldly powers and he has become a cult figure to those who believe in extra-terrestrials and the magnetic grid theory. In Coral Castle, Rusty McClure and Jack Heffron survey the theories and tell the story through journalistic investigation and interviews with experts on all sides of the argument.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rusty McClure, is the New York Times best-selling author of Crosley: Two Brothers and a Business Empire that Transformed The Nation. He has a Master of Divinity degree from Emory and he teaches an entrepreneurial course at Ohio Wesleyan University. He resides in Dublin, Ohio. Jack Heffron, has written several books of instruction for writers as well as numerous articles for magazines, primarily on travel, sports, and popular culture. His work has been noted in Best American Travel Writing and has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and Authors. His column in Cincinnati magazine recently was chosen as the best in Ohio by the Cleveland Press Club. His short stories have appeared in many literary magazines and twice have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He has taught at writers conferences throughout the country and lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 250 pages
• Publisher: Ternary Publishing; First Edition edition (September 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 098421321X
• ISBN-13: 978-0984213214
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 0.8 x 6.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #219,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rusty McCLuRE, is the New York Times bestselling
author of Crosley; Cincinnatus; and Coral Castle.

He has a Master of Divinity
degree from Emory university and a Harvard MBA.

An advisor and investor in numerous entrepreneurial
projects Rusty teaches the entrepreneurial course at his
undergraduate alma mater Ohio Wesleyan university.

He is the son of Ellen Crosley McClure, daughter of
Lewis Crosley. She is the sole surviving direct descendant
of the Crosley brothers. He resides with his wife, daughters
in Dublin, Ohio.

Rusty has served as a PGA scoring observer for twenty
years. As a member of Cat Cay, a private island in the
Bahamas, Rusty played golf on its Windsor Downs course.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Work of Art-Both in the Telling of the Story and the Fortress February 8, 2010

By Doug B

Format:Hardcover

This book has the most in depth review/research of this, truly, amazing phenomenom. How this, supposedly uneducated, rail thin man could spend most of his entire adult life building a castle out of coral/stone, each piece weighing megatons, is the stuff of the supernatural.

Most of Edward Leedskalnin's life is a mystery. It is incredible that the authors (Mr. McClure and Mr. Heffron) found out so much about this recluse of a man.

I can see how difficult and daunting a task it must have been to write such a book, given all the references and interviews noted.

I would reccomend Coral Castle to anyone, not just history and supernatural buffs. I rate this a 5-star production.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars How did he do it? December 28, 2010

By starstruck VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I expected to hear some realistic theories on how Ed moved these stones and built the Coral Castle but I was sadly disappointed in that respect. I did learn a lot about this mysterious man as well as the castle. It has made me anxious to visit this place sometime when I'm in the area but there was not even some educated guesses as to how it was built. Neither did it give much information as to how this was done over a time span of years without anyone ever seeing the rocks moving or being dug up. All it said was that he worked at night and seemed to sense when he was being watched. Now surely sometime in the many years that he took to build and move them someone would have seen something. I just can't believe that in a populated area such as he was in that it could have been done in complete secrecy in an outdoor environment.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Attraction of Freedom and Antigravity January 15, 2011

By Princelight-7 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This book sheds some light on the mystery yet the important question is still unanswered: How did Ed lift 18,000 pounds coral blocks to those heights using simple primitive homemade tools?

The fact that the man worked mostly at nighttime proves he was hiding something, yet how a peasant from Latvia with no education had learned to successfully use levitation and knowledge of the laws of anti-gravity?

I have read this book and find it interesting yet as most of the writings about Leedskalnin and his mysterious castle, the mystery is anybody's guess. The fact is that Ed continues to be, unless somebody either travel in time to in depth interview him, or astral connect with his mind: a profound mystery. He said he was motivated to build that thing after a heartbreaking rejection, and to ad insult to injury right at the altar, by a ten year his junior 16 year old girl.

The point is that he was logging in the cold forests of Oregon and Washington caught consumption then quit and moved to South Florida where he got better, purchased a cheap lot of land and started building Coral Castle. His theme for his park was "lost love", not much different a theme than any other fun park in the USA and I am almost convinced the rejection thing was fabricated by him to attract more tourists to his park.

We learn here about Eds beginnings in Latvia, how he and others suffered political persecution by Russian Czars and class distinction between poor peasants and their castle dwelling lords. Obviously Edward was repulsed by the idea of a hopeless peasant on one hand and arrogant castle dweller lords on the other, so he built himself a castle in America.

Was Ed Leedskalnin familiar with and able to put into practice laws of antigravity?... In spite of the mystery involved I am optimistic imagining someday we will be able to unravel the dilemma of Coral Castle.

I recommend this well researched book to everyone. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book January 30, 2010

By Judah Rule the Heart ya Know

Format:Hardcover

I have been interested in the Coral Castle and Edward for a long time and this is the first book to take a nice solid look at it and present the story in an unbiased way. I just wish it was a little longer and it had more "experts" and their ideas of how Ed did what he did. I was expecting more about how Ed quarried the rock and ideas from engineers etc... Great book, great pictures, great story just wish I would have come away with a somewhat more informed knowledge of how he might have done this. It touches on the leverage (which I have always had trouble believeing) but nothing more than just touching on it. He could have spent a chapter or two on that topic alone. A chapter or two could have been spent on how he quarried these blocks or carved them etc... I am very glad the book was written though and I recomend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ed Leedskalnin and Coral Castle Homestead Florida January 7, 2010

By Edward Mcnair

Format:Hardcover

I have read many articles and books on Coral Castle and Ed Leedskalnin; this book is by far THE most complete and easy read hands down, plus it is all meat and no fluff. If you are interested in learning more about Ed Leedskalnin and his Rock Gate later known as Coral Castle, then this is the book for you and at a good price.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read November 28, 2010

By Avid Reader

Format:Hardcover

A must read for anyone interested in the history or mystery behind Coral Castle, mysteriously nestled in Homestead, Florida. I must say this is by far the most in depth research on this topic I have been able to get my hands on. An easy read with a realm of interesting facts and insights offered. Phenomenal research and well written.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Benefical for Historical Research April 6, 2012

By Paul Bellett

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Rusty and Jack's collaboration on this book has made a good attempt
to separate Coral Castle folklore beliefs as against official documentation records (e.g. Death Certificate etc..)
to what actually happened ever since exactly 100 years ago to the day when Edward Leedskalnin disembarked
into Ellis Island, New York as a work seeking immigrant (alien status) on April 6, 1912 which Ed applied for
on his "Declaration of Intention form No. #5646" regarding his US Naturalization many years later on 19th January 1940
- For above reference document pls see my coralcastle.com.au index page.
I appreciated the depth of research that went into this book such as officially getting a Latvian to do the translating of the Latvian book Korallu Pils by Andris Stavro for a lot of Ed's early historical information from Latvia, which I have also read and also the interviews, affidavit collections from the Coral Castle museum which has added richness and depth to this book.