Islands of Boston Harbor (Snow Centennial Editions) [Hardcover]

Edward R. Snow (Author), William Fowler (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: Snow Centennial Editions | Publication Date: June 2003

Commonwealth Editions is proud to reissue The Islands of Boston Harbor, Snow’s first book, in recognition of the centennial of Snow’s birth. The first (1935) edition resulted from research Snow did at Harvard under the tutelage of the great maritime historian Samuel Eliot Morison. The book covers the history and legends of virtually every island and rock in the harbor, including Boston Light and Graves Light. When the 1971 edition of the book was published, a critic for the Boston Post wrote, "Mr. Snow has the gift of making his subject vivid and personal in its anecdotal touches. . . . It is a volume of chatty yet dignified essays, with many a light touch brought in." This centennial edition contains the complete 1971 text, with annotations by Jeremy D’Entremont to bring the information up to date.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Edward Rowe Snow. It is a name we have been forced to reckon with in five years of building Commonwealth Editions as a publisher of nonfiction books about New England and its historic places. Edward Rowe Snow. Everywhere we heard the name—from readers, from booksellers, from historians, from other authors. Nowhere we saw the books.

Not new books, anyway. New editions of Snow weren’t anywhere to be found. Snow’s out of print, we were told. Hasn’t been in print for fifteen years. Love to see him in print, booksellers told us. People ask for his books all the time.

We found fan clubs devoted to Edward Rowe Snow and catalogs and web sites filled with used copies of his books. More than once we heard the joke that a first edition of his work is more valuable unsigned than signed: Snow was such a tireless promoter of his own work, so willing to sign books anywhere on any occasion, that the unsigned book is rare indeed.

We could not find his books, but we found his legend everywhere. It seemed to us that half of New England had grown up "at the feet" of Edward Rowe Snow, taking in his tales like mother’s milk or a good bowl of chowder on a cold, stormy day. And booksellers virtually begged us to reissue Snow’s books. Ken Gloss of the legendary Brattle Book Shop in Boston was typical: "Not a week goes by," he told us, "that I don’t get a request for a book by Edward Rowe Snow." Or maybe he said day.

It was Gloss who finally tipped us off to the whereabouts of the one person on earth who literally grew up at the feet of Edward Rowe Snow. Dorothy Snow Bicknell, an extraordinarily kind and gentle woman known to what must be countless friends as "Dolly," is Snow’s daughter and only child. On a cold November day, we met Dolly at the South Shore Mall, where a model "Lighthouse Santa" still pays tribute to Snow. She charmed us with her devotion to her father’s memory. And I like to think she recognized Commonwealth Editions as a publisher that could do justice to that memory.

With Dolly we met Jeremy D’Entremont, who proved to be much more than a passionate fan of Edward Rowe Snow (we already knew plenty of those). As knowledgeable as he is dedicated, Jeremy provided the key to this new centennial edition of Snow’s work—by respectfully updating and, here and there, gently correcting the master’s work. At the end of each chapter are Jeremy’s notes, which bring Snow’s text to the present day. It is too bad there are no lighthouse keepers anymore, because Jeremy D’Entremont was born for the work. A beacon kept lit with his discernment and devotion would keep vessels safe in the severest weather, on the craggiest shore.

Snow partisan Bob Jannoni provided encouragement for this new edition, and designer Judy Barolak gave it grace and dignity. Bill Stokinger of the Metropolitan District Commission provided photos and reviewed the text. Steve Csipke developed a new, thematic index. One other person is worthy of note. Our managing editor, Penny Stratton, pulled together with Dolly and Jeremy and the many talented contributors and, against all odds, brought this new edition of Edward Rowe Snow to port. All involved with this project have been invigorated by the spirit and legend of Edward Rowe Snow.

Webster Bull
Commonwealth Editions Publisher
Summer 2002

About the Author

Edward Rowe Snow (1902-1982) was descended from a long line of sea captains. He sailed the high seas, toiled aboard oil tankers, and worked as a Hollywood extra—all before attending college. Later he worked as a teacher and coach, and as a reconnaissance photographer during World War II. His education and work prepared him well for his legendary writing career, which was part maritime history, part show business.

The Islands of Boston Harbor, his first book, was published in 1935. In all, Snow wrote nearly one hundred books and pamphlets, illustrated with many of his own photographs. He also contributed newspaper columns to the Quincy Patriot Ledger, the Boston Herald, and the Brockton Enterprise. In the 1950s his radio show "Six Bells" was heard on dozens of stations, and he made many other appearances on radio as well as on television.

Snow is fondly remembered as the "Flying Santa." For forty years he flew in small planes and helicopters over the lighthouses of New England, dropping Christmas parcels for the keepers and their families. His efforts to preserve the islands of Boston Harbor as public lands are less well known. After his death in 1982, the Boston Globe lauded his support for conservation: "There are many political leaders and environmentalists who can justly share the credit for the preservation of the harbor islands, but among them Mr. Snow will hold a special place as a link to their past and a guide to their present."

Snow married Anna-Myrle Haegg in 1932. They had one daughter, Dorothy Caroline Snow (Bicknell), two granddaughters, and one great-grandson. The young people who grew up "at his feet," reading and listening to his tales of New England maritime history, are countless.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Commonwealth Editions; Updated edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1889833436
• ISBN-13: 978-1889833439
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #847,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read, July 3, 2004

By 

K. DeVitto "Ceit" (New Bedford,MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Islands of Boston Harbor (Snow Centennial Editions) (Hardcover)

Edward Rowe Snow holds a place in my heart. I remember when I was younger and taking the tours of Boston Harbor with this extrodanary historian.

I had the first edition of this book and was lost to me when I was young. Every books store would say, "Sorry, this book is unavaiable, or out of print." I am very glad they re-released these treasures.

This book has the ledgend of the Lady in Black of George's Island.

Read if you are interested in New England History or you are from Boston. Great Book.