Customer Reviews

Lighthouses of Europe

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It is often said that a good photograph should leap out of the page at you. Some time ago, I was walking past a shop and stopped when I saw a series of 3 photographs on display in the window. On this occasion they leapt right out of the shop at me. They were of a French lighthouse called "Le Four." The first showed a wave hitting the far side of the lighthouse with such force that the breaker almost reached the top. In the second, it had reached the top and was coming round both sides. In the final photograph, the lighthouse was under a cloak of white water and gone from view. Those photographs are reproduced in this book and are just 3 of a collection of truly outstanding images.

I cannot imagine what it must have cost to produce this book or why the co-authors should have tackled a subject as esoteric as lighthouses, but I am glad they did. Being a diver, a number of those lighthouses are very well known to me.

The reason I mention cost, is that all 166 lighthouses featured in this book have been photographed from the air - often with more than one image. Commencing with British lighthouses as far north as the Orkney Islands, the book brings the reader southwards, lighthouse by lighthouse (including lightships) along the Atlantic-facing coastlines of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Ireland England, France and the Iberian Peninsula - all the way to Gibraltar.

All the favourites are there, mine as well as yours. There are plenty of curious photographs - like the deckchair where the light used to be, plus a number of mood photographs, like the light shining through the mist. There is not a single poor photograph in this book anywhere.

An outstanding book of photographs by any standards whatsoever.

Also published in French as "Phares Ouest."

NM

Very informative Excelent photography . I'm very glad I found this book It will be an excelent referance for years to come thank you

This book was listed as "Used-Like New". It wasn't. The book must have been in a book store or other location where it was taken in and out of the shelf for people to look at and consequently the cover was all scuffed and slightly torn. The book also smells of mildew and the pages are somewhat warped. I complained to the vendor and they gave me a full refund and told me I could keep the book or discard it. (SHOWS AMAZON'S VENDORS GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS.) It is an interesting book though and the pictures are amazing. I bought the book for the picture on the back cover, which is of the Barra Head lighthouse and its surroundings. The lighthouse photo is not that large but the scene around the lighthouse is breath-taking. The only way you could see this scene is via helicopter, airplane or photo. A truly amazing sight.

I bought this for my mother-in-law and she absolutely loves it. The pictures are lovely, and for those who have family members who admire lighthouses this would make a lovely gift.