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Litercurious Book Review

Title	Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
Author	Alfred Lansing
Publisher	Basic Books 2007
Format	Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
Pages	304
Language:	English
ISBN # 10 / 13	9780753809877 / 978-0753809877

AUTHOR

Alfred Lansing majored in journalism, served in the U.S. Navy, worked as a newspaper editor and later became a freelance writer. Find out more about Alfred here.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE

Anyone who loves: adventure, human struggle, epic survival, suspense, history, extreme seamanship, and great leadership will absolutely love this book.

SYNOPSIS

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage is a true story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The information within the book was taken from the diaries of the expedition members, interviews conducted with the surviving members, and letters.

In 1915, Sir Shackleton attempted to cross the Antarctic overland from west to east. What followed was an epic struggle to survive in sub-zero temperatures, without food and minimal shelter. After his ship “Endurance” got mired in the ice and then later crushed, he and his men were forced to survive on the ice.

The story is of men fighting against nature to survive eighteen months on a drifting ice flow. Starvation, scurvy, frostbite, and illness are just a few of the hardships these men had to suffer through. These men spent endless nights in the freezing rain and snow waiting for spring to come; always hungry, always cold, always freezing, always wondering if they would live through it all.

As the months passed by and situation became more dire, Sir Shackleton kept the men going through sheer determination and leadership. This story is not just of survival but the struggle of Sir Shackleton and his dedication to his men. He is a man that is not easily equaled. His personal fortitude, expertise, and charisma kept the party alive as much as anything else.

Sir Shackleton’s heroism and self-sacrifice is why he decided to attempt a crossing of the South Atlantic Ocean in a lifeboat to reach help for his men. Crossing the South Atlantic in a ship is dangerous, but an 800-mile journey by lifeboat is almost suicidal. The human struggle against the elements of the South Atlantic is another epic chapter in this story.

CONCLUSION

This book is one of the best books I’ve read. The story is well written and I enjoyed every minute of it. The suspense flows right through the book from beginning to end. The reader constantly wants to continue to the next chapter just to see how these men continue to survive. The tale is epic in the extreme. I most heartily recommend this book.

Litercurious Book Review

Title	Ten Fingers Touching
Author	Ellen A. Roth MFA
Publisher	Getting to the Point, Inc.; First edition (April 12, 2015)
Pages	110
Language	English
ASIN #	B00W1XABD0

AUTHOR

Ellen A. Roth MFA is the author of Ten Fingers Touching. You can find out all about her here

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE?

Anyone who enjoys a heartwarming tale sprinkled with love and adventure in equal measure set against the fight between good and evil.

SYNOPSIS

Ten Fingers Touching is a well crafted and sculpted story written by a consummate professional in the person of Ellen A. Roth.

Roth has managed to combine a romance within the epic struggle between the honorable and the malevolent, skillfully woven with a surprising conclusion.

Whilst a brief tale, the story has something for everyone; ethical dilemmas, copious moments of adventure, love interest, and plenty of mystery.

One cannot comment on Roth’s exquisite manuscript without mention of the simply magnificent illustrations produced by John Blumen. Obviously, John completely understood what was required artistically to further enhance a most beautiful fairy-tale. Collectively they make a stunning combination and a spectacular book.

Whilst the story is concise at 110 pages in length it left me wanting to read more. I sincerely hope that Roth follows up with a second offering in the near future. I for one, will be in the queue to purchase a copy.

CONCLUSION

Ten Fingers Touching was a joy to discover. It left me with a warm fuzzy feeling that is frequently lacking in many of today’s tales. I enjoyed following the well crafted characters and frankly, I never wanted the tale to conclude. It was engaging throughout and left me wanting more.

A beautifully crafted love story in the midst of adversity with a twist in its tale.

Ten Fingers Touching is a steal at the price right now on Amazon. It is flying off the shelves. I strongly recommend snatching up your copy while they’re still available. It would make an ideal gift for anyone over 10 years old.

Litercurious Book Review

Title	Dangerous Shallows: In Search of The Ghost Ships of Cape Cod
Author	Eric Takakjian & Randall Peffer
Publisher	Lyons Press (January 24, 2020)
Format	Paperback, Kindle
Pages	272
Language:	English
ISBN # 10 / 13	1493042300 / 978-1493042302

AUTHORS

Find out more about Eric Takakjian on his linkedin page here. He can be found on Boston Sea Rovers here. Finally you can find some information on Eric at Doug Grad Literary Agency, Inc. here.

You can find some information on Randall at Doug Grad Literary Agency, Inc. here. Randall Peffer gives a 90 second video biography here.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE

This book is for everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a sailor, a diver, a history buff, an adventurer, or you just like a good thriller; this book has it all.

SYNOPSIS

Dangerous Shallows: In Search of The Ghost Ships of Cape Cod is a superbly written book that grips the reader from the very onset. Eric Takakjian takes the reader from the earliest of times in relation to diving techniques to modern mixed gasses. He intersperses his experiences with spellbinding tales of sunken ships and the events that led up to their tragic fates.

Eric explains in terms that are easy to understand all of the intricacies of diving and especially deep diving. He guides us through the uses of mixed gas to get to exceptionally deep wrecks and the troubles associated with each dive. He brings into view the price of miscalculation and bad circumstance and the lethal effects associated with deep diving. Intermixed is his own journey as a USCG crewman through his marriage and operating his own dive company while looking for those “virgin” wrecks.

Dangerous Shallows covers a myriad of different vessels and reasons for their current predicaments. The wrecks that Eric explores cover centuries of accidents, war, and depression. He takes the time to relate to the reader exactly what he sees and feels as he dives the wrecks. While swimming over the wrecks, he takes the reader back in time and makes the reader feel as if they are there for each vessel’s demise. The reader can feel the panic, the elation, the fear, or the determination of the people associated with each vessel.

Included within the book are the stories of his own trials and tribulations. He talks about the hardships keeping “virgin” wreck locations secret and the betrayal of “friends” who want to use his work for their own gains. He explains the research he, his wife, and friends undertake to locate and find each lost vessel. Eric describes the dangers each particular dive has; from currents, to sharks, to visibility issues, to the “bends.”

The author interfuses pictures and illustrations throughout the book. The color and black and white photos enhance the readers perceptions of the boats and the wrecks. Some of the photos are historic as are the schematics.

CONCLUSION

This book is thrilling, mysterious, and intriguing. Even if you don’t know much about diving and especially deep diving, this book easily explains the terms and conditions. The stories of the individual wrecks are told in vivid detail. The reader can easily feel as if they are right there with him on this journey of discovery. I heartily recommend this book for everyone.

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Eric Takakjian and Randall Peffer, NetGalley, and Lyons Press for affording me the opportunity to review Dangerous Shallows: In Search of the Ghost Ships of Cape Cod.