Member Reviews

Embarking on the visual odyssey of "Lighthouses" by David Ross has been an enchanting journey, and I'm thrilled to share my effervescent five-star review with fellow book lovers, especially those captivated by the magic of photography and the indomitable allure of lighthouses.

This pocket-sized marvel invites readers into a world where steadfast sentinels stand tall against the whims of the ocean. The very essence of lighthouses is beautifully encapsulated in Ross's celebration of over 200 structures scattered across the globe. The narrative unfolds geographically, guiding us through the architectural diversity and breathtaking vistas these structures command.

Lighthouses, seemingly ordinary yet resilient, tell tales of serenity and tumult. One day, they stoically watch over calm waters, and the next, they stand resilient against the onslaught of immense waves. The magic lies not only in their functionality but in the diverse designs that grace their forms. From square to cylindrical, octagonal to solitary towers, they come alive in the reader's imagination.

Ross's lens captures more than just structures; it frames the essence of each lighthouse. These beacons of light, once guiding seafarers through treacherous waters, now emerge as silent storytellers of their own history. The book effortlessly spans the 18th century to the present day, whisking readers from Lake Michigan to the Arctic Circle, the British Isles to Brazil.

The photographs, numbering over 200, are a visual symphony, capturing lighthouses in their various incarnations—marking coastlines, standing beside lakes, overlooking rivers, and even cloaked in ice. Each image is a testament to the architectural finesse, the resilience of these structures against the elements, and the ethereal beauty that transcends mere functionality.

As a lighthouse enthusiast, this book offered a visual feast that transcended my expectations. The captions accompanying each photograph serve as knowledgeable guides, unraveling the construction, operation, and rich histories of these maritime guardians. The book is not just a collection of pictures; it's an immersive experience that stirs the soul.

"Lighthouses" by David Ross is a treasure trove for those enthralled by the union of photography, architecture, and the forces of nature. This visual masterpiece is a celebration of human ingenuity, resilience, and the enduring allure of these coastal sentinels.
I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who, like me, finds solace and wonder in the steadfast gaze of these guardians of the sea.

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I always enjoy looking and reading these books. This one is filled with wonderful photographs of lighthouses around the world. I loved the armchair traveling and seeing photographs of some of the non traditional lighthouses. The photographs are accompanied by short informative texts. Enjoy

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This book has over 200 amazing photos of lighthouses around the world! Each picture also contains a brief description of the lighthouse and what makes it unique. Some of my favorite photos are of the lighthouses lit at night, sunset/sunrise shots, waves splashing in the background, and the spirals created by the staircases. It would make a perfect coffee table book! This book is only found at Target.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd. for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

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I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This is a lovely hand held book with many pictures of lighthouses. This was fun to look at and see how many I have seen.

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This is an interesting book, focusing on photos of lighthouses. It's amazing to see the variety of these structures, all manmade, pitting themselves against the elements. I would have perhaps liked a little more explication along with the photos, but overall this would make a.great coffee table book.

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I LOVE lighthouses, so as soon as I saw that this was available, I requested it. I was NOT disappointed. The pictures are GORGEOUS and the content was very informative. I have yet to read a book released by Amber Books Ltd that I haven't liked. The quality is amazing and I highly recommend this book, or any book that they publish. 5, I now have an even larger list of lighthouses to visit than before, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

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The photography in this pictorial book is stunning. Images of lighthouses are shown in striking detail as waves crash, birds surround, ice encrusts and golden sunsets adorn. Impressive structures are seen hovering on the edge of cliffs, surrounded by gorgeous landscapes or standing as solitary sentinels, sharing their beacons with the world. From the famous to the more obscure, Ross' book showcases the beauty and majesty of lighthouses around the world. It is a visual feast that will enthrall readers.

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This is a great book for those interested in lighthouses . You get a lovely trip around the world, visiting a number of lighthouses through photos while ,flipping through the pages of this book .

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Beauty and Atmosphere, is what is inside the pages of this pocket-sized book. The book is interesting as it documents, primarily in photos, all different lighthouses from around the world. Where most people conjure up one or two typical looks and locations for a lighthouse, this book flings that wide-open and expands the horizon on that to show many more. This is perfect for lounging around and looking at this piece of art in many photos. The enthusiasm and knowledge of lighthouses and capturing photos that David Ross has are terrific. The light and shade capture certain atmosphere and movement, which are pure works of art. It's so easy to gaze into this book and envisage stepping right into them, or maybe one day, when times allow, to go exploring. For now, this is the perfect book to plunge into and explore the mysterious world of lighthouses, that once served so many seafaring ships and boats of all sizes as they guided them to safety in torrent waters.

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I’ve always loved the comforting light of a lighthouse and this book was perfect to indulge my love of all things lighthouse. With stunning images of lighthouses around the world and interesting information about their construction and the light they emit, this was a brilliant trip around the world

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Really great exterior photos of lighthouses from around the world. A good look for those who have an interest and to see what different ones look like

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~~~ I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

This book is full of gorgeous photographs of lighthouses from around the world. The author has done a great job putting together a nice collection of photographs and information. The book is nicely organized by continent and chock full of information about each lighthouse shown. I especially found the lighthouses of South Korea interesting. I enjoyed seeing the different ones from around the US also and have visited several of them in this book. This would make a great coffee table book for a beach house or for anyone who just loves lighthouses and their history.

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All books by Amber Publisher are wonderful looks into a theme, this one being no different. If you love seeing and learning about lighthouses, this one will be enjoyable. I like the ratio of image to words for these pictorials. These are great to sit on the coffee table and enjoy daily. Highly recommended!
Reviewed after previewing free copy from NetGalley and Amber Publishing - all thoughts my own and not influenced

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This book created by David Ross is a thing of beauty. A wonderful collation of amazing lighthouses from around the world is beautifully presented and works as well in kindle form as it does in a physical book. The exceptional quality of the photographs and the snippets of information make this a lovely thing to keep. Many thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the keen eye of the author for making this book a treasure for lighthouse nuts like me.

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I would like to thank the publisher (Amber Books Ltd) and the author (David Ross) for kindly providing an electronic review copy of this book.

"Lighthouses" by David Ross is an artistic picture book of lighthouses throughout the world. This photo book contains over 200 pictures of over 200 lighthouses with accompanying informative explanations. I was interested in this book because I have several pharophiles in my social circle. I would not call myself a lighthouse enthusiast, but I have lived near and visited many places that feature lighthouses, and I certainly have a soft spot for them. I was not disappointed as I read this book since many of the pictures in this book are stunning and dramatic and would look quite nice framed and displayed. I was also pleased to have actually seen several of them in person. Although all lighthouses serve essentially the same purpose, it was rather fascinating to see the different forms that they have taken over the years in different countries. It was interesting to read about the variety of light patterns and technology used in lighthouses. I also learned the difference between a lighthouse and a lightstation, along with new words such as pharology (which has less to do with Egypt than I would have guessed.)

I would imagine that the hardest thing about making a book like this would be to narrow down the number of lighthouses featured. I understand that everyone will have a different opinion on the selection. So for the record, I would have absolutely included the Yokohama Marine Tower. I reviewed this book in electronic form on a large monitor which was a fine format to appreciate both the text and excellent pictures, but since it is described as being paperback and "presented in a handy pocket-sized format," I am mildly concerned whether or not the printed pictures are large enough to do them justice.

I am delighted to have had an opportunity to read this book. I hope to have a chance to see other works by David Ross.

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Lighthouses have always evoked enchantment and mystery to me and this book is laden with breathtaking imagery from all over the globe, absolutely stunning, dripping with atmosphere. But it's more than beauty as the author details the construction and history of more than 200 lighthouses from the 18th century to the present time which were/are designed to save lives. Most are now automated, which takes away some of the magic and romance yet the structures remain to admire. Some in the Adriatic still have keepers. We learn about the flashes of light emitted as well. I've had the fortune of seeing several of these lighthouses and towers, some inside, others from afar and am utterly mesmerized by this book. Most are still functional, several are also historic sites or museums. I have my eye on a lighthouse B&B in Europe to stay at.

From details about various shapes (you'd be surprised at the variety!), height and colours to construction materials to locations, this book has it all. And more. Many photographs are taken at the precise moment dramatic waves and spray crash up to and over the lighthouses, some encapsulated in ice, others just before or after a storm and during the golden hours to capture that immaculate lighting. Pure magic. Some don't even look like lighthouses but more like fortresses with towers. One in South Korea honours horses. Some of my favourite photographs are include the eerie ice-encrusted Outer Lighthouse in Michigan, Alcatraz Island Lighthouse, Strombolicchio Lighthouse in Italy perched upon an ancient volcano, Verdens End in Norway, Belle Tout Lighthouse in England and Plover Scar Lighthouse in England which was hit by a ship.

One of the most interesting things to me is pharology in general...the science of lighthouse design and signal lighting. It hadn't occurred to me before.

Those readers intrigued by lighthouses or the sea in general, do read this extra sensory book.

My sincere thank you to Amber Books for the privilege of reading the e-ARC of this wondrous book! I enjoyed reliving my travels and sea nostalgia while learning a lot.

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This book focuses on the beauty of lighthouses and the photography is beautiful, showing lighthouses from all around the world. I am a big fan of the ocean and nature and seeing a range of different structures that have been used to protect and help people is interesting. You cannot fault the photography at all. However, the captions for me were boring. I wanted to know about the history or social history of the lighthouses... what made them special or different to others. The stories they had to tell... but most of the captions were just a technical spec, how tall, what it was made of and how many times the light flashed per so many seconds. Which is great... if you are really interested in the technical side of lighthouses, material, types of light bulbs used... then this book really is for you. But I found myself skipping through the captions just to look at the pictures. If the book was just photos it would still be a very good and beautiful book, but for me the captions didn’t add anything extra to the book for me. But if you are just looking for a great stunning coffee table book with beautiful photography then this book does that.

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I've always been drawn to lighthouses because I live by the water and they have always been around me. I loved that there were a couple of lighthouses from my province. It is amazing to see how different lighthouses are around the world and I was happy to see that there are some that still have lighthouse keepers. I even learned some things I didn't know about lighthouses; the fact that different lighthouses emit different flashes of light. .The pictures were beautiful and it's always good to learn something new about topics that already fascinate you. This would definitely make a beautiful gift for someone who is interested in lighthouses.

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Beautiful book with spectacular photography! This would make a great coffee table book. Very, very well done!

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Lighthouses stand tall, guiding, directing, always watching. They inspire hope, provide illumination and spark stories of imagination and real life. This book does an excellent job capturing their essence through vivid photography. They may all look different, but they all serve the same purpose. I loved seeing how different they can look based on where in the world they are found. The descriptions provided capture the important or interesting details about the light house shown. A rich, insightful and beautiful addition to any library guaranteed to stimulate stories and conversation. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

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