Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916

Will preface this by saying that if you're really interested in this series of events, and want to read what is probably the definitive publication on the Jersey Shore attacks, "Twelve Days of Terror" by Richard Fernicola is the one to read.With that being said, I enjoyed "Close to Shore" a great deal too, though not as much as "Twelve Days of Terror," which is a much more scholarly work supported by an incredible amount of research. This one seems intended to mimic the style of other nonfiction works ("Isaac's Storm" about the Galveston hurricane comes to mind) where the author intends to have the book read like a novel and sets out to create a character of the primary menace -- in this case, the shark. The book does have a good pace and is an engaging read, but in my opinion, when you have true-life events as frightening as these, there's no need to gloss them over with conjecture on the shark's thoughts or conjecture on the thoughts of the ill-fated beach bathers/creek bathers. The approach works in something like "Isaac's Storm," which is probably altogether a better handling of a menacing force of nature, but it flails a bit here.Some readers may not have a lot of patience for the large amount of time Mr. Capuzzo spends on recreating the era in which this happened (as in, what were people wearing, what were the popular pastimes, what was in the newspaper). I did have patience for it and actually enjoyed that aspect of the book, because I think the recreation of an era adds a lot to any nonfiction work about history, and Mr. Capuzzo does a fantastic job of that. But at the end of the day, although no one will probably ever know why this happened, we can be reasonably certain that the shark had no idea it was 1916, and did not set out to be a symbol of the end of America's innocence.In recreating the era, Mr. Capuzzo also enlightens us on the perceptions people of the time had about sharks -- perceptions that noted biologists and museum curators of the time took to be established fact (the idea that sharks had venomous bites, for example, or that no shark had jaws powerful enough to break an adult human's bones).This is a good read. I only gave it four stars instead of five because I didn't think some of the conjecture was necessary. The events and their inexplicable nature stand on their own.

A book should deliver on its title - that much is certain. When Close to shore finally gets to the first fatality a third of the book has already come and gone with little to no evidence that the story is, or will become, “terrifying”. Instead, Capuzzo spends the first third of the book building a very detailed picture of the social and socioeconomic aspects of the world in which the attacks occurred. I enjoy a good build up of tension as much as the next reader, but the in-depth examination seems to add very little to the overall theme and feel of the book. At most, a chapter or two of discussion of the social circumstances would have been nearly enough. Before the first savage bite occurs I found myself having to force my way through a laboriously dry narration that did not suggest the bloody terror that would later occur. Overall it is an interesting, if occasionally dry, take on a subject that should have been utilized to draw the reader in on page 1, not page 100.

First, let me say that I am a shark lover. I love sharks. That was what lured me into reading this, but so many other things kept me reading. So, here is a rundown of what makes this work so great:1. It's non-fiction. Now, normally I would say this is not great because I'm personally not a fan of non-fiction, but this pretty much changed my mind forever. The writer is an artful wordsmith, which makes it feel as poetic as a good fiction work. With that being said, I can tell he did his research, and he has a robust bibliography following the material to back it up.2. Did I mention it's artful? The language in here is so colorful that every bit of information has an even bigger impact.3. Not only does the story itself shine, the history does, too. Like I said, I picked this up because of sharks. As soon as I started reading, I was getting a history lesson - and again, it is written in such a creative way that I was immediately drawn to it. He really illustrates everything about society at the time to set up this story.Those are my 3 biggest points that make this book what it is; as for the rest, I will let future readers decide! In short, if you are a shark lover like me, you will absolutely obsess over this book. But, if you're not a shark lover, you will still love this book all the same as it is truly a great read. In my opinion, you should read it in the summer right before you go to the beach!

I bought this book after stumbling across it in my recommendations. I am the first to admit that I love to read any shark related book, and JAWS was my first purchase of this type.What better then, if not a book chronicling the events which inspired history's first and most beloved shark attack novel? The book was cheap - almost obscenely so - and arrived in such fine quality that I was embarrassed to have paid so little. It's a handsome book, fit to grace any book collection or even a coffee table, and the cover images explain both period and location without giving any plot away.Then you open the book and start read! I was concerned that the book would either focus on a dramatic plot and ignore important facts, or RU the risk of becoming little more than a long list of boringly presented facts. Close to Shore manages to find a balance between the facts and good plot. The result is a narrative which is both compelling and comfortable to read, in whichever way the reader wants. The novel is separated into chapters of sensible length, giving readers plenty of opportunity to pause or continue. There are plenty of references to actresses, academics and other notaries of the time, which will give readers who like to read around a book and it's topic, but it will not obstruct readers who don't.Close to Shore also maintains a natural and equal balance between the shark(s) and the humans whose lives it became involved in. These are largely kept in self contained chapters until the inevitable path crossings, and these were thoughtfully handled.

I zipped through this in less than a day, I couldn't put it down - which I guess is the mark of a good book. It's about the 1916 shark attacks off the coast of New Jersey that gripped the entire United States and were the inspiration for Peter Benchley's Jaws. It starts quite slowly, more than a quarter of the book goes by before the first attack, but it's very good at 'setting the scene', so to speak. The actual exploration of the attacks is very well-written, dramatic and graphic, but it works just as well describing the America of the time, a society teetering on the brink between the old Edwardian Gilded Age and the new modern age. It does very well trying to explore why the shark came so close to shore, seventeen miles inland up tidal creeks at one point, what was prompting the attacks on humans and how the scientific community's disbelief that sharks were dangerous exacerbated the danger.

A really great read. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The tale (no pun intended) of a rogue shark attacking bathers in New Jersey in 1916. The accounts point to a Great white, but may be a bull shark could of been the culprit.? The book is wrote well & the guy has done some dedicated work in his research. Good read.

Im obsessed with anything to do with Sharks and obviously this book appealed to me when I came across it on Amazon. It was reasonably priced and arrived in good condition and quickly. Although it is a little difficult to get into at first, do persevere as it gets better and I did enjoy it in the end.

Super product and prompt delivery