Ship of Gold

Every now and again you read a book that wish would not end, this is one of those books. Gary Kinder draws you in with fact upon fact , but it is not dry and lifeless , it is packed with humanity and interest. So many books have photos in the middle showing you depictions of the story and I wondered why Kinder had not done this? I realized once I had read the book , that photos would have done the story a disservice , the beautiful pictures Kinder had so elegantly painted in my mind , with both broad strokes as well as fine detailed ones, with his superb writing , was better than any still photo could have portrayed. Fabulous book , thank you Bob.

I couldn't put it down! Everything else in my life hibernated while I was immersed in this other world. Gary Kinder did a fantastic job on this. Fascinating on several levels. And this was a book I read probably 20 years ago. What did I like about it? Everything! What did I dislike about it? Nothing! I don't know why it was such a hit with me. Maybe I was a passenger on the ship in a previous lifetime so it had great relevance. Well, anything is possible, ha ha.

Gary Kinder tells three spell-binding narratives as he describes the search for the SS Central America, a sidewheel steamer which left Panama in 1857 and went down in the Atlantic while carrying gold from California (then valued at over $2 million). First person accounts by some of the survivors tell of the ship's journey, the hurricane which suddenly arose in the Atlantic, and the frantic efforts of crew and passengers to keep the engines fired and the ship afloat. Touching love stories revealed in these accounts give human faces to the drama, as women and children were put into lifeboats while their husbands stayed with the ship. These survivor accounts alternate with the narrative of the life of young Tommy Thompson, a phenomenally inventive child who grew up in Ohio, studied engineering, became fascinated by the challenges of underwater engineering, and eventually worked for famed treasure hunter Mel Fisher, learning what kind of underwater equipment was needed but not available. In the early 1980s, Thompson, more interested in research than in treasure, decided to search for the SS Central America, with the backing of a group he convinced to underwrite his expedition. As the ship was thought to be in eight thousand feet of water, deeper than had ever been explored, Thompson would succeed only if he could design the necessary equipment. The third story describes the search for the ship itself, a search which had two false starts before the site was finally located. Kinder develops almost unbearable tension as he describes how Thompson has to fend off rivals who are "treasure hunters," rather than scientists. Thompson's experimentation with equipment, the comprehensive documentation of the site through photographs and film, the legal battles for the rights to the salvage, and the final recovery of "treasure" ranging from gold bars and coins to beautifully preserved suitcases of clothing are vividly portrayed. A book with appeal to historians, engineers, marine scientists, adventurers, and all who pursue dreams, Kinder brings the entire recovery process to life, honoring the efforts and heroism of the Central America's Captain Herndon, the indomitable spirit of Thompson as he developed unique robots and equipment to explore the ocean at depths of over a mile, and the scientific commitment, rather than treasure-hunting, which inspired Thompson, his crew, and his backers, the Columbus-America Discovery Group. Gripping, and filled with the wonder of discovery, this is non-fiction at its most exciting best. Mary Whipple

Ship of Gold works on three different levels. It's the tense, terrifying story of the worst sea disaster in American history, until then. And its the suspenseful, nerve-wracking story of the recovery of its treasure. Finally, its a business case history that should be studied in every business school for the valuable lessons it teaches about managing a project. Here are a few of the things it teaches: Get experience at someone else's expense. Analyze other people's mistakes. Analyze other people's successes. Become an expert. Know how to find other experts. Build a network of experts. Get information from other experts without tipping your hand. Plan carefully. Execute your plans daringly. And a dozen other vitally important lessons. Have the fun of finishing this list. Buy this book.

Gary Kinder chronicles the story of a young maverick, out-of-the-box thinking engineer in his efforts to use the recovery of a mid-nineteenth century shipwreck as a proving ground for his deep-ocean research ideas. Tommy Thompson is a tireless dreamer who never let an obstacle or the "conventional wisdom" stop him from focusing on his goal. Combined with this modern-day epic is the historical and human account of the original ship on its final voyage: who the passengers and crew were, why they were there, where they were from, where they were going, what the ship carried that made it such a significant event, and what happened in those final days and hours as the ship sank. Kinder has equaled Thompson's efforts with his diligence and attention to detail in writing this tale. He has taken the tedium of scientific research, investment capital and engineering physics and turned them into an edge-of-your-seat adventure! With every page I could not help but be in awe of the depth of research the author has put into this document. This book was given to me by my brother, who has a masters degree in English literature and who is a voracious reader. He described this as "the best book I have ever read." I have to agree. After 507 pages, I still didn't want it to end.

One of the best nonfiction books I have ever read, and it's going to be hard to beat. It has many elements tied together into one highly readable volume, I'm surprised this wasn't nominated(as far as I know) for any awards. The book flips back and forth between a historical account of the SS Central America's final journey, and modern day efforts to recover the lost ship. Gary Kinder's extensive research and subsequent account of the SS Central America reads like a high-suspense thriller. The recovery process is a lesson in itself, demonstrating what persistence, determination and innovation can accomplish. Impossible? To Tommy Thompson that word was meaningless. "It can be done...Make it work...There is a way...You just haven't looked at all the possible perspectives." Where most, if not all, would have given up, he persisted and found and recovered a ship that was sitting on the ocean floor at "impossible" depths. The sub-ocean equivalent of putting people into space, this story is not to be missed.Tommy Thompson has since published a coffee-table quality companion book, that shows numerous pictures and details of what he found. If anyone has read "Ship of Gold", this companion book is not to be missed! (can't think of the exact title offhand, but just search: Tommy Thompson)This book would make a fine movie. I don't think a page went by without anything interesting going on. As a matter of fact I'm sure that by now a studio has bought the film rights.And finally, this is the first book that comes to mind whenever anyone asks "Read any good books lately?" and is one that I wouldn't hesistate to give as a gift. Great, great stuff.

The prospective reader should understand that this it is not a novel but a well crafted and complete documentary of the historical background and recounting of an event that rivals the Apollo Mission to the moon. Those who fault the author for exhaustive detail should skip the pages they consider tedious. What is left is still an amazing and absorbing tail of high-seas drama, engineering genius and resolute dedication to the advancement of deep-sea exploration financed by the promise of rewards from a scientifically conducted treasure hunt.