Brilliant Beacons: a History of America’s Lighthouses

1147 Central Avenue,Needham MA 02492

17 November, 2021

Description

Author Eric Jay Dolin presents the story of America through the prism of its much-loved lighthouses. In a presentation hosted by the Needham History Center, Eric Jay Dolan, author of Brilliant Beacons: A History of America's Lighthouses, tells the story of America though its beloved costal sentinels. The live presentation will take place Wednesday, November 17, at 7 pm and is free and open to the public. Drawing on his book, the most comprehensive history of American lighthouses every written, Dolan will trace the evolution of America’s lighthouse system, highlighting the political, military, and technological battles fought to illuminate the nation’s hardscrabble coastlines. Dolan has a memorable cast of characters and stories to draw on, including the penny-pinching Treasury official Stephen Pleasonton, who hamstrung the country’s efforts to adopt the revolutionary “Fresnel Lens,” as well as tales both humorous and harrowing of soldiers, saboteurs, ruthless egg collectors, and most importantly, the light-keepers themselves. Dolin grew up near the coasts of New York and Connecticut, and from an early age was fascinated by the natural world, especially the ocean. At Brown University, he was a double major in biology and environmental studies, and he went on to earn a master’s degree in environmental management from Yale, and a Ph.D. in environmental policy and planning from MIT, where his dissertation focused on the role of the courts in the cleanup of Boston Harbor. He has held a variety of jobs, including stints as a fisheries policy analyst at the National Marine Fisheries Service, a program manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an environmental consultant stateside and in London, and an American Association for the Advancement of Science writing fellow at Business Week. The one constant is that he enjoyed writing and telling stories, which is why he started writing books. At last count, Eric has written 15; his most recent is Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution. He has also published more than 60 articles for magazines, newspapers, and professional journals. Eric spoke to the Needham History Center a few years ago about his book, When America First Met China.