The Shipwreck Research Handbook

EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT RESEARCHING SHIPWRECKS This is the book that reveals the arcane methods and secret pathways of archival research: a complete guide that takes the reader through the mysteries and complexities of library holdings, museum collections, and governmental records. Now you can learn from an expert how to obtain first-hand knowledge about your favorite shipwreck - and how to avoid nonproductive and counterproductive pitfalls that may lead you astray through a virtual quagmire of misinformation. Shipwreck research is an esoteric topic for which no formal education is available. By dint of the author's vast experience, this fundamental handbook provides the wherewithal to escort the reader through such primary sources as the National Archives, the Library of Congress, maritime museums, and the like. In addition to discussing demonstrable techniques for delving into obscure textual records, the book includes a chapter on picture sources, complete with full contact information for the most likely places at which to conduct shipwreck research and procure pictures of vessels. The Shipwreck Research Handbook is an indespensible tool for anyone who wants to know how to start a research project, where to look for information, and how to utilize the sources that are available.