Guiding Lights: The Extraordinary Lives of Lighthouse Women

by Shona Riddell

Women have a long history of keeping the lights burning, from tending ancient altar flames or bonfires to modern-day lighthouse keeping. Yet most of their stories are little-known. Guiding Lights includes true stories from around the world, chronicling the lives of the extraordinary women who mind the world’s storm-battered towers. From Hannah Sutton and her partner Grant, the two caretakers living alone on Tasmania’s wild Maatsuyker Island, to Karen Zacharuk, the keeper in charge of Cape Beale on Canada’s Vancouver Island, where bears, cougars and wolves roam, the lives of lighthouse women are not for the faint of heart. Stunning photographs from throughout history accompany accounts of the dramatic torching of Puysegur Point, one of NZ’s most inhospitable lighthouses; ‘haunted’ lighthouses in across the US and their tragic tales; lighthouse accidents and emergencies around the world; and two of the world’s most legendary lighthouse Ida Lewis (US) and Grace Darling (UK), who risked their lives to save others. The book also explores our dual perception of are they comforting and romantic beacons symbolising hope and trust, or storm-lashed and forbidding towers with echoes of lonely, mad keepers? Whatever our perception, stories of women’s courage and dedication in minding the lights — then and now — continue to capture our imagination and inspire.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Short Stories, Womens

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2020

About the author

Shona Riddell is a writer from Wellington, New Zealand. She enjoys cold, windy weather and stories about remote locations.

Reviews

[Kali Napier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this non-fiction book on lighthouse women as story research, but didn't pick and skim as I thought I would. I read it all, even the contemporary chapters. Lighthouse women are depicted in the media as the "most isolated women in the world", and Riddell's book covers historical events, acts of heroism, daily life, the hazards and tedium of tending a light, as well as "ghosts, legends and mysteries". It was this latter aspect that drew me to researching lighthouse women, but brief mentions of ghostly encounters, etc. are to be "taken with a bucketful of salt", states the cynical author. Many of these tales are manufactured to promote lighthouse tourism. I know this chapter isn't the point of the book, but I wonder if there might not be more paranormal and supernatural activity in such isolated and liminal environments, on the cusp of the world. Perhaps that is a rabbit hole I might go down myself.
This book takes a global scope, mainly of the western world, which would be one reason that specific issues relating to women's lives in lighthouses are not able to be provided with more detail. That is a task for the reader.
This is a beautifully produced book with thick paper stock and many gorgeous photos.

[Carmel Audsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I read the story of the English lighthouse keeper’s daughter Grace Darling, I have been fascinated by the towering structures that shine a light to warn or guide ships at sea. For a schoolgirl, Grace’s life at Longstone lighthouse, on The Farne Islands off the North Coast Sea of Great Britain in the early 1800s, seemed so exotic and remote as she spent her days on the windswept rock enjoying its solitude and the beauty of the sea. I read of how, together with her father, she rowed on stormy seas to rescue people whose ships had come to grief on the reefs, and how she and her parents nursed the survivors back to health. It was not until I read Guiding Lights that I learned how the fame that followed her daring rescues affected her mental health, or that she died at the age of 26. While history books are full of tales about male lighthouse keepers, this book shares the stories of lighthouse women (whether keepers, or wives and daughters of keepers) from around the world who have kept the lights burning from tending coastal bonfires to modern-day lighthouse keeping. They are stories of isolation, dedication, care and heroism. The accompanying photographs, extracts from newspaper clippings, painting and portraits from throughout history further illustrate the tragic tales and the courage of women who lived in these lonely outposts, and often risked their lives to save others. While many of these remote beacons are no longer inhabited, the stories of solitary keepers, perched on sea-ravaged coastlines, live on through this book. A thoroughly informative and enjoyable read.

[Enni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the good fortune to work on the interior design of this book, ended up reading it while laying it out and... boy it has some great stories!!! Recommend to anyone interested in lighthouses, remote locations, human spirit, crazy stuff from history. Doubly recommend it to anyone writing fiction. This book is an absolute treasure trove of story ideas, written in a way that sucks you in. Absolutely brilliant.

[Pers · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and engaging history of women lighthouse keepers around the world. A fascinating read.

[Lee Belbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lighthouses have always interested me. They are usually remote, often in hostile environments and had been 'manned' by intrepid people. Hence I live in Tasmania, and take great delight when the ocean and wind make their presence more than felt. I have read more than a dozen books on lighthouses (and visited many more) and Riddell has done justice to the lighthouses and filled some of the gaps with the women who have been keepers, assistants or wives of keepers. An impressive reference list and index is appreciated.

[Dianne Wolfer]

I loved this fascinating, well-researched exploration of lighthouse women from around the world.
The book is beautifully produced with quality paper, book jacket and evocative illustrations.
I especially enjoyed the pages about Albany's 'Lighthouse Girl', Fay Catherine Howe!

[Maxine]

This book is Gorgeous.

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed reading about these women who faced isolation, hardship and back breaking work.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devastated to finish this. Just a stunning book that is a joy to dip into when you're getting ready for bed, or slowly watching the day pass on the couch.

[Rose Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of women throughout history who have tended lighthouses.

[Michal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Having never given much thought to lighthouses before, I was fully engrossed and fascinated by these stories! 
My kids also loved hearing about how the lighthouse keepers lived and all the daring rescues they made, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the ghost stories too.
I loved how Shona weaved in the occasional modern cultural reference and I really enjoyed her story about her Valentines day lighthouse expedition.
I highly recommend this book. As with her other books, it's well researched and beautifully written and is such a fascinating topic!  Must read

[Leisa Morton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt absolutely transported - what a stunning book 3.75 🌟

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated by lighthouses, and I really enjoyed this book.

[Mark Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at the lives of women who lived in lighthouses together with related issues. Nicey produced book with some great photos.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insight into the lives of women who lived in lighthouses through history and around the (mostly English-speaking) world.

I first heard of this book through an interview with Riddell on the ABC Conversations podcast a while ago, and I recommend listening to it if you’re interested because it gave a good general overview of the book. Lighthouses fascinate me (and, I think, almost everyone?) - the often dramatic scenery and weather, the impressive feats of human engineering to build some of them and their isolation - so this was an interesting read. Lighthouse women were truly remarkable, helping their husbands/fathers with their duties whilst often also running a household and looking after children. As is so often the case, there are few records of the women’s lives and Riddell clearly had to work hard to gather what little information there is. It felt like every last little tidbit of information was included though, which gave the book a bit of a high school project feel - a little bit of selectivity wouldn’t have gone amiss. A fascinating read about extraordinary women which could have done with some tighter editing.

[Lauren of Ngaio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous book and not just for lighthouse fanatics! The author has a familial link to a lighthouse in Wellington, New Zealand (my hometown) and this was perhaps the impetus for her to start researching about female lighthouse keepers. This book covers the history of many lighthouse's around the world, the keepers (male & female) and the rugged life of lighthouse keepers families. Their duties, not just to maintain 'the light', also included maintenance of the wick, cleaning the lens's and the glass around the light, weather reports, looking for enemy ships during war time, saving drowning sailors & passengers on sinking ships, growing their own food, catching fish for dinner, home schooling the children...even bringing the chickens inside during torrential storms, so they don't get blown off the cliff...and lots more. There are lots of fabulous pictures of the lighthouse's being written about and the families living there. A great book.

[Tuppence · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't what I'd hoped it would be but I enjoyed Guiding Lights anyway. The topic kept me reading (I'm fascinated by lighthouses) but I felt like I was reading a research textbook at times, rather than a book written with a passion for lighthouses. Somehow, the interruptions of photos on every second page put me off - I would have preferred they were in the centre of the book and could be found easily than dotted all over the place - it was a bit cut and paste-ish. A good read all the same.

[Emma Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I don't think this is the book Shona Riddell wanted to write. I think this is the result of some pretty hefty negotiating and compromising with her publishers. It is a very interesting book, but you can tell where her interest ranges from passionate to perfunctory.

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting look at the lives of women lighthouse keepers. So often in fictional books, we see a romanticized view of living at a lighthouse. This book is a reminder of the realities of that life.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a very informative and enjoyable read. It shines a light on the lives of a lot of interesting people and the history of lighthouses in a broad, but pertinent way. The images are fascinating and beautiful. I recommend this book for entertaining leisure.

[Overbooked ✎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read! I really enjoyed it :D Found it online when I was looking for another book.

Written by a NZ author, I'll definitely be checking out her other books.

[Jane Peymen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice read for me by a local author, of something I wouldn’t usually read but won a copy 💙. Interesting stories of lighthouse keepers around the world through time up to present day.

[Jo Orange · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.