Without trace: The last voyages of eight ships

by John Harris

Examines eight cases of ghost ships or ships that vanished under mysterious circumstances, including the Maine and the Mary Celeste

Genres: Nonfiction

244 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John[2 spaces]Harris : Historical Fiction
John[3 spaces]Harris : Non Fiction
John[4 spaces]Harris : Treehouse
John[5 spaces]Harris : Music
John[6 spaces]Harris : Management
John[7 spaces]Harris : Child Psychology
John[8 spaces]Harris : Children's
John[9 spaces]Harris : Drama
John[10 spaces]Harris : John Harris of Bolenowe, poet and preacher
John[11 spaces]Harris : -
John[12 spaces]Harris : History, Architecture
John[13 spaces]Harris : born 1942
John[14 spaces]Harris : Reverend John Harris (1802 - 1856)
John[15 spaces]Harris : -
John[16 spaces]Harris : History
John[17 spaces]Harris : born 1937
John[18 spaces]Harris : -
John[19 spaces]Harris : Backpacker
John[20 spaces]Harris : Erotic, LGBT
John[21 spaces]Harris : born 1667
John[22 spaces]Harris : GR Author
John[25 spaces]Harris : GR Author

Reviews

[Sportyrod · Rating 3 out of 5]

The unknown holds such wonder. Ships lost at sea or found at sea completely abandoned gets the mind thinking what could have happened.

Harris choses eight distinctly different mysteries: a polar voyage, the Mary Celeste, a military disaster, a passenger ship, a freight ship, a dodgy ship, and a race ship contestant. Each mystery is a challenge. It is tough for an author to keep readers engaged when there are no answers, just most likely theories. But Harris balances enough fact with probability to keep things interesting.

I was most interested in the Mary Celeste case. How could the ship outlive the passengers? Actually why would anyone abandon a ship until it had sunk?

I would be interested in contemporary opinions on what may have happened. The freight case did this well. Someone on a similar ship dropped a tool down a gap and when they went to retrieve it, realised how fragile one of the structural parts were. I think with today’s expertise, someone could give an objective opinion on a list of reasonable likely causes. I hope sonar technoology can solve these mysteries some day.

Harris did a great job explaining the key details. Not once was it a drag to turn a page.

3.5 stars rounded down.

[Mark H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and horrifying account of a wide range of mysterious disasters at sea. Written in 1981, some of these mysteries have developed further, but the level of detailed research here refers to many more cases than the subjects of the eight chapters.
Harris has done his homework, and each chapter ends with his own theory as to what had happened. Compassionate, tragic, and compellingly written. Also aware of most of the research that has already gone into these mysteries.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another book that made me giggle over UB-65, and it pretending this was a real thing, and claiming it was "well authenticated." Oh boy.

Though originally published in 1981, I feel this book has held up quite well. Putting forward eight of the most famous and/or mysterious disappearances ranging from Franklin's doomed northern expedition in the 1800s to the "Teignmouth Electron" in the 1960s, it's an interesting look at some of the most fascinating cases of the century.

My favorite chapter is undoubtedly the one on the "Waratah." Though the "Mary Celeste" is far more well-known, the disappearance of the "Waratah" is intriguing inasmuch as it was spotted not long before its vanishing by another ship, it was holding fairly close to the shoreline, and the inquiry into its loss is most interesting. The verbal bombs lobbed at each other between the "she was top-heavy and rolled dangerously" advocates and the "she wasn't either top-heavy, and I didn't notice any rolling at all!" faction was puzzling indeed. Really, I'd say one argument might have held a little more water than the other, considering her disappearance, but I digress...

Coming in a VERY close second was the first chapter, on Franklin's doomed expedition with the "Erebus" and "Terror." Between the original group and the ones sent after to look for them, it's an intriguing look at how *not* to mount such an undertaking. Of particular interest to me was the "ghost ship" that haunted its fellow after being abandoned - ironically named the "Rescue." When an apparently unmanned ship starts following you in such a threatening way, I'd say the time has definitely come to skedaddle outta Dodge.

All in all, one of my favorite reads this year, and one I look forward to revisiting in future!

[Nick S · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of the 8 stories were very well-written in my opinion. They’re long and detailed enough to give you a good picture of the sailors and their experiences, without including anything nonessential.
It’s an older book, from 1981, but since it’s essentially a history book that’s mostly irrelevant. I’m sure it’s out of print, but if you can find a copy at a used bookstore as I did, or at the library, I’d definitely recommend checking it out.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had this for years and finally got around to reading it. Should have read it years ago as it was very interesting. Fascinating stories written with a clear commitment to evidence and a very readable style. I enjoyed the historical context and the personal backgrounds that were applied to the eight tragedies. Very readable.

[Dannielle Potts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Picked Up This Book Purely Because I’d Read Another Book By This Author Not To Long Ago. I’d Already Heard Of Some Of These But Enjoyed Reading About Them Again. A Lot Of Research Must Have Been Done To Compile These Together. Interesting To Read About A Few I’d Never Heard Of

[Christopher Marchand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has a very good section on the SS Waratah, a very intriguing ship which disappeared.