Lighthouses have always unsettled and attracted in equal measure, highlighting the triumphs and failures in humanity's battle with the forces of nature. Taking as its heroes the lighthouses themselves, Sentinels of the Sea describes the engineering genius that allowed their construction on even the smallest of rock outcrops and the innovations that made the lights so powerful and reliable. “Absorbing ... A beautiful object. The book’s 408 illustrations, many in colour, fit beautifully with its words ... This miscellany is indeed a book to dip into and return to” - The Times Literary Supplement “These solitary towers staring out to sea are more than their function; they stand as landmarks of human endurance, endeavour and ingenuity.” - Daily Telegraph “A happy celebration of marine engineering” - Irish Times