Rating: 
Summary: Engaging, easy to read history of a little known epsiode
Review: "In Twelve Days Of Terror" Richard Fernicola presents the reader with a comprehensive history of the New Jersey Shark Attacks of 1916. In the process, he paints a fascinating portrait of an era that exists solely as collective nostalgia for many of us today. The attacks are presented within the context of the era, so the reader is brought back to a time before television, when newspapers fought to outdo each other with spectacular headlines and our own shores were more of a mystery than the depths of Africa.In telling the story of the attacks, Fernicola uses an informal, almost conversational style that is frequently in the first person. While this would be anathema in most history, it is highly effective in this instance. Given that his topic is not widely remembered, and that what is remembered has devolved into pseudo-mythology, this casual style captures the "novel-esque" feel of the story, while presenting the hard facts. Of particular interest was how he set the stage for the attacks: war was raging in Europe, there was a polio epidemic in New York City, submarines were cruising the coast, and the Jersey Shore was a last bastion of elegance and innocence that was about to be shattered. By presenting history in this manner, he creates a big picture view of not only the attacks themselves, but also what they did to the psyche of the nation. All style and setting aside, however, Fernicola is a medical doctor and scientist who systematically presents the fruits of his substantial research and interviews with witnesses and experts. Each attack is examined in detail: the attack patterns, the nature of the injuries (which are quite gruesome, be warned), treatments offered, etc. Then, after providing the reader with a thorough portrait of the attacks, both individually and as a whole, he builds a case for the species which he thinks committed the attacks, and whether or not it was one or several sharks. While he makes a compelling argument for that a white shark committed the attacks, in the finest tradition of research he both presents, and discusses in detail, competing theories. I have only two small complaints about this book. The first is perhaps inevitable given the informal writing style, but it bothered me nonetheless. Fernicola frequently will meander off topic as he recounts interesting historical tidbits, only to abruptly return to the topic at hand. The effect can be jarring and there were several passages that I had to reread in order to pick up the flow of the narrative again. The second complaint is that he refers to shark attacks as "vicious" at least fifty times over the course of the work. I find this troubling since "vicious" implies a malicious premeditation that a shark is obviously incapable of. The complaint isn't just semantics either, given the already terrible reputation that sharks enjoy among most people. Ultimately though, those are minor complaints about an otherwise fascinating book. Fernicola has written a history that is as informative as it is easy to read. In particular, this makes for a great summertime read; the author paints such a wonderful portrait of the shore that this currently landlocked New Englander felt as if he was right on the ocean. You'll probably want to avoid "Twelve Days of Terror" if you have a weak stomach, but most people, whether they are interested in marine biology or not, will find this an excellent read. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Engaging, easy to read history of a little known epsiode
Review: "In Twelve Days Of Terror" Richard Fernicola presents the reader with a comprehensive history of the New Jersey Shark Attacks of 1916. In the process, he paints a fascinating portrait of an era that exists solely as collective nostalgia for many of us today. The attacks are presented within the context of the era, so the reader is brought back to a time before television, when newspapers fought to outdo each other with spectacular headlines and our own shores were more of a mystery than the depths of Africa. In telling the story of the attacks, Fernicola uses an informal, almost conversational style that is frequently in the first person. While this would be anathema in most history, it is highly effective in this instance. Given that his topic is not widely remembered, and that what is remembered has devolved into pseudo-mythology, this casual style captures the "novel-esque" feel of the story, while presenting the hard facts. Of particular interest was how he set the stage for the attacks: war was raging in Europe, there was a polio epidemic in New York City, submarines were cruising the coast, and the Jersey Shore was a last bastion of elegance and innocence that was about to be shattered. By presenting history in this manner, he creates a big picture view of not only the attacks themselves, but also what they did to the psyche of the nation. All style and setting aside, however, Fernicola is a medical doctor and scientist who systematically presents the fruits of his substantial research and interviews with witnesses and experts. Each attack is examined in detail: the attack patterns, the nature of the injuries (which are quite gruesome, be warned), treatments offered, etc. Then, after providing the reader with a thorough portrait of the attacks, both individually and as a whole, he builds a case for the species which he thinks committed the attacks, and whether or not it was one or several sharks. While he makes a compelling argument for that a white shark committed the attacks, in the finest tradition of research he both presents, and discusses in detail, competing theories. I have only two small complaints about this book. The first is perhaps inevitable given the informal writing style, but it bothered me nonetheless. Fernicola frequently will meander off topic as he recounts interesting historical tidbits, only to abruptly return to the topic at hand. The effect can be jarring and there were several passages that I had to reread in order to pick up the flow of the narrative again. The second complaint is that he refers to shark attacks as "vicious" at least fifty times over the course of the work. I find this troubling since "vicious" implies a malicious premeditation that a shark is obviously incapable of. The complaint isn't just semantics either, given the already terrible reputation that sharks enjoy among most people. Ultimately though, those are minor complaints about an otherwise fascinating book. Fernicola has written a history that is as informative as it is easy to read. In particular, this makes for a great summertime read; the author paints such a wonderful portrait of the shore that this currently landlocked New Englander felt as if he was right on the ocean. You'll probably want to avoid "Twelve Days of Terror" if you have a weak stomach, but most people, whether they are interested in marine biology or not, will find this an excellent read. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Highly rated by shark experts
Review: A pity all the reviews that were written when this book initially came out aren't still online. For those who missed those reviews here and in the print media, note that historians and shark experts heavily endorsed this book, especially compared to the Capuzzo book (which came out at about the same time), which some even found laughable for its errors and style, but others (particularly THE NEW YORKER magazine) did enjoy. Both books are very readable, but the more authoritative is this Fernicola text - Dr. Fernicola has put in the time and leg-work getting interviews and spending time with the people and places that were involved - nothing like some good primary sources to give a extra level of validity to one's work. Yes, the book is not a perfect non-fiction text by a professional writer - instead it is a thorough and even affectionate documentation, as one can tell that Dr. Fernicola has a true appreciation and respect for these people and the unique social and political milieu of that period of our history. I personally grew up in the area that is featured, and knew some of the same families, and greatly appreciate how he depicted those persons and communities. The book is generally a fascinating read from a number of perspectives - natural history, history, and sociological/psychological. Because of this variety, I think some of the more recent reviews on this site have maybe been disappointed because they either weren't interested in all those aspects, or were just experiencing something they didn't expect. Everyone I've loaned my copy to has been impressed with the book, and one person even went and bought their own copy and a map so that she could visit many of the locations discussed in the book. Hope you like the book. If you have read the Capuzzo book, you may want to read this book as well for some more in-depth info - though things might then seem redundant - I'd recommend reading this one first, and then the Capuzzo book if you are still interested in the subject, as Mr. Capuzzo is a professional writer with his own particular writing style - just keep in mind that his text does suffer from its share of lapses. In either case, enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Twelve Days of Terror: Twenty Years of Research
Review: During the summer of 1916 five people were attacked by a shark (or sharks) along the coast of New Jersey's Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Four of those five, including a 12-year old boy, were killed. The fifth victim narrowly escaped the jaws of death, suffering severe wounds to his leg. These freak attacks occured within 12 days of each other during a time in American history when the foremost expers believed that sharks did not possess the necessary strength to break a human bone...Panic and near hysteria followed... Sixty-five years after the attacks, a young college student heard about the attacks during a train ride home for the holidays. The incident of the attacks and the contraversy between the leading shark experts piqued his interest. Curiosity developed into passion and that passion for the answer resulted in twenty years of investigating and a book that is one of the most thoroughly researched accountings I have ever read. Twelve Days of Terror is a novel, a diary, a medical journal, a detective story, and most assuredly the definitive investigation of the New Jersey shark attacks of 1916. The author utilized his medical school training in evaluating the evidence and spent countless hours interviewing eye-witnesses to the tragic events. Unfortunately, those eye-witnesses are now all gone, but for the field notes of the author, their story was doomed never to be told. This book is a MUST for every beach-goer this summer. It will not only intimately acquaint the reader with everything they wanted to know about shark attacks, but it will also provide a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scene politics and social aspects of the early 20th century.
Rating:
Summary: DEFINITIVE CASE STUDY
Review: Having recently finished "Close to Shore" - another book about the 1916 New Jersey shark attacks -I was keen to read Richard Fernicola's "Twelve Days of Terror". The respective writing styles are quite different with the former book adopting more of a novelistic approach while the latter offers a detailed scientific analysis of the attacks . For those who are new to the subject the first book will provide an excellent introduction to this extraordinary historical event. If you really want to get all the facts, however, you need to read Dr Fernicola's definitive case study but you should understand that there is alot of very detailed information which could prove to be a bit "Heavy Going" unless you are a serious student of shark research.
Rating:
Summary: A thorough account of the New Jersey shark attacks
Review: I bought this book along with Close to Shore (another book on this same topic). 12 Days of Terror is an interesting and thorough description of the shark attacks that held NJ and the country hostage in the summer of 1916. Each victim is described both as far as their life before and after the attacks. Dr. Fernicola has done extensive research on these attacks and the descriptions and pictures are chilling. This book is a more scientific description with more clinical data than Close to Shore (which is written more like a novel). Having read both books...I liked them both. That may be because I'm from New Jersey and had heard the story of the "New Jersey Shark" from childhood. The point is made both in the book and in the movie "Jaws" that "Jaws" the story, was taken from the New Jersey shark attack story. I'll never again pass mile marker 119 on the Garden State Parkway without looking toward the Matawan Creek and remembering how far from the ocean those last attacks took place. The subject is facinating!
Rating:
Summary: fantabulous/tremengous
Review: I read the dime a dozen accounts of the 1916 shark story then, after a minute of reading Twelve Days of Terror, I knew I had found the one author on the planet that could have given us everything that we wanted: A book that is almost a divinely inspired thorough dramatic investigation of the perplexing events. Personal interviews, gritty detective work, and historic time travel flare bring this work of brilliance to our door step. Anyone can re-write about the Hindenburg, the Titanic, and the 1916 events, but no person other than Dr. Handsome Fernicola could have done what is in Twelve Days of Terror(or In Search of the Jersey Man-eater for that matter). My only question is, why has Dr. Fernicola not "spoken up" about the duplication of his previous work which goes uncredited in Close to Shore ???
Rating:
Summary: This is a must read
Review: I saw the Animal Planet movie based on the book then I saw the thing they did about this on Discovery Channel so I was compelled enough to buy the book the movie was based on. Dr. Fernicola took the book to heights that Benchley did when he wrote JAWS. But there is a difference between this and JAWS, Benchley's book is a work of fiction -- this is real. I am still reading this book but I can tell right now after reading the first chapter this is going to be a strong book. I am telling people to give this a read on a few communities online and one that I will say right now it is in my collection.
Rating:
Summary: Wow, no comparisons !!
Review: I saw the Animal Planet movied based on Dr. Fernicola's book Twelve Days of Terror and then ran out to buy the book. The movie was good but the book blew me away. The insights about German U-Boats and other events of the times are astounding. Thank God that these horrific attacks inspired a new look at the World War I/Gilded Age period. I bet it's no coincidence that Fernicola is an accomplished shipwreck diver as I see parallels between his German U-Boat findings and the work of John Chatterton who essentially embarrassed prior "researchers" who said the German U-Boat he found off NJ didn't really "exist." Chatterton's find is now the basis of a NOVA special and a new book. If probing researchers halt their efforts because of naysayers, we all lose. The fresh perspective uncovered by Fernicola should be a lesson to all would-be historians.
Rating:
Summary: Highly rated by shark experts
Review: I think that a book should actually be written about this amazingly researched book. The facts, the presentation, the authentic sources etc. just make this book stand above so many other historical appraoches which attempt to capture unique natural disasters. You have to read it to believe it.
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