Rating: 
Summary: Awesome.....Reads like a Novel!
Review: I was always interested in the story of a Great White Shark attack along the Jersey Shore. It is mentioned in all the shark books, referenced in Jaws, and shown on the Discovery channel. It is a story I have always been interested but could never find any whole books about. And what did I see in the book store??? Not one but TWO books on the subject.So now the the question was which one to buy. I read parts of both and quickly discovered that Dr. Fernicola clearly seemed to know more about sharks and the subject. Not to knock the other book, but Fernicola's book shows a deeper knowledge of sharks and the incident of 1916. Needless to say, it only took 3 days to read this entire book. It is so interesting. He does a great job describing the times and historical background. He does a great job telling about the attacks. He does a great job discussing sharks and theories about sharks. The book is well written. It has great information on the 1916 attacks and the times they took place in. It is also a great lesson on sharks in general. I have family on the Jersey shore and it amazes me that this could take place there. Plus in a creek miles from the ocean...YIKES! This was a book I read cover to cover and immmediatly passed on to friends. Anyone who likes sharks, shark week on TV, or JAWS will love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Read
Review: Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. Instead of just giving facts about the attacks, the author really places you in the setting and you can vividly imagine life in New Jersey in 1916. I had read about these attacks before, but never in such detail. I also really like how the author gives you every opportunity to formulate your own theory on what shark or sharks were responsible, as well as his own theory at the end. I will read this book again and for a person that doesn't normally read, that's saying something.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Read
Review: Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. Instead of just giving facts about the attacks, the author really places you in the setting and you can vividly imagine life in New Jersey in 1916. I had read about these attacks before, but never in such detail. I also really like how the author gives you every opportunity to formulate your own theory on what shark or sharks were responsible, as well as his own theory at the end. I will read this book again and for a person that doesn't normally read, that's saying something.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Bible on the 1916 attacks
Review: Perhaps every 20 or 30 years, or even only every half century, does a researcher/writer shed new light on historical events such as this. Dr. Fernicola not only brings us the 1916 attacks in an exhaustive fashion, but he has probed events surrounding the World War I period in ways that has never been done before. It's no wonder he his work has been highlighted on ten television documentaries and now the smashing made-for-tv movie.
Cudos to the good doctor and forget about the late-comer lilliputians nibbling at your toes.
Rating: 
Summary: Twelve Hours of Tedium
Review: The only reason I gave this wretched book even 1 star was due to the author's enthusiasm for the subject, beyond that he fails in nearly every aspect. I'm usually a forgiving reader but after suffering through this tome I feel like a victim of a different type of attack; bad writing, meandering conjecturing, overuse of the word "I", and painful explorations of unrelated minutia. I bought this book after reading Michael Capuzzo's "Close To Shore" concerning the 1916 Jersey shark attacks, thinking that perhaps Fernicola would give another informative narrative of the subject. Instead Fernicola writes like a shark; attacking his subject at random, circling and backtracking only to strike again elsewhere, leaving the reader dazed and confused. Rarely has the need of an editor been more evident than in this case, by the end of the book the subject is left a dead and lifeless corpse torn and viciously abused. What few little nuggets of information Fernicola's research has uncovered are hardly worth the effort of struggling through the strong current of babble. In my opinion if you want to read a well written account of the 1916 Jersey shark attacks avoid this one as you would a wounded, angry shark! Instead invest your time and money in Capuzzo's "Close To Shore" which is a pleasant, informative read that leaves you satisfied while "Twelve Days of Terror" leaves you feeling like a mauled corpse.
Rating:
Summary: Shark Attacks the Jersey Shore
Review: This is a history of the shark attacks that occurred in July 1916. The "Introduction" provides a snapshot of that era, and there is a great selection of photographs. The advantage of the Jersey Shore was not just the cool sea breezes; it was a haven from hay-fever, and the noxious smells of the city. Page 4 tells of the attack on Charles VanSant, who went into the sea with a dog. The signs say "No Dogs on the Beach" because swimming dogs attract sharks! Academic experts considered such shark attacks as impossible in these waters. Resort owners talked down any fears of more attacks, which caused lost business. Then attacks in Matawan creek created a bigger sensation. People bought dynamite from hardware stores and threw it into the creek to kill the shark. People were warned against swimming near inlets of deep channels. Page 98 quotes statistics that minimize the chance of a shark attack: only 5 to 10 deaths each year. But another book pointed out that newspapers are more likely to report "injured while swimming" than a "shark attack". I remember the event in the summer of 1949 near Asbury Park when a young man was "injured while swimming" (no mention of a shark); he died a few days later. They are called "man eaters" because Caucasian males aged 15 to 24 years account for the vast majority of victims (p.101). This also correlates to drowning deaths. Warm-blooded sharks tend to feed on calorie-rich fatty seals and whales; humans are nutrition-poor (p.116). 1916 was the first year that sewage was piped into the coastal waters off NJ. This could feed small creatures, and the larger ones higher on the food chain. Fishermen disposed of fish parts close to shore; "chumming" is known to attract predators. Heavy rains could also wash out food for sea creatures. This may be one reason why shore resorts use holding tanks during the tourist season. Since the Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed in 1972, the number of marine mammals has increased in California, along with white shark attacks (p.262). An example of "unintended consequences"? How would the press deal with a shark attack? Since the loss of tourists means a loss of advertising revenue, any bad news could be censored. They could print articles about spotting dolphins off the beach - proof that no sharks were around (p.270). A classic example of thought-control: people would see what they were told to expect. Science does not believe in the "rogue shark" theory, altho rogues occur with lions, tigers, and elephants. This behavior may be caused by an ailment. The last chapter explains why the great white shark caught off South Amboy was responsible for the attacks in Matawan creek and elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Jaws was based on these events
Review: This is a riveting tale whose events led to the creation of Jaws. Fernicola clearly and brilliantly tells this historical tale such that the book must be read in 1 sitting. This book, unlike others which attempt to tell this story of actual events, is based upon the author's meticulous research which even included interviewing the last of the surviving witnesses. It is a must have.
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