Guiding Lights: The Extraordinary Lives of Lighthouse Women

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 worlds storm-battered towers.

From Hannah Sutton and her partner Grant, the two caretakers living alone on Tasmanias wild Maatsuyker Island, to Karen Zacharuk, the keeper in charge of Cape Beale on Canadas 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 NZs most inhospitable lighthouses; haunted lighthouses in across the US and their tragic tales; lighthouse accidents and emergencies around the world; and two of the worlds most legendary lighthouse women: Ida Lewis (US) and Grace Darling (UK), who risked their lives to save others.

The book also explores our dual perception of lighthouses: 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 womens courage and dedication in minding the lights then and now continue to capture our imagination and inspire.