Arthur C.Clarke is best
known for his brilliant science fiction and futuristic ideas, his knowledge
of astronomy and science, and all aspects of space travel. I had the pleasure
of meeting him personally in Sri lanka in the early 1980s, and did so simply
because we were both divers. His interest in diving is not prticularly
well known, yet he has written several excellent non-fiction books related
to diving off Sri Lanka, and also on the Great Barrier Reef.
THE REEFS OF TAPROBANE - Underwater Adventures Around Ceylon.
(photographs by Mike Wilson)
Frederick Muller Limited, London, 1957. (Cover, top left).
Hardcover, dustjacket, 232 pages, mono and colour plates.
Harper & Brothers, New York, 1957. (Cover, top, second
from keft)
Hardcover, dustjacket, 205 pages, mono and colour photographs
- slightly larger book than the British edition.
INDIAN OCEAN ADVENTURE. (photographs by Mike Wilson)
Arthur Barker Limited, London. 1962.
Hardcover, dustjacket, 98 pages, mono photographs.
Living in, and diving around, the Great Basses Lighthouse,
off Ceylon.
THE TREASURE OF THE GREAT REEF.
Arthur C. Clarke.
First published in 1964. Revised printing 1974, Ballantine
Books, New York.
(I have a copy of the revised edition, dedicated and
signed when I met the author in Sri Lanka in 19830).
Revised edition: Softcover, 275 pages, mono and colour
plates.
The prolific science fiction author had a fascination
for the world beneath the sea, and dived off Sri Lanka on many occasions.
This title covers shipwrecks off Sri Lanka, and the finding of treasure
ships.
(The cover is of the revised edition0.
THE TREASURE OF THE GREAT REEF.
A thrilling account of a successful treasure hunt in
the dangerous waters of the Indin Ocean.
Arthur Barker Limited, London. 1964.
Hardcover, dustjacket, 195 pages, mono photographs.
Based on the discovery and excavation of a wreck found
by Wilson and two others on Great Basses reef off Ceylon. Cannon, pistols
and coins made in 1702 for the Mogul emperor Aurangzeb were found and raised.
Arthur Barker Ltd.
London, 1964 |
Scientific Book Club
edition, London. |
U.S.Edition perhaps. |
Ballantyn Books, NY,
1973. |
INDIAN OCEAN TREASURE. With Mike Wilson.
Harper and Row Publishers, New York. 1964.
Hardcover, dustjacket, 147 pages, mono photographs.
This is the abridged, USA edition, of The Treasure
of the Great Reef.
THE COAST OF CORAL. Photographs by Mike Wilson
and Arthur C.Clarke.
Frederick Muller Limited, London. 1956
Hardcover, dustjacket, 208 pages, mono and colour
photographs.
Harper and Brothers, New York. (Copyright) 1955.
Hardcover, possibly dustjacket, 208 pages, mono and colour
photographs.
Diving on the Great Barrier Reef, prticularly around
Heron island and the Capricorn Group, and off Thursday Island in Torres
Strait. How different the diving was in those day - a real expedition,
with no diveshop facilities and air stations. It is all surface-supplied
diving, with standard dress (hard hat helmets) or hooker arrangements.
A great read and one of the most important of the early Australin diving
books.
FIRST FIVE FATHOMS - A GUIDE TO UNDERWATER ADVENTURE
Arthur C. Clarke, photographs by Mike Wilson. Introduction
by Captain Jaques-Yves Cousteau .
Harper & Brothers, 1960. Hard cover, 80 pages plus
appendix.
In splendid pictures and text the authors show young
skin divers how they may become masters of the first five fathoms, the
most fascinating and beautiful part of the sea. They direct the reader's
first steps to the sea, and explain the use of snorkel, mask, and fins.The
photos are fascinating vintage black and white pictures. This may be a
first edition, although no edition is stated.
Probably USA
edition. |
Frederick Muller,
Londen, 1956. |
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