The Great Museum of the Sea

[A]n encyclopedic but engaging history of all things related to ships, sailors and their sometimes disastrous ends… Like a museum curator who walks you through an art collection and shows you more than the brush strokes on a canvas, Mr. Delgado explains that shipwrecks are not simply remnants of ancient vessels. * The Wall Street Journal *A superb overview of shipwrecks, covering hundreds of wrecks from around the world, from the most-famous examples to local fishing boats, and covering a timespan from antiquity to the Cold War. … Delgado is a master storyteller. * Andrea Hamel, Current Archaeology *A truly fascinating book about the human history of shipwrecks. * Katy Stickland, Practical Boat Owner *Delgado…examines in depth the progression of nautical archaeology and how it has unlocked the secrets of shipwrecks around the world… This volume is a vade mecum of nautical archaeology for all to read and enjoy! * CHOICE *Delgado’s approach is both refreshing and paradoxical: he makes us consider that shipwrecks might actually be beneficial. Ultimately, his central message is that wrecks are immense sources of knowledge, inspiration, and value -reminders that from destruction can come understanding, beauty, and life. * Sam Willis, BBC History Extra *[James Delgado] masterfully describes how shipwrecks live on in our memory, imaginations, and research, demonstrating that the tragic moment when a ship slipped beneath the waves was only just the start. * Lisa Briggs, Current World Archaeology *

James P. Delgado

James P. Delgado is Senior Vice President of SEARCH, Inc., a leading cultural resources firm in the United States. Previously, he served as Director of Maritime Heritage for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and as President and CEO of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA).

He was also the host of the National Geographic international television series “The Sea Hunters,” which featured best-selling author Clive Cussler.

Delgado is the author of more than 20 books, including Warat Sea and The Curse of the Somers, and has published over a hundred scholarly and popular magazine articles. He is a frequent contributor to documentary films and is a senior consultant for National Geographic’s international television series “Drain the Oceans,” where he also regularly appears.

For decades, he has led diving and excavation teams. Most recently, he was involved in the exploration of the wreck of the Clotilda, the last known ship to transport slaves to the United States.