Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed By Clive Cussler with Craig ...

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Published by Simon & Schuster in hardcover and followed in 1997 by a Pocket Books paperback,
the book was an unexpected success. It reached number five on theNew York Times best-seller list in
hardcover, and the introduction of the paperback saw the book rise to number one on theTimes list,
giving Clive his first time at the top slot.
Co-written with Craig Dirgo, the book details the exploits of Clive's nonprofit foundation NUMA,
which is named after the organization in the Pitt novels.
When the idea for a book about shipwrecks was presented to Simon & Schuster, the publisher was
less than enthralled. Peter Lampack, Clive's agent, distinctly remembers one editor glancing out the
window during the presentation as if he was distracted-and totally disinterested.
Knowing that most historical books are about as interesting to read as the back of a cereal box, the
authors set out to create a book with accurate historical facts that read like a novel. The history of the
ships and their battles remained true to the facts but was enhanced with dialogue. The actual search for
the vessel was written by Clive in first person to give the reader an insight into the process that goes on
when a NUMA search is launched.
An excellent introduction gives the reader insight into Clive and his history as well as the formation of
NUMA and its role in historic marine search and discovery.
The book features nine of the searches NUMA has undertaken. Beginning with the steamship
Lexington, which burned and sank in Long Island Sound, the events surrounding the disaster are
explored and the aftermath chronicled.
The Republic of Texas Navy ship Zavala is featured next, followed by a chapter about the U.S.S.
Cumberland and the Confederate raider C.S.S.Florida . The fourth section details the strange life of the
C.S.S.Arkansas , a Confederate ironclad whose career was short but exciting.
Featured next is the U.S.S.Carondelet , a Union ironclad built for the war to control western rivers.
Section Six chronicles the interesting tale of the C.S.S.Hunley , the first submarine to sink a ship in
battle. The chapter proved popular with readers, many of whom were unaware that submarines had even