| Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence | |
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First edition cover |
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| Author(s) | Michael Capuzzo |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Subject(s) | Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 History of New Jersey |
| Publisher | Broadway Books |
| Publication date | 2001 |
| Media type | Hardback Paperback |
| Pages | 317 |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-7679-0413-3 (hardback) |
| OCLC Number | 46565150 |
| Dewey Decimal | 597.3/1566 21 |
| LC Classification | QL638.93 .C36 2001 |
Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence is a non-fiction book by journalist Michael Capuzzo about the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916. The book was published in 2001 by Broadway Books. Capuzzo argues that the five victims were attacked by a great white shark, though others believe that the attacker was a bull shark.
According to the afterword, Capuzzo spent two years researching not only the shark attacks but also the time period so he could gain a better understanding of the lives of the Victorians affected by the attacks. In addition to research in newspapers and contemporary journals and letters, Capuzzo visited the sites and together with George Burgess tested the waters of Matawan Creek to see if it was possible that a great white shark entered.
The book goes into great detail about the people involved and their lives and motivations, as well as recounting the grisly facts of each of the attacks.