Valet Reader

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea by Gary Kinder

Gold, I want some. No, I want a lot. I bet you do too. More specifically I want an armored car full of it, better yet how about a boat full of it. Preferably one that sunk over 100 years ago, 8,000 feet under the surface of the ocean, at least 200 hundred miles out to sea. In order to get it I’ll go to a federal judge, request jurisdiction over the area, be granted it and then order anyone who enters “my” territory in contempt of court. All right, I’ll admit it, it will take a lot more than that. Damn.

Gary Kinder has written a book about a true Indiana Jones. Of course there are no whips or Nazi’s involved, nor aliens, guns (well maybe one or two), dead knights or crazy booby traps (unless you consider the ocean itself to be one). I had an incredibly hard time putting this book down.

What we have here is a vivid description of characters from two separate centuries and the incredible history and factual background (assumed to be correct) that brought them together. You can tell me all about the Titanic but I’m guessing you couldn’t tell me squat about the SS Central America. Forget the Titanic…, this is a more interesting story. One that starts during the gold rush and could be said to be continuing to this day. Because of what was done in the depths of the ocean, as a result of this boat, we have much to be grateful for. You won’t hear me say anything like that very often so take note. I mean who ever would have imagined a tube worm that’s as thick as a cigar!

Did you think that James Cameron was the first guy in the world to go down and look at a ship resting on the ocean floor? I damn well hope not. But, we can of course thank him for that silly movie made awhile back (referenced previously) and that oh so awesome line “I’m king of the world.” But, I’m pretty sure that we should replace James Cameron and Leonardo DiCaprio with Tommy Thompson and let him proclaim that statement. Yeah, make a movie of his story and I’d come away happy to have spent three hours of my life in front of a movie screen instead of three hours bored to tears. Screw the academy, what do they know?

Oh and another thing, a big part of this story is the city of Columbus, Ohio. There are now two good things that have come out of Ohio, Tommy Thompson and my father. I’m not including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or the USS Nimrod which sits nearby cause they aren’t really products of the state. Amazing!!

Back to my thoughts on the book itself. Read it, you’ll like it, I did.