Brian Hicks (1) (1966–)
Author of Ghost Ship: The Mysterious True Story of the Mary Celeste and Her Missing Crew
For other authors named Brian Hicks, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Brian Hicks is a senior writer for The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina, an historian, and the author of five books. He lives in Charleston.
Image credit: Photograph by Grace Beahm
Works by Brian Hicks
Ghost Ship: The Mysterious True Story of the Mary Celeste and Her Missing Crew (2004) 295 copies, 14 reviews
Raising the Hunley: The Remarkable History and Recovery of the Lost Confederate Submarine (2002) 201 copies, 2 reviews
When the Dancing Stopped: The Real Story of the Morro Castle Disaster and Its Deadly Wake (2006) 106 copies, 4 reviews
Profit from the Peak: The End of Oil and the Greatest Investment Event of the Century (Angel Series) (2008) 29 copies
In Darkest South Carolina: J. Waties Waring and the Secret Plan That Sparked a Civil Rights Movement (2018) 15 copies
Greetings from Charleston 2 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Hicks, Brian Phillip
- Birthdate
- 1966-11-09
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- journalist
- Short biography
- Brian Hicks, a native of Tennessee, joined The Post and Courier in 1997. He has covered Southern politics for more than 20 years, and his journalism has won more than two dozen awards, including the S.C. Press Association's Journalist of the Year in 1998. His column began appearing on the newspaper's website in 2007 and the print edition in 2008. Hicks' column has won a Green Eyeshade Award from the Society of Professional Journalists as well as Best Column and Best Humor Column honors from the S.C. Press Association. He is also author or co-author of four books. His fifth book will be released in 2011.
- Nationality
- USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
"Ghost Ship" is the story of how a common cargo brig became the most famous unsolved mystery in maritime history. It's original name was not the Mary Celeste, but rather the Amazon, built by old salts in Nova Scotia. After a unlucky rough start and sailing for seven years, it was auctioned, refitted, and resold as the Mary Celeste. On October 19, 1872, it reappeared under Capt. Benjamin Briggs, to set sail from New York and bound for Genoa, Italy. Wife Sarah and baby Sophie (born on show more Halloween a year before) went with him. Before setting sail, the captain of the Dei Gratia had dinner with Briggs and his wife, shaking hands to "meet on the other side." Two months later, the crew of the Dei Gratia found the Mary Celeste completely abandoned, with all personal belongings still aboard.
Aside from all the spooky sightings and campfire tales, the story of the Mary Celeste is a tragic one. It definitely represents the trials of life at sea and the men taken far too soon while trying to eck out a living. The book actually includes photos of Briggs and his baby. Briggs didn't enjoy being away from his family, and I'm sure had he known, he would've left them behind. The whole second half is the Dei Gratia, its crew, and the sensational slander and conspiratorial nonsense they had to deal with. Government investigations, mutiny, murder, theft and fraud are all tossed about as investors can't collect on a "mystery." Hicks offers his own theory on what happened, considering the cargo. There's not much evidence though, and honestly that's fine. Hicks makes no pretense that he's solved the mystery, only sharing what historians know so far. It's a quick read, straight forward, but a thorough one and incredibly eerie. show less
Aside from all the spooky sightings and campfire tales, the story of the Mary Celeste is a tragic one. It definitely represents the trials of life at sea and the men taken far too soon while trying to eck out a living. The book actually includes photos of Briggs and his baby. Briggs didn't enjoy being away from his family, and I'm sure had he known, he would've left them behind. The whole second half is the Dei Gratia, its crew, and the sensational slander and conspiratorial nonsense they had to deal with. Government investigations, mutiny, murder, theft and fraud are all tossed about as investors can't collect on a "mystery." Hicks offers his own theory on what happened, considering the cargo. There's not much evidence though, and honestly that's fine. Hicks makes no pretense that he's solved the mystery, only sharing what historians know so far. It's a quick read, straight forward, but a thorough one and incredibly eerie. show less
B-list horror films are edukashunal (or inspiring, more accurately) - who would have known? While watching Ghost Ship because there was nothing better on TV, a passing description of the original ghost ship, the Mary Celeste, prompted me to look up the history of the ill-fated merchant ship on Wiki, then download this book. Turns out that what I thought I knew - which is a damn sight more than the ignorant characters on the film - was either incorrect or woefully lacking. Brian Hicks' show more definitive (modern) account helpfully set me straight.
To start with, I didn't know that the Mary Celeste and her crew were American, or that the Frenchified alternative spelling of the ship's name - Marie Celeste - comes from a famous story based on the ship by Arthur Conan Doyle. I was also under the impression that she sank a lot longer ago than 1872. I was aware, thanks to the enduring legend, that her crew vanished without trace on an otherwise calm day in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, but never knew why. And although the answer has been hotly debated almost ever since, with various crackpot theories from a drunken, homicidal crew to aliens, and we may never know for certain, Hicks' theory - that the cargo of industrial alcohol was giving off noxious fumes, which the crew tried to escape by getting into the lifeboat while airing the ship - makes the most sense.
Hicks delivers a thoroughly engrossing and comprehensive narrative, from the history and crew of the Mary Celeste (and the Dei Gratia who recovered her) to the final fate of the 'cursed' ship, including some of the more outlandish theories and hoaxes along the way. By the final chapters, I was feeling defensive of Captain Briggs' reputation too, and hope that he and his family and crew didn't suffer too harshly for one making one tragic miscalculation.
There is definitely a film to be made of the true account, however. Consider the atmosphere aboard the ghost ship when the crew of the Dei Gratia found her, and the zealous lawyer who tried to prosecute the unlucky salvors, then the ship's increasingly murky track record, not forgetting the eternal mystery of her missing crew, which has been tied to all sorts of natural and unnatural events. Surely the facts present a more convincing plot than the hokum I endured while watching that dreadful film about a haunted ocean liner! show less
To start with, I didn't know that the Mary Celeste and her crew were American, or that the Frenchified alternative spelling of the ship's name - Marie Celeste - comes from a famous story based on the ship by Arthur Conan Doyle. I was also under the impression that she sank a lot longer ago than 1872. I was aware, thanks to the enduring legend, that her crew vanished without trace on an otherwise calm day in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, but never knew why. And although the answer has been hotly debated almost ever since, with various crackpot theories from a drunken, homicidal crew to aliens, and we may never know for certain, Hicks' theory - that the cargo of industrial alcohol was giving off noxious fumes, which the crew tried to escape by getting into the lifeboat while airing the ship - makes the most sense.
Hicks delivers a thoroughly engrossing and comprehensive narrative, from the history and crew of the Mary Celeste (and the Dei Gratia who recovered her) to the final fate of the 'cursed' ship, including some of the more outlandish theories and hoaxes along the way. By the final chapters, I was feeling defensive of Captain Briggs' reputation too, and hope that he and his family and crew didn't suffer too harshly for one making one tragic miscalculation.
There is definitely a film to be made of the true account, however. Consider the atmosphere aboard the ghost ship when the crew of the Dei Gratia found her, and the zealous lawyer who tried to prosecute the unlucky salvors, then the ship's increasingly murky track record, not forgetting the eternal mystery of her missing crew, which has been tied to all sorts of natural and unnatural events. Surely the facts present a more convincing plot than the hokum I endured while watching that dreadful film about a haunted ocean liner! show less
A good solid 4 stars for (1) a gripping, edge-of-the seat story in the first third, (2) a rather long, slow middle, and (3) a nice satisfying ending with a possible explanation that works.
I really enjoyed getting to know the family at the beginning, which made the story so very poignant. As with John and Abigail Adams, this family also wrote a lot of letters, which made them come alive. When I get to know people from long ago, from their intimate letters, it always amazes me how, despite a show more separation of time and culture, we are so much alike. A very engaging read. show less
I really enjoyed getting to know the family at the beginning, which made the story so very poignant. As with John and Abigail Adams, this family also wrote a lot of letters, which made them come alive. When I get to know people from long ago, from their intimate letters, it always amazes me how, despite a show more separation of time and culture, we are so much alike. A very engaging read. show less
When the dancing stopped : the real story of the Morro Castle disaster and its deadly wake by Brian Hicks
There are usually three types of crime layouts for books:
1. The author decides he/she knows what was in a criminal's head and spends the entire book spinning the spin.
2. The author writes a thesis but neglects to keep the reader involved due to the fact that it's really just a thesis.
3. The author throws everything at the reader from the beginning, so the rest of the book is a letdown.
Thankfully, this book is none of the above. Brian Hicks crafts a tale that leads the reader into a show more just-one-more-page-even-though-it's-2AM spellbinding journey to discover the cause behind one of the greatest maritime disasters of the 20th century. Hicks has done his research homework, to the point where he even throws off newspaper facts from the 19th century, all to support his findings on the psychopath who is really the center of the story.
We don't know this, of course, because we think we're going to read a book about a ship, but it's so much more than that. I love authors who do their homework and don't just guess, and that's why this book merits the highest marks. Engrossing and gruesome.
Book Season = Autumn (because that's when the nuts thrive) show less
1. The author decides he/she knows what was in a criminal's head and spends the entire book spinning the spin.
2. The author writes a thesis but neglects to keep the reader involved due to the fact that it's really just a thesis.
3. The author throws everything at the reader from the beginning, so the rest of the book is a letdown.
Thankfully, this book is none of the above. Brian Hicks crafts a tale that leads the reader into a show more just-one-more-page-even-though-it's-2AM spellbinding journey to discover the cause behind one of the greatest maritime disasters of the 20th century. Hicks has done his research homework, to the point where he even throws off newspaper facts from the 19th century, all to support his findings on the psychopath who is really the center of the story.
We don't know this, of course, because we think we're going to read a book about a ship, but it's so much more than that. I love authors who do their homework and don't just guess, and that's why this book merits the highest marks. Engrossing and gruesome.
Book Season = Autumn (because that's when the nuts thrive) show less
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