An Oak Island Library

[Jennifer O'Dell]

The Secret Treasure of Oak Island: The Amazing True Story of a Centuries-Old Treasure Hunt (Paperback)
by D'Arcy O'Connor (Author) "ON A SMALL WOODED ISLAND forty miles southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, one of the world's deepest and most costly archaeological digs is about to..." (more)


Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1.00 edition (June 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592282792
ISBN-13: 978-1592282791
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches

 The definitive book on the Oak Island treasure hunts....., September 10, 2004
By  M. Bell (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews
     

This book by D'arcy O'Connor covers the the first known search in 1795 all the way up to the present plans of Triton Alliance Ltd. Besides battling the pesky water that fills up every hole dug, the legal battles of three current treasure hunters are exposed here as well. The island itself becomes a metaphor for lost causes and greed. Theories abound here about how the man-made underwater system operates, who placed the treasure there, when and also why. The reading is fast-paced and informative, but the next chapter --- Triton Alliance's '04 $15 million dollar 'Big Dig' is yet to be written. This 210-year ongoing treasure hunt is laid bare in these pages reaffirming why this famous island off of Novia Scotia has become known as 'The Money Pit'.

[Jennifer O'Dell]

Oak Island Obsession: The Restall Story (Paperback)
by Lee Lamb (Author)

Product Details

Paperback: 244 pages
Publisher: Dundurn Press (April 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1550026259
ISBN-13: 978-1550026252
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches


Book Description

As Bob and Mildred Lee, they amazed audiences with their death-defying motorcycle act. In reality they were Bob and Mildred Restall, parents of three, who balanced their glamorous show-business career with a happy, stable home life.

In October 1959, the Restalls embarked on the ultimate family adventure, as Bob led his family to the east coast of Canada to dig for the famous treasure of Oak Island. For nearly six years they lived without telephone, hydro, or running water while newspapers and magazines chronicled their attempts to solve the mystery of the Money Pit. On August 17, 1965, their quest ended in tragedy when four men died.

This biography, compiled by their daughter, includes material written by each family member. Lyrical descriptions of nature, amusing anecdotes, details of the dig, and numerous photographs help to tell the story. This book is a must for Oak Island enthusiasts.



About the Author

Lee Lamb was born in Somerset, England, and came to Canada when she was two years old. Her unique childhood contained easy access to merry-go-rounds, ferris wheels, and unusual people. She has been a secretary, a project co-ordinator, a hospital social worker, and a high school teacher. She lives in Burlington, Ontario.

[Jennifer O'Dell]

The Mystery of the Oak Island Treasure: Two Hundred Years of Hope and Despair (Paperback)
by Mark Reynolds (Author)

Product Details

Paperback: 127 pages
Publisher: Altitude Publishing Canada Ltd. (May 25, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1551537672
ISBN-13: 978-1551537672
Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In the summer of 1795, a teenager was exploring a tiny island in Nova Scotias Mahone Bay when he came across a curious depression in the ground. Driven by visions of lost pirate treasure, he later returned to the spot with shovels, pickaxes, and two friends. The trio began to dig, and in so doing launched what would become one of the most famous treasure hunts of all time. For over 200 years, the baffling mysteries of the Oak Island treasure have captured countless imaginations  they have also been the cause of bitter rivalries, dashed hopes, and tragic deaths.

About the Author
Originally from Nova Scotia, Mark Reynolds is a writer in Montreal.

[Jennifer O'Dell]

Oak Island Secrets (Paperback)
by Mark Finnan (Author)

Product Details

Paperback: 178 pages
Publisher: Formac; 2 edition (April 15, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0887804144
ISBN-13: 978-0887804144
Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches

Editorial Reviews

Review
Steve Proctor Chronicle Herald : "Oak Island Secrets is clearly the most up-to-date book available on the mystery."

Elizabeth Cran Guardian-Patriot : "Try Formac Publishing's recent Oak Island Secrets by Mark finnan, and you'll not be disappointed... Mark Finnan has done a good job of presenting the story to date."

Daily News : "The best thing about the Oak Island treasure is that it has never been recovered, which gives treasure-hunters much room to dream...Finnan's book, in providing an up-to-date overview of all available information, aids these dreams."

Cam Christie Cobourg Daily Star : "Finnan's accomplishment has been to chronicle the enigma with an historian's breadth of vision, a journalist's dogged persistence and a native Dubliner's love of a good yarn."

Jane M. Wilson Canadian Book Review Annual : '...a more comprehensive examination of a theory whose more summery treatment in other works does not convey the same plausibility."

Peter Simpson Telegraph-Journal : "If you have any taste for great literary intrigue -- and it's difficult to imagine any greater -- Oak Island Secrets will quickly pull you into the pit."

Book Description
Updated with information on the results of recent high-tech underwater scans, Oak Island Secrets offers a complete and up-to-date account of Canada's most puzzling and intriguing historical and archaeological mystery.

Since 1795, treasure hunters have pursued something they believe to be of immense value buried more than a hundred feet below the surface of Nova Scotia's Oak Island. Explorations and excavations have revealed an elaborately constructed system of shafts and water traps, underlining the amazing engineering skill apparently employed to protect the treasure.

Mark Finnan interviewed all the key participants in the current search for the buried treasure, uncovering information that points to new directions and approaches that might finally reveal Oak Island's secrets.

[Jennifer O'Dell]

Oak Island Gold (Paperback)
by William Crooker (Author)

Product Details

Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: Nimbus (January 25, 1993)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 155109049X
ISBN-13: 978-1551090498
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Treasure hunters have been tunneling into Oak Island off the coast of Nova Scotia since 1795, yet no one has found the fabulous treasure that legend says is buried there. It all began when a young explorer found a clearing on the island that appeared to have been worked. Throw in local rumors of pirates and buried treasure, and the digging started. The original excavators did leave many clues which convinced treasure seekers that something was buried on Oak Island, but every time the digging reached a certain depth, the hole filled with sea water. Crooker, an engineer and surveyor, presents both a thorough historical review of the various digs and a look at all the theories about the treasure. Based on his research, he maintains that it was looted by the British from Havana in 1762 and put on the island for safekeeping. Prospectors are still digging, but until the "treasure" is found, the mystery remains. Recommended for public libraries.
- John Kenny, San Francisco P.L.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Captain Kidd's treasure! So goes the legend, anyhow, of what lies somewhere within a mysterious catacomb of tunnels, pits, and rooms on an island hardly a mile long off Nova Scotia. Crooker, who is a good historian and also quite witty, tells a tale of folly and obsession--he himself has hunted for the treasure, and one team even constructed a causeway from the main island so they could bring in heavy excavation equipment. Crooker has written other books about this endless treasure hunt; this one takes readers though the summer of 1992. John Mort

[Jennifer O'Dell]

The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar: Solving the Oak Island Mystery (Paperback)
by Steven Sora (Author)

Product Details

Paperback
Publisher: Destiny Books (February 1, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0892817100
ISBN-13: 978-0892817108
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
When the Order of Knights Templar was destroyed in 1307, the secret society supposedly had vast wealth that was rumored to include the genealogies of David and Jesus and other religious artifacts as well as your run-of-the-mill gold and jewels. Over 200 years ago, the site of an elaborate vault was discovered by three teenagers on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, which was determined to have been built sometime between the 14th and 16th centuries. Author Steven Sora has been investigating both the Order and the vault for over 17 years, and The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar details his fascinating theory of where the Templar's hoard went and what is buried under Oak Island. If you enjoy real-life mystery, the intrigues of secret societies, or thoughtfully researched revisionist history, this one's for you. --P. Randall Cohan

Bodhi Tree Book Review, Winter 1999 / Spring 2000
The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar will have you turning its pages deep into the night, and Steven Sora should be commended for his fascinating, seamless scenario!

[Jennifer O'Dell]

The Secret Treasures of Oak Island (Paperback)
by J.J. Pritchard (Author)


Product Details

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Formac (October 30, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0887805825
ISBN-13: 978-0887805820
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches

Editorial Reviews

Review
The Bulletin and The Progress Enterprise : "A treasure chest of fact, fancy and fiction to readers ages nine to 14."

Christina Neigel Canadian Review of Materials : "Pritchard has done a marvellous job of creating a suspenseful story ... this well-paced novel is a very enjoyable read!"

Book Description
Joel and Emma never expected to spend the summer digging in the Money Pit, seaching for untold millions in gold and jewels on famous Oak Island. But soon after their adventurer uncle Jake telephones them in Britsh Columbia to ask for their help with the excavations, they're in the air flying to the coast of Nova Scotia.

Exploring the island on their bikes, Joel and Emma find intriguing hints of the treasure's whereabouts: an ancient rock painting and cryptic Latin inscriptions. When a mysterious old man appears and gives them one final clue, they're sure they have all the pieces of the Oak Island puzzle. But as Jake's dig starts to fall apart, they have to race to put the pieces together in time.

Set against the background of one of the most famous treasure hunts of all time, The Secret Treasures of Oak Island is the action-packed story of two childrens' summer quest for pirate gold.

[Jennifer O'Dell]

The Oak Island Mystery (Paperback)
by Lionel Fanthorpe (Author), Patricia Fanthorpe (Author)

Product Details

Paperback: 221 pages
Publisher: Hounslow Press (July 25, 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0888821700
ISBN-13: 978-0888821706
Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 1 inches
Editorial Reviews

Book Description
It began innocently enough ... in 1795 three boys discovered the top of an acient shaft on uninhabited Oak Island in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. The boys began to dig, and what they uncovered started the world's greatest and stangest treasure hunt. Two hundred years of courage, back-breaking effort, ingenuity, and engineering skills have so far failed to retrieve what is concealed there. The Oak Island curse prophesies that the treasure will not be found until seven men are dead and the last oak has fallen. That last oak has already gone - and over the years, six treasure hunters have been killed. What can the treasure be? Theories include Drake's plate and jewels, Captain Kidd's bloodstained pirate gold, an army payroll left there for safety by the French or British military engineers, priceless ancient manuscripts, the body of an Arif or other religious refugee leader, the lost treasure of the Templars, and part of the ancient, semi-legendary Acadian Treasure linked to the mystery of Glozel and Rennes-le-Chateau in France. After years of research the authors have finally solved the sinister riddle of Oak Island, but their answer is challenging, controversial and disturbing. Something beyond price still lies waiting in the labrinth.

About the Author
Lionel Fanthorpe taught history at Gamlingay Village College in Cambridgeshire and presented two acclaimed TV series: Talking Stones and Castles of Horror. In addition to his writing, lecturing, and radio and TV work, he is also Director of Media Studies at Cardiff Academy in Wales, UK. Co-author Patricia, a meticulous historical researcher, is Lionel's business partner, agent, manager, PR executive - and wife.

[Jennifer O'Dell]

Oak Island And Its Lost Treasure (Paperback)
by Graham Harris (Author), Les Macphie (Author)

Product Details

Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Formac; 2 edition (June 30, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0887806724
ISBN-13: 978-0887806728
Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
Editorial Reviews

Review
Atlantic Books Today : "If you want the nitty gritty of treasure hunting, with a wealth of facts on each of the dozen of shafts that have been sunk into the Swiss cheese of this island, you will be enthralled by Harris and MacPhie's lenghthier tome."

Book Description
The compelling mystery on Nova Scotia's "Treasure Island"

For 200 years the underground tunnels on Oak Island have frustrated treasure seekers trying to recover valuables buried there.
The authors of this 1999 book, uncovered important new evidence about excavation of the underground workings and the offshore structures, including the British military involvement in the 1752 flood tunnel.
Harris and MacPhie, both experienced underground engineers, draw on the documentary record to present a compelling and historically accurate description of the two centuries of treasure hunting on Oak Island. Whatever the origins of the treasure, this new edition offers convincing evidence of the role of British officials in building the complex underground structure which has defeated treasure hunters at the site to this day.

[Jennifer O'Dell]

Oak Island Mystery: "?" (Paperback)
by Nyal Thomas (Author)

Product Details

Paperback: 190 pages
Publisher: PublishAmerica (April 10, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1424105285
ISBN-13: 978-1424105281
Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches

Editorial Reviews

Book Description
For over two hundred years many people have been digging on this lonely little island off the coast of Nova Scotia. Its name is Oak Island, where some believe is treasure left by the pirates of a long ago time. Then there are others who believe stranger things than just pirate gold lies at the bottom of this pit, placed there many years before the time of pirates. Or could it be after them? Well, no one seems to know. The name of the diggings is simply the “Money Pit,” and a good name it is, for so far no one knows what lies at the bottom of it. But, it is well known what the cost is to search for the bottom of the pit and what lies there. This story is, of course, fiction, and the pit could be a grand hoax.

[Jennifer O'Dell]

The Oak Island Affair, A Novel (Paperback)
by Jane Bow (Author)

Product Details

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Epigraph Publishing (May 23, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0978942760
ISBN-13: 978-0978942762
Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches

Editorial Reviews

Book Description
Vanessa, a freelance writer who grew up in Spain, is fleeing the pain of an unraveling relationship when she goes to her grandmother's house on Canada's east coast, near Oak Island. Here her discovery of a 400-year old diary written by a failed Spanish Dominican monk rekindles her obsession with an international, multi-million dollar treasure hunt that has drawn investors, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, from Canada, the United States and Europe for more than two hundred years. Vanessa's arrival at a new solution to the mystery, by learning how to see beyond the barriers of reason, plunges her into an underworld from which "there is no turning back, where the rules that run the surface world do not apply..."