Book History
Review
By Jonathan Herbert
The Gulf of Mexico: A Maritime History is
an authentic look at the soul and
grandeur of the Gulf that shapes our
Southwest Florida coastline, and offers us
more than we could ever handle.
Author and historian John S. Sledge takes
us on a journey to the heart of the tenth
largest body of water in the world and
uncovers an array of characters, cities,
pirates, vessels and the events that shaped
the Gulf of Mexico.
“Incredibly, despite recent high-profi le
events like Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico
remains under-appreciated by many in the
United States. This is all the more surprising
given that this country gets a quarter of its
natural gas and one-sixth of its oil from the
Gulf, claims 14 of the basin’s 19 major ports,
harvests 1.4 billion pounds of seafood
annually from its waters (20 percent of the
total U.S. commercial fi shery), and logs over
20 million recreational fi shing trips a year. The
Gulf’s fi ve coastal states – Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas – boast
surging beach tourism, and overall growth
rates two and a half times the national
average.”
John was truly inspired to write this book.
“Throughout history, the residents of coastal
cities and their neighbors along the littoral
zone have struggled with challenges both
natural and man made,” he said. “Devastating
hurricanes, frightening epidemics,
catastrophic oil spills, and confl icts ranging
from dockside brawls and labor riots to
“In this paean to the Gulf of Mexico, John Sledge skillfully pilots readers past the familiar
beaches and hurricanes of the South’s backdoor to the Atlantic. Along the way he reveals
500 years of audacious history afl oat on its often roiling waters, with a cast of seagoing
characters as diverse as the watery biome beneath their hulls.”
– Gregory A. Waselkov, author of A Conquering Spirit:
Fort Mims and the Redstick War of 1813-1814
The Gulf of Mexico:
A Maritime History
– John S. Sledge