Product Description

The fascinating history and present-day account of the oldest treasure hunt in North America.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #217142 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
"Staggering."--Kirkus Reviews

"Exhaustive and intriguing."--Publishers Weekly

"A splendid reportorial job."--Business Week

"A highly readable volume . . . the story builds from the first page to the last."--Christian Science Monitor
-- Review

Review

From the Back Cover
It started on a summer afternoon in 1795 when a young man named Daniel McGinnis found what appeared to be an old site on an island off the Acadian coast, a coastline fabled for the skullduggery of pirates. The notorious Captain Kidd was rumored to have left part of his treasure somewhere along here, and as McGinnis and two friends started to dig, they found what turned out to be an elaborately engineered shaft constructed of oak logs, nonindigenous coconut mats, and landfill that came to be known as the Money Pit.
Ever since that summer day in 1795, the possibility of what might be hidden in the depths of a small island off the south coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, has made it the site of the world’s longest, most expensive, and most perplexing treasure hunt. Author D’Arcy O’Connor recounts the fascinating stories and amazing discoveries of past and current treasure seekers who have sought Oak Island’s fabled treasure for over two hundred years. It has baffled scientists and madmen, scholars and idiots, millionaires and get-rich-quick schemers, psychics, engineers, charlatans, and even a former president of the United States. The island has consumed the fortunes—and in some cases, the lives—of those who have obsessively set out to unlock its secret. Despite all their efforts, the mystery remains unsolved, and not a single dime of treasure has ever been recovered.
The present-day search is an archaeological dig exceeding anything ever done anywhere for similar purposes, and it may well result in the discovery of one of the world’s richest and most historically significant treasures. But this is also the story of individuals who have dedicated years of their lives to discover what was buried long ago beneath this strange island. They are driven by a lust for gold, by archaeological curiosity, and by their determination to outwit the engineer who was responsible for the Oak Island enigma.

Customer Reviews

great Oak Island information
I corresponded with D'Arcy in Oak Island forums before I found out that he was an author. When I asked people in the forum for literature they all reccommended D'Arcy's books and I purchased two of them.

I found them to be very informative. D'Arcy has done his research well and presents information in a manner that is easily understood.

If you want to learn about Oak Island this is probably the book to buy. I reccommend it highly.

An Excellent Read
I have read several books concerning the treasure hunt on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, but this is the best so far. D'Arcy O'Connor has obviously very carefully researched all aspects of the hunt and has presented everything in an exceptionally readable, enjoyable and informative format. He has a way of telling the story that makes the same old story new again. I now understand concepts and ideas that were unclear from previous books. This book is as close as you will get to the actual treasure hunt today. Good job, D'Arcy - thanks for an excellent read!

The definitive book on the Oak Island treasure hunts.....
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'.