Paper Diver

Harry E. Rieseberg’s autobiographical writings include stories like being attacked by a giant octopus while recovering sunken treasure, defending himself from an attack by a 15-foot shark with only a diving knife, and surviving a hurricane and a severely broken leg while at sea—all captivating tales for audiences in the 1940s and 1950s, and all invented by a very successful charlatan.
This is a biography of Harry E. Rieseberg, a shameless self-promoter who passed himself off as the world’s greatest treasure salvor but who never got wet. His entire public persona was based on stories he retold in dozens of books and thousands of articles in which he made claims of feats that were fantasy but sold as fact. Despite the often-obvious facts of his fabrication, his books influenced a generation of legitimate divers and underwater archaeologists like Sir Robert Marx and Robert Sténuit. Thoroughly researched, this book uses sources including his personal records and letters to his agents to provide deep insight into the nature of his life and the way he created a false persona for popular consumption.

Gary L. Pinkerton’s previous historical research and books have contributed to television episodes on Beyond Oak Island on The History Channel, and on Texas Country Reporter. He lives in Houston, Texas.

Gary L. Pinkerton
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 263
Bibliographic Info: 30 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2024
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9402-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5216-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Preface 1
Introduction 3
Chapter  1. May 17, 1935 5
Chapter  2. The Harry Before 12
Chapter  3. The Treasure Game 48
Chapter  4. The Great Fall 60
Chapter  5. The Bottom 85
Chapter  6. The Harry After 98
Chapter  7. The Big Time 116
Chapter  8. Target for the Fire of Rivals 138
Chapter  9. The Business of Being Harry 158
Chapter 10. Movie Time 176
Chapter 11. Paradise 193
Chapter Notes 225
Bibliography 245
Index 253