The Book of Numbers Summary and Analysis

"Shadow Divers" opens as Bill Nagle waits on the dock at Brielle, New Jersey, for a friend to meet him. Nagle is the captain of the Seeker, a charter diving boat that he operates out of Brielle. A former top hand tool salesman, Nagle also becomes an excellent deep sea shipwreck diver as a young man, at a time when the sport is new and much of the modern safety equipment has not yet been developed. Nagle earns a reputation as a top-notch diver and his diving charters business is thriving.

One popular destination of Nagle's diving charters is the wreck of the Andrea Doria, a passenger liner that sinks in 1956 near Nantucket Island after colliding with another ship. Nagle has dived the Andrea Doria many times, gathering artifacts such as teacups and dishware for...