He Went to the Bottom of an Ocean and Lost Contact

Plus, When Dinosaurs Roamed New Jersey [Subscribe]( [View in browser]( [Image] [Image] The entire world in your inbox. Hello all— We’re almost to the close of 2021. For those who celebrate Christmas, I hope you get everything you wished for! [Our lead feature this week]( is an excerpt from a [fascinating new book]( on Victor Vescovo’s quest to become the first human to reach the bottom of each of the world’s oceans. In this section, Vescovo headed to the depths of the South Ocean (called the “Shrieking Sixties” because of its frequent storms) when his comms go out. Because I’ve recently become obsessed with early American forays into the arts and sciences, it’s a special joy that this week’s [Still a Big World (our series on underrated destinations)]( is [a town in New Jersey]( where a dinosaur discovery shaped paleontology! Having grown up watching Michael Musto’s commentary in VH1 shows, I’m filled with nostalgia seeing [his column featured]( in the newsletter this week. We have some truly great stuff running [on the site]( the next couple weeks, so make sure to check back often! :) — [William O’Connor](, Travel Editor [Image] [He Went to the Bottom of an Ocean Known for Storms. And Lost Contact]( [Victor Vescovo was determined to be the first to descend to the bottom of all the world’s oceans. But at one dubbed the “Shrieking Sixties,” he had a little scare.]( [When Dinosaurs Roamed New Jersey]( [Haddonfield, New Jersey, gave the world a breakthrough in paleontology not once but twice, with the discovery and rediscovery of North America’s first dinosaur.]( [Here’s What It’s Like to Visit Costa Rica Right Now]( [Costa Rica was one of the first countries to re-open its borders to the world. Here’s what it’s like to visit right now.]( [Michael Musto Cannot Wait for New York City’s ‘Marvelously Messy’ Comeback]( [As indoor dining in New York City is brought to an end, Michael Musto looks to the future—and a city returning to post-pandemic life with a burst of rowdy, unrestrained creativity.]( [The Cocktail and Whisk(e)y Books Our Readers Are Loving]( [ ]( When it comes to alcohol, sometimes being truly educated on the matter is best. From the history of whisky (without the e) to a distillery-by-distillery evolution, we’ve compiled a hefty list of socially-lubricated literature so you can stock your bookshelves as well as you stock your [bar cart](. [SEE THE LIST ]( [“Southwest Airlines allegedly jeopardized the safety of thousands of flights by forcing its pilots to fly beyond the limits of safety recommended by Boeing for operating the airline’s fleet of 737 aircraft.](” — Clive Irving [dives into an explosive charge buried in a new investigative report from the U.S. Senate about one of the nation’s most beloved airlines](. Travel Back in Time to 1950's New York City It's not just because all the men wear hats or the taxis are big metal sedans—no, flipping through photographer Ernst Haas’ images of New York City in the 1950s is weird because, well, there are so many people! While the city today can seem empty, the mere mention of it can still conjure up the best of what we love about cities before COVID—crowds, characters, energy, serendipity, food, and so on. That's why the latest selected for Just Booked, our series on beautiful travel-related coffee table books, is [Ernst Haas: New York in Color, 1952-1962.]( Published by Prestel, the book is an intoxicating dive into a bygone era. Haas, an immigrant from Vienna, manages to capture the city's mystique even with the most mundane of subjects. A window lathered up for cleaning reflects the new style of apartment buildings rising around it. In the back of a car, a row of men's hats are perched—soon to fade from daily life. And rowhouses in Queens, in an array of drab yellows, blues, browns, and reds, isn't beautiful per se, but there's beauty in such an image. Haas was one of the most important photographers of the last century—particularly when it came to color photographs. A book that captures his ingenuity, as well as the remarkable city of New York is a welcome addition. Check out our previous selections for our series on gorgeous travel-related coffee table books, [Just Booked](. [BUY ON AMAZON >>]( Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts or newsletters, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales. © Copyright 2020 The Daily Beast Company LLC 555 W. 18th Street, New York NY 10011 [Privacy Policy]( If you are on a mobile device or cannot view the images in this message, [click here to view this email in your browser](. To ensure delivery of these emails, please add emails@thedailybeast.com to your address book. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, or think you have received this message in error, you can [safely unsubscribe](.