Maxtone-Graham, a maritime historian specializing in the history of ocean liners and cruise ships, revels in the past glories of the ocean liner and examines with affectionate detail today's best ships. Reveals how ships, crews, and passengers have changed and remained the same, looking at shipboard

Violet Jessop's life is an inspiring story of survival. Born in 1887 in Argentina, the eldest child of Irish immigrants, at the age of 21 she became the breadwinner for her widowed mother and five siblings when she commenced a career as a stewardess and nurse on some of the most famous ocean going vessels of the day. Throughout her 40 year time at sea she survived an unbelievable series of events including the sinking of the TITANIC. "One awful moment of empty, misty blackness enveloped us in its loneliness, then an unforgettable, agonizing cry went up from 1500 despairing throats, a long...

Arguably the world s most articulate and authoritative maritime historian, John Maxtone-Graham documents SS United States, her design, construction, and seventeen years of impeccable service. He introduces us to dozens of U.S. passengers, famous and infamous, as well as captains and crew. The last great American ocean liner, SS United States could be converted to a 14,000-man troop carrier and was capable of attaining a speed of over 40 knots (although in her luxury Atlantic crossings the ship was much slower). Sadly, jet travel put an end to ocean crossings, and the all-aluminum ship rests...