Overview
James Steele, an architect by training and a keen observer by instinct, has produced an exhaustive history of the vessel, a must for marine and architectural historians as well as oceanliner buffs everywhere; 'definitive' is a risky qualifier but one that legitimately describes this volume. The author treads maritime holy ground: no more universally beloved vessel ever sailed the North Atlantic and no more ambitious a floating preservation has ever been attempted.Synopsis
This evocative and nostalgic book, now available for the first time as a paperback, celebrates the golden age of sea travel. Once the world's largest and fastest ocean liner, today the Queen Mary represents a peak of perfection in the art of shipbuilding. With her sleek, sophisticated lines, Art Deco interiors and exquisite detailing, she encapsulates the spirit of an era characterized by elegance and style. On her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 1936, this great new liner provided a tangible symbol of the end of the Depression, and became a source of great national pride. Beautifully illustrated with specially commissioned colour photographs and much unpublished archive material, this book captures the atmosphere of the Queen Mary's glory days, and presents a comprehensive record of this magnificent and unique floating example of the streamlined style.