Queen Mary

To be placed on the very elite spot on the VERY TOP of my rather large library of passenger shipping, oceangoing photography, and almost everything (current and historical) ocean liners.SIMPLY PUT: SUPERB! PRACTICALLY PERFECT IN EVERY WAY! The type of writing, composition, and structure rarely found. I realize this tome is not 2022 new, but the material contained is timeless. Not being an overly fond fan of “The Queen”, the overall weight and look would indicate something major, which is not always the case. This, however, satisfies at every level and every turn of the page. In reading (SAVOURING!) every bite - photography included, not perfunctory or re-hashed - I just flipped this Oedipus over to re-read every word from ‘title page’ to ‘the end’. I won’t be jumping around either as it’s just that capturing and pick up-able.It’s not fancy nor has no airs.Do NOT miss this one. Worth every cent (though DO make certain a used purchase is COMPLETE of fold-outs; complete deck plans; and jacket). You’ll want to hold perfection in your hands.

One reviewer removed a star on the rating due to this book lacking history of the Queen Mary after she arrived in Long Beach stating that the author must feel like she is nothing more than a "shell of her former self" and in fact, this statement is true. The book's foreword explains this as being exactly what the author feels and I must agree. I feel that there are two Queen Marys--one of which is the famous ocean liner that sailed from 1936 to 1967 and the other is a permanent fixture in Long Beach standing as a shipboard hotel. This book makes no allusions to the fact that its primary focus is the historical and visual exploration of the ship's former self. With that said, five stars have been awarded.This book can be purchased on the ship in one (or more) of the many gift shops for $34.99, so if you can't make it down to Long Beach or you wish to save a little bit, here's your chance.Now on to the book! From a reading point of view, the book unfolds a chronological timeline of events and famous stories from her many voyages across the Atlantic. Some of these stories you may already know and some you don't. I was enthralled with this book from beginning to end. It was hard not to skip ahead to look at the photos because there is not one page that goes by where there isn't an amazing picture; some of which cover the history of Queen Mary's owner, Cunard. But if you're interested in this book mainly for the photos, you will also not be disappointed! We all know that there are countless websites and books about Titanic due to its infamous history, but you might be surprised that there aren't as many on the Queen Mary. I actually half-expected this book to simply regurgitate the same hundred or so photos I always see online, but as very happy to see that many of the photos in this book are fresh and new. Also, one of the great surprises in this book was the fold out double-sided deck plans that illustrate where everything was located on the ship from the top down. On the reverse is a full-color drawing of Queen Mary detailing the inside from a sideview.Any history buff, ocean liner buff or fan of the Queen Mary will not be disappointed with this purchase!

While it does border on "style over substance" from time to time, this book is an excellent visual history of one of the most famous ships ever built. From keel laying to launch, fitting out to trials, commercial service to troop transport, it provides a fascinating look at the ship from a multitude of different angles. It doesn't just depict the Queen Mary as a passenger liner, a mechanical marvel, an art deco showpiece, or a massive assemblage of steel and rivets. It presents the ship as ALL of these things, from the perspective of the Clydebank steelworkers who built her, the thousands of Allied troops she carried during World War II, the craftsmen and artists who designed her interiors, and passengers who sailed aboard her as a liner. Backing up the text are hundreds of illustrations, including historic photographs, candid onboard images, color images of the public spaces and their artwork, engineering schematics, and period publicity posters. There's also a full set of deck plans, a beautiful four-foot long foldout color cross-section of the ship, and a number of pages from the "Queen Mary Book of Comparisons."On a visual level, this book is superb, but as an actual history of the ship, it's a little lacking in depth. It's awfully gushing in tone and avoids making any direct criticisms of the ship, most notably her rather horrendous rolling problems. James Steele is primarily an architectural writer, and while he does an excellent job describing her interiors, I wonder what he truly feels about them. Studying this book in depth, I get the impression that although the public rooms featured occasional moments of brilliance, the Queen Mary's interior design never really "gelled" as a whole. This is one area where John Maxtone-Graham (who wrote the introduction) has always excelled; his comments on the interiors of the great liners are frequently witty, insightful, and humorously caustic.I hate to sound too critical because this book really is a wonderful tribute to the Queen Mary and everyone involved in her creation. I recommend it to anyone fascinated by ocean liners and the golden age of transatlantic travel. Just don't expect to be blown away by the writing.

This is must for anyone with an interest in the historic Cunard liner They don't make them like that any more!

A great book, giving greatly detailed information on the life of this great ship from a bygone era - one of the really great ships

love the vintage look..

what a lovely book. if you ever wonderd what a old transalantic look like inside this is the book. thanks