A Man and His Ship, Ujifusa - B+

                                         For a decade after its 1952 launch, the SS United States was the grandest, most luxurious, fastest, indeed greatest ship that had ever sailed the seas.  The ship captured the Blue Riband for the fastest crossing by crushing the record held for twenty years by the Queen Mary.  No US ship had held the record in over a hundred years.  Yet, the age of the jet airliner terminated the era of first class Atlantic crossings and the United States career was over by the late 60's.   This very enjoyable book tells the story of Atlantic crossings in the 20th century and the obsession of William Francis Gibbs to build this ship.  The tale  is filled with the legendary names of the times: Titanic of course, but also, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Andrea Doria, Leviathan, Il de France, Normandie, Morro Castle, Lusitania and many more. Gibbs first dreamed up his plans as a schoolboy and spent forty years working toward the day he could build his vision.  Interestingly, the prime financial backer was Vincent Astor, whose father died on the Titanic.  Speed was the name of the game and the United States could go 45 mph.  If you like stories about boats and the sea, as I always have, this is a great read.