Maiden Voyages: Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Aboard Them

Let me start out with saying I love reading about historical events but I have never had historical reads make me cry like this one did. Don’t get me wrong this was a very fascinating read and I enjoyed it immensely. This is a non-fiction book but it does not read like a non-fiction book normally does. I would recommend this book to anybody who loves reading about history. Great job Sian Evans!

Maiden Voyages by Sian Evans is Historical Nonfiction and is about travel on ocean liners by various classes of women. The lives of the people and how they evolved through the years from the 19th and 20th centuries. Jobs on ships changed and became available according to wars, prohibition, peace and especially need. The information in this book about the different ships in this era could be a book in itself. I really enjoyed reading about how lives were changed because of various opportunities offered to women at sea. I found some of the people so appealing, I would like to read more about their adventures and lives. Loved the real History. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

20th-century, Atlantic ocean, passenger-ships, historical-places-events, historical research, history-and-culture, nonfiction, women, WW1, WW2, post WW1, post WW2, memoirs***** This book is a history geek's dream! The detailed research through archives and personal records and correspondence of some of the women who worked as stewardesses and more for the Cunard and White Star lines is beyond impressive. As advertised, there are many stories of individual women who needed to go to sea to support those at home, including one woman who served on the Titanic, Lusitania, and another torpedoed ship! There are selected notes about well known women of the era between the wars such as Josephine Baker and Nancy Astor and mentions of film stars Rudolph Valentino, Johnny Weissmuller, and Douglas Fairbanks. Luxury shipping is detailed from the beginning of the 20th century. These same ships and many of the women were also in service during each of the world wars, including the ill fated Kindertransports. It is interesting to note that the Queen Mary was not only the best in luxury, but as of 1927 had a Jewish prayer room and also a rabbi to keep kosher in the kitchen. Another geeky tidbit is that the Aquitania made 580 crossings in 40 years and was the only Trans Atlantic liner to have served in both world wars putting on 3 million miles and transporting 1.2 million passengers. Fantastic book for geeks like me! I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!