Queen Mary 2 : The Greatest Ocean Liner of Our Time

From Publishers Weekly
If military historian Maxtone-Graham is at times a bit breathless in his praise of the Queen Mary 2, the Cunard line’s new $800 million luxury liner, it’s easy to forgive his enthusiasm after thumbing through the sumptuous photography in this oversized tome. Four city blocks long and taller than the Statue of Liberty, the Queen Mary 2 boasts the customary amenities as well as a planetarium, spa and fanciful children’s playrooms. Maxtone-Graham celebrates this unprecedented hulk with romantic hyperbole: "Her 147-foot (45-meter) beam at the bridge betrays her as definitively—nay, defiantly!—too wide for Panama’s canal. For this monster to circumnavigate the globe, it’s either around Cape Horn or threading her way cautiously through the icy wastes of northern Canada’s archipelago." He also dishes a little history in the chapter on 19th-century transatlantic travel, when crossing the ocean was rarely comfortable and often terrifying by today’s standards. The historian explains that in the 1840s, "a covered chamber pot remained a cherished cabin perquisite because Brittania’s lavatories were out on deck, an invariably damp nocturnal excursion." Another chapter relates the seafaring lives of past "Queen" vessels—touching briefly on the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary’s transformation into troop ships during WWII and chronicling their important passengers, including Sir Winston Churchill, Cary Grant and a long list of Atlantic-hopping VIPs. Serious maritime enthusiasts will delight in Maxtone-Graham’s adoring account of the major "Cunarders" from 1840 to 2004, while Harvey Lloyd’s vivid, full-bleed photos of the vessel’s interior will thrill those readers more interested in the creature comforts on board. 200 four-color illustrations. FYI: Like an extended advertisement for the ocean liner, this lush, glossy volume might help readers and would-be cruisers forget the November, 2003 shipyard tragedy, when the ship’s gangway collapsed, killing 15.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist
"Destined to astonish" was how the designers of the new grand lady of ocean liners conceived of their project. As of just a few months ago, the Queen Mary 2, sister ship to the popular and still busy Queen Elizabeth 2, entered transatlantic service and is now the flagship of the venerable Cunard Line. The QM2 is not only the most expensive passenger liner ever built but also the largest, broadest, and tallest. Written by a renowned maritime historian, whose engaging text is augmented by spectacular photographs by Harvey Lloyd, a photographer recognized as a specialist in the cruise industry, this large-format book follows the "life" thus far of this spectacular ship, from concept to launch. The author, with the photographer at his side, ushers the reader on an awe-inspiring tour of the Queen from stem to stern; fascinating, too, is the detailed history of the Cunard Line and its most famous liners, including the previous Queen Mary, now permanently docked in Long Beach, California. A feast for technology and travel enthusiasts. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Metrosource, , April/May 2004
"Maxtone-Graham and Lloyd have done [the QM2] proud with this excellent book that details every part of the Queen's conception."


Book Description
The official, Cunard-authorized book celebrating the debut of the greatest ocean liner ever built. 200 four-color illustrations and photos. 8 page gatefold


From the Publisher
In January 2004, Cunard Line's latest flagship, the stupendous Queen Mary 2 sailed on her maiden voyage from England. Four city blocks long and as tall as the Statue of Liberty, at $800 million, she is the most expensive and ambitious passenger vessel of all time. Her public rooms include a planetarium, ballroom, theatre, cinema, Canyon Ranch Spa, and 10 restaurants. Twenty-six hundred passengers are accomodated in a splendid variety of cabins, three quarters of them with balconies overlooking the sea. This book features stunning four-color photographs and paintings, details of design, construction, engines, lavish interiors, sea trials, and christening. It also contains archival images juxtaposing her significance against her historic predecessors. An eight page gatefold shows a detailed cutaway of the remarkable interiors.


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This book features stunning four-color photographs and paintings, details of design, construction, engines, lavish interiors, sea trials, and christening. It also contains archival images juxtaposing her significance against her historic predecessors. An eight-page gatefold shows a detailed cutaway of the remarkable interiors.


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