Customer Reviews

Desperate Hours: The Epic Story of the Rescue of the Andrea Doria

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently read this book, and found it an amazing acount of the Doria's sinking. The book starts with a description of the voyage, then builds up to the climax- the capsize. The book gave a detailed account of what the passengers did in the final hours, what occured on the rescue ships, as well as the Stockholm, and the court battle later on. I would reccomend this book to anyone! Hey, I'm a kid, and I loved it! You will too!

Goldstein has taken a well known story and put a new face on it. Those of us old enough to remember the sinking of the Andrea Doria will match our long ago memories with fresh, new information which brings the story back as if it happened yesterday. Those of us who didn't know about this ship will find a facinating account focused on those aboard the ship. The technical details are sufficent; the confusion during the 'desperate hours' are brought alive; the people become very real. I recommend Goldstein's book to history buffs, ship buffs, and anyone who enjoys a good story, told very well.

I enjoyed reading this book on the tragedy of the Andrea Doria. However, I found that I didn't really learn anything new that I hadn't read years ago in the books by Alvin Moscow and William Hoffer. Yes, there were more Third Class passengers mentioned and their experiences on the Doria were recounted.Goldstein did fill in a few gaps that others had left out. But, Goldstein didn't tell the story with as much breathless anticipation as previous books on the subject. All in all, I'm glad I read the book but equally pleased that I borrowed it from the public library.

Desperate Hours-A touching account

I really enjoyed reading the human accounts of this book. Mr. Goldstein delves into the uplifting and the demoralizing experiences of survivors. Being one of them, I relate to much of what he describes. I only wish that the author would have interviewed more survivors; in fact, different ones from those in Collision Course by Alvin Moscow. Most of the scientific evidence is also a repeat of Collision Course.

As a survivor of the tragedy, I have read most books on the Andrea Doria. None has satisfied my curiosity about what really happened to cause the collision. So for 2 ½ years, I went on my own quest for the truth. I researched evidence dispersed on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The result is an irrefutable, scientific explanation of the tragic event which had a miraculous outcome: the greatest sea rescue!

Pierette Domenica Simpson

One gets the clear impression from reading this book that the author is lacking the resolve to come out and say what he thinks.

In 1956, two passenger ships collided some miles off New York. One, the Stockholm, was in the hands of the ship's third officer Carstens. He was alone at a time when regulations demanded two officers be on the bridge. Over the years both his testimony and his ability have been thrown into considerable doubt by some of the world's leading marine accident experts. In my own view, this officer's two most important failings were; (A) This was his first time as officer of the watch (i.e. his very first time at being in charge of a ship!) and he never called the captain for help or advice at any time - even though he had been instructed so to do on encountering fog. (B) It was later proved that his radar screen was set to the 5 mile range when Carstens thought it was set to the 15 mile range and, consequently, he thought the oncoming ship was much further away than was actually the case.

On the bridge of the other ship (the Andrea Doria) Captain Calamai had taken command of his vessel because of the foggy conditions. He had also reduced speed and was assisted in his duties by two other officers.

This author can write and, in this book, he tells a story and tells it well. For me, however, he glosses over those salient points which would ordinarily allow the reader to reach their own conclusion. It is as though the author is content to see a point mentioned (and sometimes the most important points are barely mentioned at all), before moving on.

I don't know whether Goldstein personally undertook all the research necessary for a book of this nature or whether he read a number of other books on the same subject before putting his own version together. Either way, I remain disappointed with the end product.

NM

Goldstein does an excellent job of bringing this tragedy alive. There is a substantial amount of detail, yet the book is enjoyable and very readable. The individual accounts, obtained from the author's interviews, are riveting; Linda Morgan's (the miracle child's) interview is a first, and adds a new dimension to the telling of the story. As I was a child during this event, the reading of the book brought back lots of memories and answered many questions that my young mind could not understand at the time.

Richard Goldstein has taken a well-known subject--the sinking of the Andrea Doria--and injected mystery and suspense into it. The depictions of the wealthy passengers, and their behavior on the rapidly sinking ship after the collision, are memorable. And the account of the rescue of hundreds of passengers is gripping and well told. Definitely a great read.

The sea rescue of the Andrea Doria comes alive in Desperate Hours. It's no wonder the Andrea Doria is the one of the most talked about ships in history. Nearly 1,700 people were saved while the gorgeous vessel sank. The author, Richard Goldstein, has done his research. The book is filled with dozens of survivor interviews, memoirs, and court documents, drawing you into this rescue. If you are a history buff or just looking for an enticing read, don't miss this book

I sat down with a coffee to flip through this; a few hours later, I had finished it, without a pause. The accident is viewed from the perspective of crew and passengers, from first-class to tourist class. "Desperate Hours" lacks the tedious scientific detail that bogged down "A Perfect Storm," yet adds enough (through diagrams and photographs) to give a chilling portrait of an experienced crew sailing a seaworthy vessel -- and sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean only hours from land. A great read.

There are several excellent books on the sinking of the "Andrea Doria," and I have read most if not all of them. I like this book because of the slightly different focus the author puts on the story. Most books focus on the technicalities of the disaster, and leave the human element of the drama in a distant second place. Goldstein does the opposite: he describes the technicalities somewhat less than many other authors but makes the human drama more compelling than any other book I have read on the subject.

While my favorite book on the tragedy is still Moscow's classic "Collision Course" (I also like "Out of the Fog" for first hand information, although it is somewhat biased,) Richard Goldstein has done an excellent job writing an eminently readable book with numerous and diverse viewpoints. He is very good at resolving perceived discrepancies (as well as can be done this long after the tragedy) and goes to great lengths not to needlessly vilify anyone involved, rather he points out errors committed as human failings to be learned from.

For anyone interested in the "Andrea Doria," the "Stockholm," or maritime safety in general, this is a great book written in a compelling, concise, and readable style. I highly recommend "Desperate Hours."