SS Leviathan: America's First Superliner (Classic Liners) [Paperback]

Brent Holt (Author)

Book Description

Series: Classic Liners | Publication Date: May 1, 2009

The story of the Leviathan, originally called Vaterland, is a fascinating one. A remarkable ship, she is frequently not given the credit she deserves for her contributions to the U.S. Merchant Marine, and has been given short thrift by many writers who describe her only as a failure. Nothing could be farther from the truth. She was the first American superliner and set the stage for future successes with other famous passenger vessels such as the America and United States. Although of German origin, the "Levi" was popular and became a household name across the U.S. and other parts of the world. Her interiors were stunning and she was an engineering marvel. After an extensive refit by U.S. Lines in 1923 she was also the safest and arguably the best of the "Balin trio." Her adventurous career made her seem more a living thing than a hunk of steel.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brent Holt is an elementary school teacher. He lives in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: The History Press (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752447637
• ISBN-13: 978-0752447636
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #212,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Story of An American Leviathan, June 12, 2009

By 

Emanuel D. Elias "Emanuel D. Elias" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: SS Leviathan: America's First Superliner (Classic Liners) (Paperback)

Frankly I never thought much of this ship. Being a longtime Maritime History enthusiast I always skipped around reading about this ship and was far more interested in her sisterships.

Perhaps here applies that old joke about the middle child being the most ignored, as the Leviathan had the enchanting Berengaria as its eldest sistership and the impressive Majestic as her youngest sister. I felt there was not much to this ship to read. How wrong I was!

This excellent book by Brent Holt provides an in-depth look at the first American superliner and how it came to be. From its original German conception as the Vaterland, to serving as a troop transport during World War II for the United States, and then flying the red, white and blue colors of the good ole US of A as the mighty SS Leviathan superliner, the author takes the reader through one of the most fascinating journeys of a liner that anyone can read; her crossings, her triumphs, her perils, amusing incidents, and a very colorful ship history. The Leviathan didn't have anything to envy the Berengaria or Majestic. She was a star in her own right.

Enriched with beautiful and clear photographs of not only the Leviathan, its interiors, color postcards, but other famous liners as well, the book also provides with designs blue prints on how this ship was constructed. It is definitely one of the best books written on a beautiful superliner that shone its brightest and proudest and it all can be seen and read here in Classic Liners' series SS Leviathan America's First Superliner.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Really Nice Book, April 12, 2010

By 

Transatlantique (Nowheresville, Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: SS Leviathan: America's First Superliner (Classic Liners) (Paperback)

There isn't much around on this ship as a single book dedication. This book has the basics, her history as Vaterland with all of her trials and woes, including various b/w photos smallish in size. About 1/5 of the book consists of colour illustrated posters and adverts of her with various other US Lines ships as well as those outside of the company. I'm assuming there isn't much available to an author to write an epic coffee table book in terms of lush photos, so this will have to suffice. It's a nice little book to add to any liner book collector's library.