Secrets of the Great Ocean Liners by John G Sayers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve never been on a cruise ship, and to be honest, the thought of doing one in present day holds no appeal to me, but both my parents immigrated to Canada, from England, in 1952. My father made the crossing in February, my mom in July. What must that experience have been like for them? They’re both gone now, so I can’t ask them, but this beautifully illustrated book (menus, luggage tags, postcards, advertising posters and more) answers many of those questions. So, too, does the author, John G. Sayers, a long time collector of ocean liner ephemera with an impressive resume (he’s been on the Ephemera Society’s Board of Directors, among other things). John’s text is anything but dry as he poses [often rhetorical] questions the reader might want to ask, shares insights from liners at war, social issues at sea, around-the-world cruises for the well-heeled, prohibition booze cruises…you name it, he’s probably got it covered. His depth and wealth of knowledge is evident in every word, and the book’s layout, starting with “Planning the Voyage” and ending with “Noteworthy Disasters” and “Ticking the Collector Boxes.”
An absolute must-have on your bookshelf for anyone who has ever wondered about the history of cruising. Put this one on your gift list for that hard-to-buy-for aunt, or better yet, order a copy for yourself. Trust me, you’ll enjoy every moment of the journey.

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