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A Man and His Ship: America's Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the S.S. United States
A Man and His Ship America's Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the SS United States Author:Steven Ujifusa ?A fascinating historical account?A snapshot of the American Dream culminating with this country?s mid-century greatness? (The Wall Street Journal).At the peak of his power, in the 1940s and 1950s, William Francis Gibbs was considered America?s best naval architect. His quest to build the world?s best ocean liner was a topic of national fascinat... more »ion. When completed in 1952, the S.S. United States was hailed as a technological masterpiece at a time when ?made in America? meant the best. Gibbs was an American original, on par with John Roebling of the Brooklyn Bridge and Frank Lloyd Wright of Fallingwater. Forced to drop out of Harvard following his family?s sudden financial ruin, he overcame debilitating shyness and lack of formal training to become the visionary creator of some of the finest ships in history. The S.S. United States, which took Gibbs forty years to bring to reality, was more than just an ocean liner: she was the floating embodiment of a triumphant post-World War II America, when the country was at the peak of its industrial prowess. Her creator was driven, relentless, and committed to excellence. Gibbs loved his ship, the idea of it, and the realization of it, and he devoted himself to making it the epitome of luxury travel?a masterful blend of art and engineering. Biographer Steven Ujifusa brilliantly describes the way Gibbs worked and how his vision transformed an industry. A Man and His Ship is more than a biography; it is the story of a driven, brilliant man and his truly remarkable enterprise on land and sea.« less
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