Book Description

Perils of the Atlantic captures the stories of a number of vessels that experienced adventure on the high seas, from the tragic loss of the liner Arctic in 1854 to the swift sinking of the Italian Andrea Doria in 1956. In some instances stark tragedy and great loss of human life occurred. In others the officers and crew of the ships preserved their vessels, their lives, and their cargoes, and safely reached port. Twenty-three ships that met disaster head-on are covered, including well-known tragedies such as the sinkings of the Titanic and the Lusitania, two of the greatest maritime catastrophes ever to occur, as well as lesser-known survivors of peril on the Atlantic. The book, by acclaimed maritime scholar William Flayhart, features never-before-published material in its description of some of the most compelling episodes in man's ongoing battle with the sea. 48 b/w illustrations.