$48.64 with 35 percent savings
List Price: $74.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
FREE delivery May 21 - June 6. Details
Only 20 left in stock - order soon.
$$48.64 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$48.64
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
BOOKS etc. _
Ships from
BOOKS etc. _
Sold by
BOOKS etc. _
Sold by
BOOKS etc. _
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

David F. Hutchings
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

RMS Mauretania (1907): Queen of the Ocean Hardcover – December 2, 2019

by David Hutchings (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 24 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$48.64","priceAmount":48.64,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"48","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"64","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"1WspolCUl6LI0O4dyn8Uxwps2APFBPKEYOTDdRCKyREmt%2BpFaxpg0X%2BDkp0Of01f2Nm1pu8m1qnfgHVFzvrZLBVI2rx0%2F1In1IaNecXZnTlTnVVXomFD%2BuvCfFvF66lRtzQJNzPdM1iXnHgbPzMIe%2FtccG4Gms%2BE4ERbrZV3SnLdNBim%2FxjVBWwjOQQ59ACX","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

FIVE YEARS in the making, RMS Mauretania and her sister the Lusitania represented a new era in British shipbuilding. Ostensibly built to compete against record-breaking German behemoths, the Mauretania was not only one of the first major ships to be turbine-driven or have four propellers – she was the largest moving structure ever to have been created by man at that time. And, soon enough, she would become the fastest as well.But the Mauretania wasn’t just built for luxury. When war was declared in August 1914, she was pressed into service as a troop- and hospital ship. Where once she had carried society ladies, she now carried soldiers.Intensely researched and with over 100 photographs and illustrations, RMS Mauretania (1907): Queen of the Ocean is the definitive book on this most remarkable liner.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    312 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    The History Press
  4. Publication date
    December 2, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    9.65 x 0.9 x 8.82 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0750985844
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0750985840
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

RMS Mauretania (1907): Queen of the Ocean
$48.64
Get it May 21 - Jun 6
Only 20 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by BOOKS etc. _.
+
The Unseen Mauretania (1907): The Ship in Rare Illustrations
$28.99
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by booksandjava-us.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
One of these items ships sooner than the other.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Growing up on the Isle of Wight, ships and the sea have always been a huge part of David F. Hutchings’ life. He has been lucky enough to turn this love of the maritime into a lifelong career, first as a shipbuilder, then as a published historian. Two of his books have been named ‘Book of the Month’ by Ships Monthly.Research for RMS Mauretania (1907): Queen of the Seas led to the preparation of a lecture for his local branch of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and the Institution of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, where it won the award for ‘The Best Technical Paper of 2016’. It is his second book for The History Press.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The History Press (December 2, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0750985844
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0750985840
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.13 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.65 x 0.9 x 8.82 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 24 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
David F. Hutchings

David F. Hutchings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

DAVID HUTCHINGS

A brief history.

Born on the Isle of Wight near Cowes, David grew up with ocean liners always in his sight but it was not until he was 8 or 9 did he start to take an interest in them and remembers well the sight of the inward-bound UNITED STATES on her maiden arrival passing the outward-bound QUEEN ELIZABETH off The Green at Cowes. His interest developed and was cemented by winning a weekly drawing prize on CROW'S NEST, a children's television series presented by the Naval Architect of the CANBERRA, John West, that was then building in Belfast. Whilst at school in Cowes a good view could be had from the classroom of the great ships as they passed to and from Southampton.

After leaving school David became a time-served Shipwright Apprentice in the Royal Dockyard in Portsmouth and achieved his ambition of becoming a Draughtsman, firstly at the Admiralty Experiment Works at Haslar, then in the Dockyard itself. Spending some time in the Design Office David finally ended his career when he retired as Technical Librarian from what had been Vosper Thornycroft, being in the vanguard during the period that brought the shipbuilders from Southampton to new premises within the Naval Base.

During the intervening years David decided to put back into his hobby some of the pleasure and interest that he had derived from it, from writing a short piece for the Island's newspaper to producing - to date - twelve books (including a "Hayne's Workshop Manual" for the TITANIC!); his recent well-researched and well-received book about the MAURETANIA is now accompanied by an illustrated book about the same ship.

David has also contributed articles and provided illustrations for many books of other authors, from profiles of liners that were planned but never built, to cartoons.

He is a member of the World Ship Society, Ocean Liner Society, the British TITANIC Society, and TITANIC International, as well as being a member of the Lee-on-The Solent National Coastwatch Institution.

David has either appeared in or helped with several videos, his favourite being the one that he devised about the making of the classic film of the TITANIC disaster "A Night to Remember" after meeting the film's producer in later years. It was the book and the film of this event that sparked his interest in the history of the big ships. This documentary is now included on discs of the film itself.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
24 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

There are 0 reviews and 7 ratings from the United States

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
D.M.
4.0 out of 5 stars Bel libro di dettaglio ma mancante di un accurato spaccato laterale colorato della nave
Reviewed in Italy on December 13, 2021
Verified Purchase
Libro molto bello e ricco di informazioni sulla storica grande nave ma manca un accurato spaccato trasversale dell'intero scafo. È riportato solo quello in formato minimo dalla pubblicazione Engineering.
Report
David
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best ocean liner books!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2020
Verified Purchase
David Hutching’s “RMS Mauretania (1907): Queen of the Oceans” is quite simply one of the best books about an ocean liner I have ever read. As an ocean liner enthusiast of almost 40 years with a library of ocean liner books numbering almost 300, I have certainly read a lot! On the great Mauretania alone, I own seven titles (including this one) devoted to the great ship. Hutchings is also a favorite author, and I have 7 other titles of this besides this one.

This book is not a “paint by numbers” ocean liner book like many others published these days, with excessive photographs and limited text. Rather, it’s the opposite – over 300 pages and a prolific amount of text. The photographs Hutchings uses are relevant, and in many instances, rare or new to me! I thought I knew the Mauretania, but after finishing this book, I have a new understanding of this legendary liner.

Hutchings’ attention to detail is apparent in every chapter and the stories he weaves about the ship’s inception and those associated with her thorough. I never realized, for example, how many crewmembers deserted the ship! Stokers and other crew seemed to desert the ship every voyage, especially pre-war, leaving the captain scrambling for replacements. There is a heavy focus on those who ran the ship, and I feel enlightened as to the conditions the stokers and firemen worked under. Driving the world’s fastest ship was no easy feat. Additionally, I never knew how many passengers and crew died, and how frequent burials at sea were! The names, ages, stories, and illnesses of those who died on the ship as well as the position of their burial are all respectfully shared.

The story of the ship’s great engines is featured throughout – from early teething troubles with the new technology, to the wartime beating, and improvement with age. I have read in other titles about how tired she was after the war and had thought the turbines were refurbished when the ship was converted to oil burning, but I was mistaken – those two events were separate, and it wasn’t until the turbines were overhauled that the ship regained her speed. And in the end, her engines were still in good condition, but her hull and interiors were failing (interesting comparison of her flammable wood-paneled interiors to the tragedy that befell the Morro Castle).

Her speediness compared to her rivals never ceases to impress, including a great anecdote about a pre-war crossing where a quicker turnaround in New York was achieved. Outward bound, she passed the inbound Cedric, which ironically had left England BEFORE the Mauretania! Not surprising obviously as the two ships had an almost 10 knot difference in top speed, but a great image!

Her wartime achievements as a hospital ship and troop ship are brought to life in new ways. The drama of dodging two torpedoes, one under her counter is gripping! Makes you think of how her sister could have been saved had she been steaming a few knots faster and with more lookouts! I did find myself imagining a post-war career for both sisters, and how amazing that would have been.

I never thought of the Mauretania as old, but that’s exactly what she was in the 1920s – Hutchings details the ways she was kept up-to-date and refreshed as newer ships such as Ile de France came on the scene. Despite her age, she still had a loyal following! The drama of stopping at Queenstown, Fishguard and Plymouth (or sometimes not due to heavy seas), and the decisions around those ports of call are covered in-depth.

The loss of her speed record to the Bremen and her valiant attempt to reclaim it are heroically covered, and her new success as a cruise ship! Her twilights years summoned emotion, and I must admit to misting up at the story of her final voyage, specifically a stop at Tyneside before reaching Rosyth. The image of children crying out, “look, it’s the Mauretania” and people lining the shore to see her one last time was profoundly emotional. She was not “just a ship” to those who knew her, and I see this even better than I did before.

You need this book – get it for yourself or ask for it as a gift! It may be a little more than other paperback titles, but it is well worth the price. I love the little touch of a red ribbon to mark your page too! I find myself sad that I'm done but will keep an eye out for Hutchings' next title.
3 people found this helpful
 Report
watin-augouard
5.0 out of 5 stars Bien reçu
Reviewed in France on January 14, 2020
Verified Purchase
Satisfaction complète
Report
Ralph Cook
4.0 out of 5 stars ‘Labour of love’ and actually quite exciting to read, but there is a significant omission.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2020
Verified Purchase
I have dropped a star here, and yet heartily recommend that all enthusiasts for the great liners buy and enjoy this book. ‘Mauretania, Queen of the Ocean’ is quite a ‘tome’: it has 309 pages but, being of landscape, twin column format, would absorb 600 pages as an ordinary book. Mr Hutchings has thus been freed from the usual 220 page restriction placed by many publishers in the belief that this is the limit of a 21st century readers attention span. He makes good use of this by adopting colourful prose, alliteration and simile to embellish his work, the phrases often being taken from actual reports of the time as in ‘through great rollers and high tumbling seas (she) ploughed her way magnificently through the turbulent ocean’ (page 130, describing an exciting record breaking Christmas cruise in 1910). You could say that the author never uses 10 words if 20 would sound a bit better (err- rather like this reviewer!) but overall it works.

One storm swept crossing may seem much the same as many another, but Mr Hutchings succeeds in gripping the readers attention for all of them. The chapters on the Great War includes one of the best description of the loss of ‘Lusitania’ that I have read. I was well reminded that those great ships were so frequently endangered by the lack of information available to officers who had what we would consider only very primitive facilities for command and control. Moreover, prior to 1922, Mauretania was entirely dependant on the stoic efforts of rough, tough men pushing wheelbarrows (it is interesting to note that She was designed from the outset, in 1907, for easy conversion to oil firing). However, all that being said, I look askance at todays huge cruise liners that carry 6000 people in the seaborne equivalent of a multi-story shopping centre and wonder how they would fare if required to undertake hundreds of consecutive Atlantic crossings, plunging through storms at 25 knots, even in the middle of January.

Unfortunately the author does not believe many of his readers will be interested in the broad technical specification of this great ship: he even apologises and advises that they may wish to skip the early chapters (actually 40 pages). The ‘Shipbuilder’s’ excellent longitudinal drawings are reproduced, but are so small as to be unreadable. A lot of statistics are scattered in the text - a tabular summary would have been useful- but Mr Hutchings meanders onto two very long and tedious diversions, one detailing the Haslar trials of hull forms and the other explaining in infinite detail how wooden decks were fitted to the steel structure. Although these are not without interest they come at the expense of a reasonable description of machinery (not just turbines) and of the internal fitting of the ship. There are very few photographs of these things - just one showing the first class dining saloon - and the detail thar is given has been taken in much shortened form from the original ‘Shipbuilder’ and ‘ Engineering’ articles of 1907. It happens that I have books covering these articles, superbly re- published by Patrick Stephens in 1970 and 1987, but if you don't have at least the ‘Shipbuilder’ one (‘Ocean Liners Of The Past’ series) you may well feel a little shortchanged by this book: the scarcity of photographs showing the ships interior is particularly disappointing. This is a shame, since 20 pages could have given respectable coverage of these things without really increasing the cost to the publishers. Overall there are about 100 photos in the book, but many are rather poor (sometimes unavoidable) and most are very small - few make use of the generous landscape format. On the plus side, there is a fine 14 page colour section, mostly drawn from contemporary advertising material.

This is, then, very much an operational history, a book to read and as such it is very fine indeed and clearly a labour of love on the authors part. It is broken down into 21 quite short chapters (which are given rather annoyingly obscure names) and this does help readers pace their way through the narrative. The absence of distracting footnotes is welcome, but omission of an index is not. The book is not promoted as purely an operational history, hence the dropped star. If possible, hunt down copies of the Patrick Stevens books (I recommend the ‘Shipbuilder’ one), also Kent Layton’s recent ‘The Unseen Mauretania’ which provides a good photographic record, including many interior views taken after the major 1926/7 refit. So, it is possible to acquire a truly comprehensive record of Mauretania, but that requires another two books In addition to this hefty volume. However, for me that was worthwhile since I consider her the greatest liner of her time, if not of all time. Credit is due to ‘The History Press’ for ensuring ‘Mauretania, Queen of the Ocean’ is such a well produced hardback book: it is well worth the £25 I paid for it.
5 people found this helpful
 Report