A Man and His Ship

A lifelong love of ships fueled naval architect William Francis Gibbs's dream to build the fastest, finest, and most beautiful ocean liner ever. When it was launched in 1952, the SS UNITED STATES was hailed as a technological marvel. But Gibbs's career was marked by far more than a single ship. This thorough biography chronicles his life and accomplishments, starting with his overcoming of his father's calamitous bankruptcy. But it is this abundance of detail that detracts from one's listening pleasure. Pete Larkin does an able job as narrator, but the sometimes overly technical writing makes for some difficult listening. A quicker pace to the book would have made for a more engaging audio experience. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine