Sitting around a dining-room table in 1907, the owners of the White Star Line discussed their competition to the newly-built Cunard liners, Lusitania and Maurentania. From that snoke-filled room came the first designs of three White Star superliners. Olympic and Titanic were to be built at Harland & Wolff's yard in Belfast, while the third ship was to follow after construction had been completed on the first pair of sisters. The only ship to make a return passenger voyage was Olympic and she was always overshadowed by her younger sisters. For the first time, this is the definitive story of Titanic's sister RMS Olympic.

The RMS Olympic went to the assistance of the Titanic, whose fate eclipsed its sister ship's image. Chirnside argues that the former was the most innovative British-built ocean liner of its time, with a mostly successful run of transatlantic crossings and troop transport. In this first comprehensive history spanning 1908 to 1935, he corrects several misconceptions. Illustrations include the ship's amenities, deck plans, colorful cruise ads and souvenir postcards. Appendices include what is believed to be its only profit and loss account, other statistics, and notes of a competing line's spy. Distributed in the US by Trafalgar Square Publishing.
Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)