Between the two world wars women were traveling alone some for pleasure, some for business and others to start a new life. Ocean liners with routes across the Atlantic from Europe to America and back, provided luxurious and also rather primitive accommodations for these women. Travel on land was somewhat restricted for women alone, so the ocean lines afforded a chance to be independent. Many women craved this, particularly those engaged in business.
In this anecdotal history we meet many women from socialites like Thelma Furness, long standing mistress to the Prince of Wales, to working women like the stewardesses and Virginia Drummond, a ship’s engineer during WWII. In third class there were many women looking to find a better life in America. This book concentrates on success stories, but many did not find what they were looking for.
The author also described in detail the liners, particularly the accommodations and salons. I found the descriptions fascinating. One liner, the Aquitania, was especially designed to appeal to women. The accommodations in third class were much more primitive with bunk beds and common facilities for bathing and personal hygiene.
The book is very well researched. With all the detail, the text could become heavy and boring. However, the author effectively uses anecdotes about the passengers not only to give a view of who was traveling, but to humanize the history.
I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.
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