A man and his ship : America's greatest naval architect and his quest to build the S.S. United States

THE STORY OF A GREAT AMERICAN BUILDER At the peak of his power, in the 1940s and 1950s, William Francis Gibbs was considered America’s best naval architect. His quest to build the finest, fastest, most beautiful ocean liner of his time, the S.S. __United States,__ was a topic of national fascination. When completed in 1952, the ship was hailed as a technological masterpiece at a time when “made in America” meant the best. Gibbs was an American original, on par with John Roebling of the Brooklyn Bridge and Frank Lloyd Wright of Fallingwater. Forced to drop out of Harvard following his family’s sudden financial ruin, he overcame debilitating shyness and lack of formal training to become the visionary creator of some of the finest ships in history. He spent forty years dreaming of the ship that became the S.S. __United States.__ William Francis Gibbs was driven, relentless, and committed to excellence. He loved his ship, the idea of it, and the realization of it, and he devoted himself to making it the epitome of luxury travel during the triumphant post–World War II era. Biographer Steven Ujifusa brilliantly describes the way Gibbs worked and how his vision transformed an industry. __A Man and His Ship__ is a tale of ingenuity and enterprise, a truly remarkable journey on land and sea. In the tradition of David McCulloughs grand histories, the sweeping story of one mans quest to build the fastest, finest ocean liner in historyset against the politics, culture, and enterprise of twentieth century America. The story of a great American builder. At the peak of his power, in the 1940s and 1950s, William Francis Gibbs was considered Americas best naval architect. His quest to build the finest, fastest, most beautiful ocean liner of his time, the S.S. United States, was a topic of national fascination. When completed in 1952, the ship was hailed as a technological masterpiece at a time when made in America meant the best. Gibbs was an American original, on par with John Roebling of the Brooklyn Bridge and Frank Lloyd Wright of Fallingwater. Forced to drop out of Harvard following his familys sudden financial ruin, he overcame debilitating shyness and lack of formal training to become the visionary creator of some of the finest ships in history. He spent forty years dreaming of the ship that became the S.S. United States. William Francis Gibbs was driven, relentless, and committed to excellence. He loved his ship, the idea of it, and the realization of it, and he devoted himself to making it the epitome of luxury travel during the triumphant postWorld War II era. Biographer Steven Ujifusa brilliantly describes the way Gibbs worked and how his vision transformed an industry. A Man and His Ship is a tale of ingenuity and enterprise, a truly remarkable journey on land and sea. Examines The Life And Career Of William Francis Gibbs (1886-1967), The Philadelphia Native Whose Lifelong Ambition Was To Build The Biggest, Fastest, Safest Liner Ever. Preface: The Way It Was -- Book I: The Man And The Vision -- Size, Luxury And Speed -- Escaping The Rich Boys -- Mauretania -- J.p. Morgan's Titanic -- Pipe Dreamers At Work -- Prizes Of War -- A Giant Lives Again -- The Parvenu -- Mrs. William Francis Gibbs -- Malolo -- A German Sea Monster -- Death By Fire -- Fdr's New Navy -- The Queen And The America -- A Full Measure Of Toil -- Book Ii: Building The Dream -- A Very Pleasing Appearance -- Primacy On The Seas -- The Might Sweet Baby Rises -- American Moderne -- Turn Her Up -- Crewing Up The Big Ship -- Truman On The Attack -- The New Sea Queen Arrives -- A Very Fast Lady -- Masters Of Victory -- The Halcyon Years -- Trouble Ashore -- No Time To Say Good-bye -- Secrets Told -- Epilogue. Steven Ujifusa. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Preface: The way it was Book I: The man and the vision The ideal ship Size, speed, and luxury The boy who loved ships Escaping the rich boys Mauretania J.P. Morgan's Titanic Pipe dreamers at work Prizes of war A giant lives again The parvenu Mrs. William Francis Gibbs Malolo A German sea monster Death by fire FDR's new navy The Queen and the America A full measure of toil Liberty ships War profiteer, war hero Book two: Building the dream A very pleasing appearance Primacy on the seas Revolt of the admirals Stop and go American moderne Turn her up Crewing up the big ship Truman on the attack The new sea queen arrives A very fast lady Masters of victory His fair lady Bess and Harry on board Trouble ashore The unions No time to say good-bye The last salute Secrets told Epilogue.