Unquestionably, the most definitive, compelling and, at times, heart-breaking account of this fabled liner ever written. Normandie was without doubt the world's largest, fastest and most luxurious ocean liner. With his customary expertise, Maxtone-Graham documents the vessel's artistic context, design, construction and ingenious mechanical sinews; then her fitting out, challenging sea trials, triumphant maiden voyage, all-too-brief four-year service and her ultimate, tragic destruction. Maxtone-Graham, a world-famous maritime historian, discusses Normandie in his unmistakably pungent, authoritative and entertaining style.

Author Jan Morris rightly suggests: "A triumph (from) the laureate of the North Atlantic!" and, raves The Wall Street Journal : "The author's graceful prose is steeped in delectable detail."

This handsome and evocative volume belongs in every ship-lover's library.

Normandie, France's Legendary Art Deco Liner,
published by Norton in the U.S. and U.K.
Publication date: 10 December, 2007
200 maps, photographs & illustrations
Price: $100 hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-393-062120-8