Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

During the early twentieth century, transatlantic travel was the province of the great ocean liners. It was an extraordinary undertaking made by many women, whose lives were changed forever by their journeys between the Old World and the New. Some traveled for leisure, some for work; others to reinvent themselves or find new opportunities. They were celebrities, migrants and millionaires, refugees, aristocrats and crew members whose stories have mostly remained untold—until now.

Maiden Voyages is a fascinating portrait of these women as they crossed the Atlantic. The ocean liner was a microcosm of contemporary society, divided by class: from the luxury of the upper deck, playground for the rich and famous, to the cramped conditions of steerage or third class travel. In first class you’ll meet A-listers like Marlene Dietrich, Wallis Simpson, and Josephine Baker; the second class carried a new generation of professional and independent women, like pioneering interior designer Sibyl Colefax. Down in steerage, you’ll follow the journey of émigré Maria Riffelmacher as she escapes poverty in Europe. Bustling between decks is a crew of female workers, including Violet “The Unsinkable Stewardess” Jessop, who survived the Titanic disaster.

Entertaining and informative, Maiden Voyages captures the golden age of ocean liners through the stories of the women whose transatlantic journeys changed the shape of society on both sides of the globe. 

Review:

I've never been on a cruise ship, or as they were called in the early part of the twentieth century, an ocean liner.  But some of my earliest memories of television was watching Love Boat on Saturday nights, as a kid.  Being on a passenger ship has always been shown as glamorous and exciting.  What I didn't know was that this has been the public image for over a century.  And while seeing Julie the cruise director on the Love Boat didn't seem out of place in the 1970's, just sixty years earlier women on ships were few and far between.  That is what make Maiden Voyages, by Siân Evans, so interesting.  This non-fiction book tells the history of women aboard ocean liners from just before WWI, to just after WWII.   I found the writer's style to be very entertaining while also sharing the important history behind the many contributions of British women in the maritime industry.  

Before the age of the cruise ships we know today, such as Royal Caribbean, and Carnival Cruise Lines, there were the Cunard and White Star Ocean liners out of Britian, and the French Line, which ran ships such as the SS Normandie, on trips from Europe to the United States.  And while these ships were ultra luxurious and glamorous with passengers that included movie stars, politicians, and royalty, they also were the only way for people to emigrate from Europe to America. This book covers every type of traveller, from the rich and famous, to Jews escaping Nazi Germany.  Who took care of these people?  Women, of course.  

Women start out at the turn of the twentieth century in more traditional nurturing roles on ships. They were chaperones , cleaners, and nurses, mostly interacting with female passengers.  But over the years opportunities opened up in a variety of occupations at sea, particularly during wartime, when men were fighting.  I found this very encouraging.  Yet, as with others at the same moments in history, women were the first to lose their jobs in economic downturns, or after the end of a war.  These women were smart, brave, and open to leading adventurous lives.  I really admired them.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  August 10, 2021

Author:  Siân Evans

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press

Genre:  Non-Fiction

Page Length:  368 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  If you were ever interested in what goes on behind the scenes on places such the Titanic, this is a fascinating read.