The Edwardian Superliners A Trio of Trios

As the twentieth century got underway, the competition between the three greatest passenger lines in the history of the North Atlantic produced three trios of wonder ships. From the Cunard Line came the Lusitania, Mauretania and Aquitania. From the White Star Line came the Olympic, the infamous Titanic, and the Britannic. From the Hamburg-Amerika Line came the Imperator, Vaterland and Bismarck, which would later find service as Cunard's Berengaria, the U.S. Line's Leviathan, and White Star's Majestic. They were, in turn, the fastest, most powerful, largest and most luxurious ocean liners that had ever sailed that ocean. Some would find great success; others would suffer disaster. Their careers would be affected by natural elements, by mismanagement, and by the brutalities of war. Their fates were also inextricably intertwined. The Edwardian Superliners tells their story.

J. Kent Layton has studied the history of the great Atlantic liners for over three decades. His books bring together, for the first time, many fabulous images, from numerous collections around the world to complement his outstanding research on the great Atlantic vessels. He is an active member of the Titanic Research & Modelling Association and lives in Central New York State. He lives in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York, and divides his time between his writing and his work as a piano tuner.