What I enjoyed most about Maiden Voyages is its tribute to women. I thought this novel was really well researched and did a wonderful job showcasing the many challenges women faced on board of ocean liners. Maiden Voyages is packed full of history and a great book book for all the history buffs out there. This isn’t my typical genre to read so I did struggle with the book quite a bit, however I believe if this is a topic that interests you then you’ll read this much quicker than I did.

Author of several earlier social histories, London-based Siân Evans now gives us Maiden Voyages, which she describes as “a celebration of the diverse journeys made by a number of intrepid heroines, drawn from many countries and different classes . . . during the golden age of transatlantic travel.” This is a popular social history; readers will not only learn, but will have great fun in the process.

Opening with thumbnail sketches of the women she will later highlight, Evans next provides a fascinating overview of work and travel aboard ship during the Victorian and Edwardian ages. For example, she describes professional blackmailers traveling to dig up dirt on fellow passengers, resulting in threats and extortion. She explains how, in the 1880s as women and children began traveling, ocean liners began employing female crew whose position involved making sure “proprieties could be observed.”

Following this introductory section, Chapter 1 offers the first of many biographical sketches, each firmly rooted in the social history context of live at sea. Whether conductresses (those who watched over women and children) or stewardesses, immigrants or refugees seeking better lives in the U.S., European performers traveling to America or American performers traveling to Europe, writers, department store buyers, or wealthy heiresses, each woman’s story adds to readers’ understanding of the reasons women traveled and the experiences they had in the process.

A few of the highlighted women include the “unsinkable” Violet Jessop, a stewardess who survived multiple maritime disasters, including the sinking of the Titanic; actresses Tallulah Bankhead and Hedy Lamarr; African American dancer and singer Josephine Baker, famous in part for her banana dance performed topless in Paris while she wore only a skirt constructed of bananas; Thelma Furness, twin sister of Gloria Vanderbilt and long-term mistress of the Prince of Wales; and impoverished Scottish immigrant Mary Anne MacLeod, seeking domestic work but marrying a German American property developer building his wealth during the Depression by receiving government contracts through President Roosevelt’s economic incentive programs. While her three sisters who arrived before her had married other immigrant servants, Mary Anne married Frederick C. Trump, eventually becoming the mother of Donald Trump.

The more sensational stories spice up the book, but the more mundane are equally interesting. While enjoying the stories, readers will become knowledgeable about the fascinating history of transatlantic travel—the only means of crossing the ocean before the development of long-distance flight.

Siân Evans has thoroughly researched her topic and provides endnotes, an extensive source list, and a useful index at the back of the book for those interested.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance reader copy.

#maidenvoyages is the second non-fiction book about trailblazing women in the travel industry I’ve read this year.

Much like Come Fly the World, which is about the first stewardesses in the travel industry, this story looks at the stewardess on ocean liners.

The ladies who worked Ocean Liners like the Titanic faced unbelievable challenges. I was in awe as I listened to this story of ships being sunk by icebergs and wartime submarines.

The stories of unruly passengers, hurricanes, and the sacrifices of leaving their families to help others were unbelievable. I was so engrossed that I kept forgetting the book was non-fiction.

If you love women’s history, the history of travel, or stories about the titanic, this is the book for you!

A very informative and interesting collection of tales of women taking to the sea. Some as a stewardess. Each tale was interesting and filled with information of life as a woman working on the ships.

Enjoyable read - lots of great history facts mixed in with stories of truly remarkable women. Makes you really think about the luxury of going on a cruise in the 21st century versus what so many women had to preserver through before the technologies that we have now.

Enjoyable and educational. Well-researched history of both the transatlantic voyage and the women who were necessary for such journeys. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

My brief thoughts here : https://www.bethfishreads.com/2021/08/what-i-read-in-july-brief-thoughts.html

and on GoodReads & promoted on Twitter and Instagram

Maiden Voyages is not what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting a book mostly of fiction that would be told about an actual person. But, instead, Maiden Voyages reads more like a textbook. It is filled with dates and names and incidents from different time periods. While the book is interesting and informative it really wasn't my kind of book. History buffs will love this book and it is very well written. Just not my cup of tea.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

This unexpectedly delightful book has elements of cultural , maritime, and world histories wedded with fascinating anecdotes about life afloat for everyone from lower class village residents who went to sea to earn a decent living to royal and Hollywood celebrities.

I felt the exhaustively researched book balanced the various stories. I liked the focus of how several decades of ocean travel aboard the big ships changed many women's lives and presented opportunities that would never have happened in their landbound existence.

The women who served aboard the ships as stewardesses, chaperones and nurses were indeed trailblazers and following their lives was interesting. The war years section was quite sobering with many facts that I was unaware of. There are quite a variety of tales told in the book but it was well organized and the well-written last chapter does a terrific job of summarizing. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Maiden Voyages; Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Aboard Them by Siân Evans is a truly fascinating read/listen that I highly recommend to anyone wanting to learn about women's history! I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this book. It was a wonderful combination of history and narrative keeping me both entertained and engaged.

What a treat! Fans of ocean voyages and those who have never taken a cruise alike will enjoy this look at the role women held on ocean liners in the first half of the 20th century, Evans takes a look at occupants of rooms on each deck or class but for me the more interesting women were those who worked on them. From the woman who taught swimming to one who escorted children to an engineer, they all contributed even if they were unseen. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A very good and informative read.

Very good non-fiction read. During the first half of the 20th century, ocean liners offered women unusual and adventurous career opportunities. This was the story of some of those ships and some of those women, who worked as stewardesses, nurses, chaperones, and even (rarely) engineers. There were also a few stories of women who changed their lives by traveling on these ships. Loved the descriptions of the ships and life on these transatlantic voyages. Easy read, but I learned things!

This book shines as a detailed history of women in travel by ship. I learned some interesting historical tidbits and personal stories. The book will appeal to readers of history and women on the sea.

Maiden Voyages is a wholly unique take on both feminist history and travel books. Evans creates a really magical intersectionality between the two in a way that engages the audience and keeps you wanting more. Very grateful for the early access to this title!

Very slow start. I was distracted by the format as well, did not read easily in the e book I saw. The premise is interesting but I felt even as non fiction it needed a stronger plot or structure.

I received an eARC from Net Galley. This is an interesting history of ocean liners and specifically about the women who worked or travelled on them. Some of it was quite interesting and I enjoyed hearing about what was happening in the world in the different time periods and how that impacted shipping and the women involved. But some portions were a bit dry and dragged. It might have been better if it read a bit more like personal stories rather than a history book. But overall a decent book on an interesting topic.

Maiden Voyages by Siân Evans is the intriguing history of transatlantic travel and role of women in that field. For lovers of nonfiction stories of women: their power, their strength, and how we fight for ourselves, this an entertaining piece of history. As someone whose knowledge of ocean travel only goes as deep as watching the Titanic and having experienced a modern-day cruise, the stories and information that Evans shares were quite interesting.
Evans tackles the subject chronologically from the start of ocean travel to its Golden Age to the modern cruises we know now. I enjoyed that this was a story of ocean travel through the lives of women from all angles. Evans does not just discuss the women who work on ocean liners but also the women who traveled on them as passengers from actress, singers, and royalty to women who hide aboard and others who gave up their last penny to come aboard and sail to a different life.
It wasn’t until I was about 50-60% through the book that I started enjoying the stories and appreciate the history. It is a book I like but didn’t love, which is why I gave it 3 stars. Evans weaved the history of the ocean liners and the history of the travels well, but sometimes I would get frustrated at where the women’s stories ended and the ship's histories began. If you are a person who loves history, I think that this is a book you will enjoy. Its informational but also gives first-person accounts and dives into individuals. Maiden Voyages was a book I do not regret pushing through and find myself bringing up in conversation.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. *

The title Maiden Voyages references both the first voyages of great ocean liners and the women who would make the journey between Europe and North America. The author digs deep into the history of the ocean liners themselves, regaling readers with interesting tidbits of information. There are small stories about the employees of the ships, as well as the famous passengers, which bring a part of history to life that readers might not know.

From the beginning of the twentieth century, transatlantic travel was an exciting prospect. It was an extraordinary undertaking for the companies who would build the great ships and for the people who worked on them. I enjoyed getting to know some of the women who traveled, as well as more about the ships themselves, but I did not like the book overall. The author spent too much time on information about the ships and its passengers that had no connection to the theme of the book. The lack of cohesiveness, especially the overall organization of the information itself, pulled the book down. I did learn some interesting facts about the ocean liners and the women who worked or took passage on them, but it was not enough to make me want to recommend it to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Readers Copy of Maiden Voyages: Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Abroad by NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

What a nice non-fiction change from psychological thrillers and cozy mysteries. Maiden Voyages delivers as promised: it is most definitely an engaging and anecdotal social history detailing the lives of women traveling as wealthy guests, women looking to make new lives for themselves, and women employed as staff on magnificent ocean liners traveling between Europe and North America during the Golden Age of ocean liner travel.

The narrative jumps from anecdote to anecdote, but that just adds to the charm of the stories. Author Sian Evans keeps a clear timeline going, returning to wrap up stories of women previously introduced so we aren’t left wondering, “What happened to her?” The book is full of history, but it’s not dry like a history book can be. It’s easy to read, moves along smoothly, and is a very enjoyable way to spend a couple of days. I already knew some of the facts presented (it’s history, after all) but I learned a lot of interesting tidbits. A variety of women passengers as well as those working on board are profiled. The strict lines of society and how they were not to be crossed are apparent. The dedication, bravery, and heroism of many of the women employed and the constraints they had to work under are highlighted. And we are also teased with a bit of scandal about some of the passengers.

Maiden Voyages is well-written, well-researched, informative and entertaining. Author Sian Evans has done a brilliant job bringing this unique type of travel by these wonderful women to life. It was a fascinating period in history and makes for a great read. I read a digital copy but I believe I will get a copy of the hardcover book to enjoy the photos even more.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of Maiden Voyages via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I loved it and recommend it without hesitation. All opinions are my own.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. 'Maiden Voyages' is an interesting look at the evolution of ocean liners and the women who came aboard to serve. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, travel by sea was the only option people had if they needed to cross the Atlantic. The industry was dominated by men, but there were a few instances when women were hired. For example, ship stewards took care of male passengers, but when female passengers were part of the roster, it wasn't considered proper for men to care for them. Hence, 'stewardesses' became a part of most shipping lines. These women were usually single and sought adventure, travel, as well as a decent paycheck. Author Sian Evans does a great job detailing many of these ladies who were brave enough to try something different. The bias they faced from male crew members and society at large did not deter them. They took their work seriously and almost always put their passengers first--even in dire emergencies. Evans traces the shipping industry through both World Wars until the arrival of aviation threw the industry a curve. While I found it all very interesting, I was distracted by the many tangents the author explored. She got off topic many times and took pages to explain various situations that had little to do with her subject. Other than that, this book was a terrific read and I learned a lot about the great ocean liners and the plucky women who sailed with them. I do recommend it.