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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 910
EAN num: 9780471423522
ISBN number: 0471423521
Label: Wiley
Manufacturer: Wiley
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 304
Printing Date: January 17, 2003
Publishing house: Wiley
Sale Popularity Level: 789187
Studio: Wiley
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'A stupendous feat of reportage.'
-Ron Powers, cowriter of Flags of Our Fathers
Praise for Desperate Hours
'Goldstein's book is packed with detail. . . . This description of the Doria's sinking is especially moving.'
-The New York Times
'A stupendous feat of reportage. Goldstein has virtually put us into lifeboats and sent us hurtling into the North Atlantic on the night of July 25, 1956.'
-Ron Powers, cowriter, Flags of Our Fathers, and author of Dangerous Water and Tom and Huck Don't Live Here Anymore
On an extraordinary summer's night in 1956, in a fog off Nantucket, the world-renowned ocean liner Andrea Doria collided with the Swedish liner Stockholm and, eleven hours later, tragically sank. But in that brief time the Doria became, after the Titanic, the most storied vessel of the century, as nearly 1,700 people were saved in an unforgettable rescue punctuated by countless acts of heroism amid confusion, terror, and even cowardice.
In the tradition of Walter Lord's A Night To Remember, Desperate Hours re-creates the ill-fated voyage, from the passengers' parting waves at Genoa, to their last evening highball in the Doria's lavish lounge, to the unbelievable realization that catastrophe was imminent. Richard Goldstein draws from dozens of interviews, court documents, memoirs, and reports that relate never-before-told stories. He also presents technical findings that shed light on the blame for the disaster. The result is a definitive history of a fateful day, a legendary liner, and a deadly shipwreck now considered by scuba divers to be the Mount Everest of the deep.
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Rated by buyers 
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Desperate Hours-A touching account
I really enjoyed reading the human accounts of this book. Mr. Goldstein delves into the uplifting and the demoralizing experiences of survivors. Being one of them, I relate to much of what he describes. I only wish that the author would have interviewed more survivors; in fact, different ones from those in Collision Course by Alvin Moscow. Most of the scientific evidence is also a repeat of Collision Course.
As a survivor of the tragedy, I have read most books on the Andrea Doria. None has satisfied my curiosity about what really happened to cause the collision. So for 2 ½ years, I went on my own quest for the truth. I researched evidence dispersed on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The result is an irrefutable, scientific explanation of the tragic event which had a miraculous outcome: the greatest sea rescue!
Pierette Domenica Simpson
Author of ALIVE ON THE ANDREA DORIA! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History
Rated by buyers -
There are several excellent books on the sinking of the "Andrea Doria," and I have read most if not all of them. I like this book because of the slightly different focus the author puts on the story. Most books focus on the technicalities of the disaster, and leave the human element of the drama in a distant second place. Goldstein does the opposite: he describes the technicalities somewhat less than many other authors but makes the human drama more compelling than any other book I have read on the subject.
While my favorite book on the tragedy is still Moscow's classic "Collision Course" (I also like "Out of the Fog" for very first hand information, although it is somewhat biased,) Richard Goldstein has done an excellent job writing an eminently readable book with numerous and diverse viewpoints. He is very good at resolving perceived discrepancies (as well as can be done this long after the tragedy) and goes to great lengths not to needlessly vilify anyone involved, rather he points out errors committed as human failings to be learned from.
For anyone interested in the "Andrea Doria," the "Stockholm," or maritime safety in general, this is a great book written in a compelling, concise, and readable style. I highly recommend "Desperate Hours."
Rated by buyers 
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A compelling very first hand account of this terrible accident and the needless loss of the beautiful Andrea Dora. One thing I was disapointed was the book has few pictures. The DORIA was one of the most drop dead beautiful ocean liners ever made. I was hoping for more pre accident pictures. If you want very first hand accounts from the survivors this book is the last word. If you want to learn more about the DORIA itself look elsewhere.
Rated by buyers -
"The Desperate Hours" is an account of the collision between the passenger liners Andrea Doria and Stockhlom, which occurred on the night of July 25, 1956 south of Nantucket. Fortunately, the accident took place in summertime within heavily traveled shipping lanes. DH is not another "Night to Remember", which was the tale of the vastly more tragic and heartbreaking Titanic sinking of April, 1912. Author Goldstein is a New York Times journalist and like a good reporter faithfully follows the who-what-why-when-where- and how path to constructing solid news stories. Sergeant Joe Saturday from the old "Dragnet" show always wanted "the facts ma'am" and this is exactly what readers of DH will get. Mr. Goldstein touches all the bases here, including a brief history of the ships, various personalities among the passengers (mostly those of the more glamorous Doria), a background of word the ships' Masters, and a retracing of the actions of the 2 crews leading up to the collision. Goldstein solidly recounts the frustratingly contradictory versions the 2 skippers gave of their actions in the final critical moments. "Who did or didn't do what" is explained and analyzed in layman's language. The author also covers the post accident investigations and follows up with tales of the subsequent lives of various passengers and crew. The only objection from this reviewer is its title! The rescue operation was not "desperate" at all- in act it was amazingly orderly. 5 ships, including the Stockholm, carried survivors back to New York, with 2 more vessels standing by at the scene. The Doria lingered for nearly 12 hours (the Titanic lasted 3!) before sinking. All fatalities were caused by the ships' impact, none by drowning. This is the virtual opposite of the Titanic tragedy, where an inadequate rescue effort gravely worsened the situation. Author Goldstein deserves 5 star credit for a solid soup to nuts reporting. One star is deducted for the implication of excitement and suspense that simply is not there. Those who approach DH as a very first class news story, with no frills added, should not be disappointed.
Rated by buyers -
With "Desperate Hours," author Richard Goldstein effectively recreates the sinking of the Andrea Doria in 1956, one of the last great ocean liner catastrophies, but also perhaps the greatest martime rescue in history. Nearly 1700 passengers and crew were rescued from the ship after its collision with another liner, The Stockholm. Goldstein starts his story by developing the backgrounds of the key players, the two captains, the mate who was on watch on The Stockholm's bridge at the time of the collision, and many of the key passengers. He then takes the reader on board both ships during their journeys and in the fatal moments before the crash. The rest of the book deals with the rescue efforts and the heros (an yes, a few villians) that emerged from it.
Goldstein also recounts the international politics of the disaster (involving the governments and national pride of both Italy and Sweeden) and the history of Trans Atlantic travel that help give it the proper context. A little touch like including the fact that Walter Lord's bestellar about the Titanic disaster, "A Night to Remember," had just come out and helped increase passenger anxiety makes the narrative seeme even more real. He explains the mistakes that led to the collision and deals well with the aftermath, including trhe settling of the myriad of lawsuits that resulted. Many of the stories are very first hand accounts from the survivors, which increases their effectiveness. Goldstein possesses a good narrative touch as a historical author, and if the book has a flaw, it is that at times it is a bit too detailed.
Overall, an "Desperate Hours" is fine reading for nautical disaster buffs and anyone with an interest in seafaring stories in genereal.
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