<P><B>Transatlantic liners have flourished over 130 years, here readers learn how and why</B></P><P>Follow the changing form of the transatlantic ocean liner from inception to the jet age, this new history details the way changing attitudes and social conditions led to ever bigger, faster, and grander ships. Learn how ship design has been influenced by changing needs and beliefs, while at the same time showcasing how these great liners themselves helped shape societies on both sides of the pond. The book answers many questions and explains the differences between a liner and a cruise ship, giving the reader a sound grounding in the history of the transatlantic passenger trade, the great ships that served it, and how these powerful vessels helped form nations and were themselves formed by the changing requirements of the nations that built them.