The RMS Majestic: The ‘Magic Stick’ second edition is available to pre-order!
RMS Majestic: The ‘Magic Stick’ is being released as a revised and expanded edition by the History Press. It is scheduled to be published on 14 March 2024.
When the original edition was released by Tempus Publishing in November 2006, it was the first book to focus solely on her history. Lots of material and illustrations were published for the first time. Critics loved it:
‘Mark Chirnside has once again delivered a book that not only tells a story, but also makes that story come alive – Majestic is no longer a mere footnote. RMS Majestic: The ‘Magic Stick’ is a book that fills the need for a comprehensive look at the White Star Line’s last flagship.’
Now, you can *pre-order* signed copies of the revised and expanded edition through this website. The page count has been expanded 50 percent, from 96 to 144 pages. It includes about 180 images (about 50 in colour), the majority of which are new (about a quarter appeared in the original edition). All in all, the revised and expanded edition is virtually a new book. Highlights include previously unpublished information about
- Cunard’s naval architect, Leonard Peskett, who set about examining Imperator when she entered service in 1913;
- details of Edward Wilding’s role as he supported Bismarck/Majestic‘s completion and went about the unenviable task of liaising between Blohm & Voss, Harland & Wolff, White Star and the British Board of Trade (in particular, the struggle to get certain features accepted under British regulations as opposed to the German standards);
- accounts about life onboard during the Roaring Twenties, including fights among the crew, drunken passengers falling overboard and getting into mischief;
- life onboard HMS Caledonia for boys undergoing their training between 1937 and 1939;
- data rich appendices, including a comparison of Imperator/Berengaria and Bismarck/Majestic‘s earnings throughout their careers.
Other new features exclusive to the new edition include lavish deck plans of first and tourist class accommodation in full colour; a rare Italian brochure produced for third class passengers; detailed plans of the boiler and engine rooms drawn by the talented Lionel Codus; photos of life onboard in the 1920s and 1930s; and photos of her as HMS Caledonia, featuring areas such as the former first class dining saloon converted to a mess hall and boys undergoing training onboard.
To see page previews from inside the book and pre-order your own signed copy, checkout the Majestic book page . Secure payment can be made by card or PayPal using the payment button (make sure you select your location – if your country is not listed, please contact Mark). If you have a specific personal inscription you would like, make sure to include it with your order; if not, your copy will have the author’s signature and date. All pre-orders received by 14 March 2024 will be shipped as soon as the book is released.
Signed copies also come with a Mark Chirnside’s Reception Room bookmark, so you won’t lose your place. That means no excuses for using dog ears, which will damage the book!