Maiden Voyages by Siân Evans released in the US in paperback

‘Maiden Voyages splices together intriguing personalities in extraordinary settings sailing through dramatic times, a tale well worth the fare.’ – Air Mail

Maiden Voyages by Siân Evans is published in the US today in paperback from St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan.

Maiden Voyages is a celebration of transatlantic tales, both life-affirming and cautionary, exploring how women’s lives were transformed by their journeys between Europe and North America during the first half of the twentieth century. Whether they were travelling for leisure or pleasure, by virtue of their celebrity or to preserve their anonymity, their individual stories provide fascinating and informative narratives, largely untold until now.

Full of gossip, stories and intrigue, as well as a diverse cast of extraordinary women, Maiden Voyages is a highly entertaining and utterly compelling account of life on board the high seas.

‘[A] bracing history…Evans intersperses these eventful histories with splashes of colour about [women] who used the sea as a magic carpet to self-invention.’ – The New York Times

‘Engaging and accessible… Evans’ decision to investigate stories of enormous personal transformation is a fruitful way to explore the impact of broader social changes.’ – Minneapolis Star Tribune

‘Thoroughly captivating…First-hand accounts bring an immediacy to the never-ending action, and Evans is a good storyteller, deftly weaving individual women’s adventures into contemporary current events.’ – Booklist

‘Siân Evans captures the glamour of life on the upper decks (think dance bands, evening gowns and illicit romances with millionaires), alongside the desperation and discomfort of those who gambled everything on a one-way ticket in steerage.’ ― BBC History Magazine