Oh the wonder of
the grand ladies of the sea, those great ships
of the Cunard Line, the Queen Mary II and the
newly christened Queen Victoria (the
Queen Elizabeth 2 is now docked in Dubai).
In a day when the word cruising has lost any hint
of sophistication and cruises have left the Bergdorf
glamour of half a century ago and joined the Carnivalized
world of the Walmart shopper, the Cunard grand
ladies still "cross" the Atlantic in
style (please don't use the word cruise while
in the presence of the Captain of the QM2) . These
old-world-style crossing appeal to a cosmopolitan
group of travelers, travelers who love to pack
heaps of Louis Vuitton valises and embark on a
ship where they can dine under the portraited
gaze of the British royal family.
In their quest
to create an even more memorable crossing experience,
Cunard has invited a group of literary giants
to accompany their guests as they traverse the
Atlantic. E.L. Doctorow, author of the critically
acclaimed novels Ragtime, Billy Bathgate,
Homer and Langley, and The March
was Cunard's first such honoree in their
new literary series.
Here is a quote
from the press release about Cunard's new literary
program (they have had many other such programs,
it is Cunard after all): "While on board
Doctorow participated in Cunard’s Literature
and Liners Series, where he was able to share
his work with literature enthusiasts from around
the world. During his six day transatlantic voyage
(May 31-June 5) Doctorow provided travelers with
selected reading from The March, his
award winning novel with an emphasis on the dramatic
effect of the Civil War on its victims and its
victors. He also led a workshop on How Writers
Write, where he discussed the creative writing
process."
Doctorow's pending
voyage was celebrated with a luncheon in his honor
on the Queen Mary 2 on Sunday May 31, 2009 while
the ship was docked in Red Hook and loading passengers
for its voyage to England. Doctorow was joined
by his friends and family for lunch and a tour
of the Queen Mary 2. The guests included his charming
wife Helen, their daughter and her husband and
their three lovely granddaughters. Also on board
for the luncheon was the Doctorow' friend, the
acclaimed essayist, journalist, and author Calvin
Trillin.
Cunard's literary cruises are the perfect vacation
for sophisticated travelers who wish to visit
a world where glamour reigns and there is not
one Juicy-Coutured behind in sight.
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| Queen Mary II |
Queen Mary II |
Click
here for the Amazon.com's listing of E. L. Doctorow's
books.
Click
here for more information about the Queen Mary
II.
