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Simon & Schuster

Launching Liberty: The Epic Race to Build the Ships That Took America to War

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Description

This enduring book tells the heroic, gripping, yet overlooked story of one of World War II's monumental achievements—the building of America's fleet of Liberty ships. . With the shadow of war looming large over American life in 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt knew it wasn't a matter of if the United States would be pulled into battle, but when. He foresaw a "new kind of war," one that would demand the nation be prepared in ways like never before. America's most critical need in preparation was not drafting more soldiers or manufacturing more guns. It was building more ships that could carry enormous supplies of weapons, vehicles, medical gear, food, and clothing to US and allied troops around the world. One ship could feed three million men for a day—an entire fleet could sustain troops for years. Launching Liberty tells the remarkable story of how FDR partnered with private businessmen to build 3,000 vital cargo freighters longer than a football field—ships he affectionately dubbed "ugly ducklings." To lead its emergency ship-building operation, the government turned to Henry Kaiser, who had delivered the Boulder Dam ahead of schedule and was beginning to revolutionize healthcare for workers—but who had never built a ship in his life. Kaiser led the way in creating a network of shipyards from coast to coast and recruited tens of thousands of workers eager to help protect their country and carry America to victory on board the Liberty ships. Launching Liberty is a tapestry of voices reflecting the diverse American experience of World War II. From the halls of the White House to the cramped quarters of half-finished cargo ships, we hear from naval architects, welders, nurses, engineers, daycare providers, and mothers balancing family life with the demands of wartime economy. As union tensions rose, tired prejudices toward working women and people of color came crashing down, giving rise to Rosie the Riveter and her cousin Wendy the Welder. This book uncovers the inspiring, untold stories of those who rose to the challenge, to protect not only their freedom, but their country's democracy. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster


Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 19, 2025


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 464 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1668017784


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 84


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #120,383 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #64 in Naval Military History #267 in Women in History #351 in World War II History (Books)


#64 in Naval Military History:


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • A Story We All Must Know
Format: Hardcover
I have spent decades reading about WWII. After well over 700 books it amazes me that I can still read a book like this one that tells me yet another story about the most impactful event of our modern times that I really didn't know about. I read this book in slightly less time than it took the Richmond ship yard to build the Robert Peary. It seems fashionable these days to decry Tom Brokaw's description of the WWII generation as our "Greatest Generation". I can't find a single argument against Brokaw's claim and this book can certainly be strong evidence that Brokaw knows what he's talking about. This is an action packed book that constantly amazes with the stories Most presents. His writing is quick moving and to the point. It is impossible to not hold the many characters in this book in our highest esteem. What this country and our Allied partners accomplished in WWII is as close to a miracle as history gives us and this book hammers that point home. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2026 by Timothy F. Blixt
    • Liberty Ships & Love
Format: Hardcover
I’ve been looking forward to getting my copy and read about America coming together in making these ships happen! My parents both worked in the Todd Bath Shipyard in Maine and that is where they met! Important yes for our family and our future generations, however I knew little about the coming together portion of government and business making it happen! Doug Most did beautiful job weaving that information in this book and bringing it to light! It has depth and a tone which captures the essence of that time and the American spirit to make it happen. It’s holds your attention and makes you think how so many came together and made it happen. Amazing piece of history that should be read! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2025 by Camper Life
    • Really interesting and engaging story!
Format: Hardcover
I have been reading the book and alternating it with the audible version (which I am really enjoying!). Most does a fantastic job in describing the narrative stories of the men and women that built the liberty ships. This is a well researched and interesting read about a period of time that these ships were pivitol in helping America win WW2 win the war and help our allies. I would highly recommend this book! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2025 by Shoshana Rose
    • Intimate stories of Henry Kaiser, welders, burners, mass production of 10,500 dwt “Liberty” ships.
Format: Hardcover
Very intimate book on the personal aspects of the “Liberty” ship building program, ranging from Henry Kaiser to individual welders and burners. The book describes the tremendous effect Kaiser and the massive ship building program had on the U.S., socially and economically. At its peak, the “Liberty” ship program employed 1.5 million people. It greatly accelerated issues such as racial integration and women in the workplace, healthcare (Kaiser Permanente), pay scales, and Federal government intervention in the economy. Unfortunately, the book is marred by several errors or exaggerations. Fortunately, they do not detract from the overall story. * In page 5 and in several other pages, author Doug Most confuses Sweden and Norway by stating that the Germans seized Sweden in 1940. * Page 11: Most incorrectly states that a torpedo had to strike its ship targets at exactly a 90 degree angle or it would fail to detonate. * It is incorrectly stated that the German navy deployed over a thousand submarines in the North Atlantic in the summer of 1940. Ridiculous! The maximum number of submarine ever deployed was around 450 and that was in 1944. In the summer of 1940, the German navy typically deployed 20 - 30 submarines in the North Atlantic and sometimes only 10 - 12. * Page 117 contains a totally incorrect interpretation of the 1936 "London Protocol" regarding merchant vessels and submarine attacks: "The regulation allowed merchant vessels and merchant marines to be minimally armed and to report to their navy when they detected nearby submarines." This statement is wrong on both counts. The 1936 London Protocol required that merchant ships not be armed, and they could not report a submarine's position to a warship. If they were armed, or if they reported the submarine's position, they could be attacked without further ado. In theory, a submarine was to comply with the so-called "cruiser rule" which required that the attacking ship remove the crew of the merchant ship before sinking it. A submarine was too small to take on a ship's crew, so all navies ignored the Protocol when war began. * Page 140: it is stated that the U.S. was sending supplies to the USSR in April of 1941. Not possible. Germany did not invade the Soviet Union until June of 1941. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2026 by Bayard B.
    • A fascinating slice of wartime history
Format: Hardcover
This is a fascinating slice of little-known wartime history, and Doug Most tells it beautifully, in a way that draws the reader deeply into the story. We're living through a time where feeling patriotic can be difficult, but the storylines in this book make me proud.
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2025 by William
    • A superb and informative book
Format: Hardcover
As a retired US Navy officer and Fellow of the Naval War College, I read many WWII books about the Atlantic and Japanese wars. But Doug Most has chosen a subject I had not come across before and he writes it in a detailed, informative, highly interesting manner. He is a first rate scholar. I recommend the book highly. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2025 by Jon Lindseth
    • Fabulous
Format: Hardcover
With meticulous, wide-ranging research and compelling prose, Doug Most has taken an inspiring story of American inventiveness and grit, and turned it into an inspiring read for the ages.
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2025 by Eric J. Braude

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