>> going forward, how do we bring in infants to this, especially among people that we interact with everyday. it is going to be a crucial vote. how do we bring this to the forefront of their minds? >> the cocoa. the atf will say to the american people are not synonyms. .. share -- share articles and share information about it, to really get the information out there. and

>> recounted the life of a naval architect william francis gibbs and creation of the s.s. united states, a passenger liner ed carey more than a million people across the atlantic over two decades. the ship completed in 1952 and viewed as a technological advancement in sea travel with speeds of 35 knots. this is about an hour. >> thank you all for coming up tonight. this has been a long time in the making. for me to be will to produce this book after basically five years, a lot of research went

into this book. but the of what we did, i read the book. steve and i worked on probably a dozen stories. their mere allies of the book. the research that i thought would be fun tonight. talk about some of the things that surprised me, what i thought would be fun would be to talk to us some of the things that surprised me when i read the book. but first, everyone a little bit of the speed of the conservancy efforts. there is a fine line issue here in terms of where they stand in terms of our ability in the future. >> well, the current status with the ship right now, she is owned by the ss united states conservancy which is a non-profit formed in 2004 that was meant to raise awareness of

the plight of the ship. and in 2010 the ship was put up for sale by the then current owner, norwegian cruise line. there is light at about redoing the ship. and then because of the economic situation they decided to pull the plug on the project. she was put on the scrap market. everyone thought, this is it, after the miss staffers for decades, this is final yet. well, the day before all were due jerry call the service . one of our board members who was a crew member picked up. he did not believe what he heard. he was not very sure this was real, but it turned out he had a keen interest in the ship mainly because he was unable officer. his father helped design a portion of the ship.

purchased in february 2011. the conservancy is now charged with redeveloping the ship as a stationary attraction. the analogy i like to make is that imagine that a divine intervention like this has happened in the early 60's when penn station was about to get torn down. let's get that today and think and how could they have torn down pennsylvania station. we look at what is in its place, that ugly place. this is an unbelievable opportunity, but he is 20 months of funding after a purchase to maintain the ship. and there there is not a clear development plan, a real-estate deal, and the american public was behind this project the s.s. united states will be sold until the gulf coast can decide. that will be a very painful and

is. that is what will happen when the ship. i was born -- i was one of the many, many people who passed that ship going over to the whitman. did not really think about it too much. i was struck by the fact that she looked fast standing still, but i really did not realize anything about her legacy. tell us a little bit about her architect and how the but connect to our history. >> well, we have a very chance to be on the delaware river. in 1894 francis crick -- francis kids sits by his father's side.

the cheering of crowds. dripping red, white, and blue. and he always said to me from that moment on when i saw that ship, knew what i wanted to do with my life. he pursued that passion until he achieved his goal. he was born in total fee in 1886. his father was a very wealthy financiers who was connected with the whiteners. and after leaving he moved to the mansion. and gibbs was a very shy child. spent most of his time tinkering . his father wanted him to be a lawyer. felt that it was not a stable profession. well, however calamity happens when the family has severe

economic reversal. they'll lose their mansion and gibbs is forced to drop out. he basically said, if it was not for the fact that my father -- is my father had not gone bankrupt i would not have had the drive i have today the do it myself. importing his way to colombia and get his law degree. practiced law for one year, hated it and apprenticed himself to a famous admirable @booktv admirable call david taylor. taylor taught him what he needed to learn. gives eventually moved and started a very successful practice. not just designing chips, but also naval ships. the design 70 percent of all naval vessels built during world war two which is an incredible achievement, destroyers and cruisers, he designed the normandy landing craft. also the man responsible for the liberty ship, the icon to liberty ship which was mass-produced cargo ships that

helped win the war. basically that was the way to go in his mind. even throughout this very successful career he still remained focused on the grand prize, building his ship. and what really irritated him was that european governments subsidize their shipping companies with vast amounts of money to build bigger, faster passenger ships, ships that are not really luxurious, but also had an of engine power to outdo the previous record holder, and this is a time when the highest average speed across the atlantic really meant something. and so that was the obsession to build an american version. >> tell the folks gathered here a little bit about, we know that he could make a lot of ships. we knew he had an obsession. talk about his innovation.

on a lot of levels it was doing things other naval architects were not doing. >> well, he actually credited when people ask him why he was during this. well, i was not formally trained allied had to think outside the box. and with his destroyer being built to the 1930's he had a revolutionary new engine, high-pressure, high-temperature steam which allowed these stories to basically run circles around not only previous destroyers, but the british and japanese destroyers as well. and he worked and allowed the innovations that made him a crucible of world war two into the united states. what makes it so special compared to other passenger ships like queen mary where some of the other great europeans. first of all, she had the greatest power to root weight ratio of any commercial vessel in history and was only outclassed in that regard by a few naval vessels.

she had a steel whole, a very well may steal all made of steel right here in pennsylvania. and the superstructure was not steal aluminum, the largest use aluminum up to that time. everything about the promise not, the decking of top was aluminum. so that allowed the ships to a gain a tremendous amount of weight. the engines were basically high-temperature, high-pressure turbines which were later used from the forestall class aircraft carrier. she was an incredibly powerful vessel built for speed. in many ways, the way i like to summer up is she combined the speed and maneuverability of a destroyer with the luxury and space of an ocean liner, something that had never been done before. >> the prestige. the fact that so much was declassified and why caught.

>> well, kind of like steve jobs. terrified of other people stealing his ideas. he was also a very good project manager. the big picture guy. i want a ship to look like this. i wanted to be beautiful, have these expectations. then he was going to work with his engineers and basically tested and all the way to make sure they fulfill his vision and the ship looked the way he wanted it to look. the ship was classified, a lot of the designs were classified because two-thirds of the $70 million cost where subsidized by the u.s. government, which was pretty impressive. the ship was supposed to be turned into a troop transport should war break out the fabric of, so she was basically a military chip. she could be turned into a 13,000 soldiers troop transport within 48 hours. and all of our officers were in

the u.s. navy reserve. so she was basically a military ship. you could not could down to the engine room as a passenger and say, hey, i would like to go take a look. not allowed. the bridge, no. her speed was classified up until the mid-1970s, and during her speed trials no one was allowed to look at how fast she was going. all sorts of speculation about how fast she could go. starring her maiden voyage she broke but the record of 35 knots, which is incredibly fast, 41 miles-per-hour. but when interviewed by the british reporters, we were just cruising. more power up my sleeve. the british did not really like that. the queen mary can only do 31, 32 not spirited turns of the s.s. united states could do 3832

not him the equivalent of 44 miles-per-hour. imagine the chrysler building turned on its side and able to go that fast. so it was of very closely guarded secret. >> admirable rickover was the founder of the nuclear navy. he pioneered the nuclear submarine program. he was intensely interested in the s.s. united states. so one day a crew member, he was a radio committee delivered messages from the rerun to passengers. he was making his rounds when he saw six officers on the bridge with their binoculars out. well, that looks interesting. clipping at about 32 knots. and a periscope pop-up not that far away. that submarine was going really, really fast. this was not some ordinary

submarine. it goes back down. and then joe goes to the radio operator and says what was that? area of british says you didn't see anything. you didn't see anything. a few hours later it turns out everyone found out it was the u.s. as norwest with admiral rickover on board. was she signaling? area operator says mrs. recover is on board and he wants to wish her happy birthday. but rickover was not just interested in keeping up with the united states, he went to newport shipbuilding afterwards which was the company that built the ship. you know who i am. could you please tell me what her top speed is. should it shipyard official, i have some bad news, you're not on the need to know list. and knowing his temper, he has a

notorious temper, he did not take that very well. >> your file was extraordinary. talk about that for a bit. especially. [inaudible] >> well, always felt that piracy was a bigger danger than sinking . he was terrified of fire breaking out on board any of the ships. growing up, the family would often take him and his brother gallivanting threat the city's in the middle of the night. the family coachman, a former philadelphia firefighter would wake of the boys. come on. there's a fire. let's go take a look. he was fascinated, but the disaster that really shaped him took place right off of the jersey shore, a steam ship designed by one of his rivals called the moral castle was

coming back from a pleasure cruise in cuba. the captain was found dead in his bathtub and a few hours later the ship caught fire and the fire spread rapidly. the ship was very nicely outfitted with beautiful wood paneling, beautiful carpeting, and the ship was of fire from and to and within a few hours. no way to get out. lifeboats were blocked, as requested not work. and the ship, the burning hope ran aground and smoldered for days. people would come and look at it. kind of a ghoulish tourist attraction. about 130 people died in this disaster. gives was terrified of something like that happening aboard the s.s. united states. so he was adamant that almost no would could be used on board the ships. of course on any ocean liner you expect there to be pianos. he wanted the best, so he went

to stein way and set a lot you to build. now, we had a company. mr. stanley said, i can't do that. it will sound terrible. they're going back and forth to memos going back and forth. finally a frustrated mr. stein went says that the bill do this or the panel that will be on the ship, special would talk takes it in front of mr. gibbs, pours gasoline on it, here, you happy? he says, okay. fine. >> she uses it, but this was also on board the s.s. united states. now matt picked up the wood

called end of it -- and discernible. it was used for croquet mallets and cricket balls. it is a self lubricating would which allows the turn. and he figured, okay. there won't catch fire. >> let's talk a little bit about the man, what type of person he was, personality, so driven, so focused, self-taught. what was he like? >> in many ways he was like frank lloyd wright. he only had a few interim and schooling. right only had two semesters to my belief, architectural training at the university. gives six and engineering glasses while at harvard and did terribly at them. but gives was of very driven.

i believe he was an engineer with the feel of an artist. he was a sort of man who knew engineering but his real strength was being a charismatic leader. not for having a very bad mouth, especially when he got angry, and he would -- be at a car phone, very early car phone. used radio waves to transmit. he was always on the phone and working. and the sec almost revoke the license for his car phone. he would drop so many four-letter words over the air. he was also the sort of man that if you were working for him he would hover around. when he was shown a piece of work, take it away. bring me the best. at the same time he really respected people who he felt, especially people in the arts.

his favorite works were tchaikovsky's sixth symphony, beethoven's fifth, and i believe in many ways he saw that as a symphony in steel. he would always make that analogy. he loved seeing ships, is this the ocean liners, auto works of art. a very retiring simple man he did not like publicity. heated reporters. he always dressed in a very plain almost shabby clothes. he wore the same have france on and. the waldorf-astoria. it was, i believe an edison

award. and it was a very long, boring evening. the audience looked miserable. and then he just got out, you know, dressed in his tuxedo with a sad face and said, ladies and gentlemen, i have had many bad experiences. this, by far, is the worst. [laughter] >> tell us about life on the s.s. united states back in the heyday from the passenger perspective and the crew perspective. >> well, the ship had three classis, which is something that is very foreign today. only go on cruises we usually have to borrow the ship. back then it was divided. first class usually was reserved for the burial of the. cost the equivalent of around $5,000 up one layperson to go first class.

and if you travel first class, especially during the high summer season, you are most likely to run into at least one are to celebrities on board, to name a few, southwest, the kennedys, i don't know if there were on board the same time, but -- i don't know the answer to that one. but actually, president truman, eisenhower, and speaking to crewmembers, observe these celebrities, some say there were fine. what disney would sit in the first-class dining room and sign autographs, the man you're something. these aren't not so nice. julie get -- jeter locked herself up in a suite for all five days and was very rude and ali came out once for dinner and was in a bad mood the all-time. so it was a very formal atmosphere, especially in first class. you did dress for dinner. black tie, gown, and there were

two settings, to seedings in the first-class dining room. the menus, multiple courses. and as one crewmember who was on the maiden voyage and for ten years she said anything that these messages one at any time of day or night they could have. he had to make it quick. there were competing against european ships, and a lot of americans felt, well, the european ships have better service and reroute to prove them wrong. the service on board the united states was about as friendly but not too familiar. a lot of the european ships was almost servile. although americans did not feel comfortable with that. so, yes, first bus was definitely above everything. one passenger, if you can call it that, was the mona lisa, seen as they safest way to transport the marley's it to america. and so they put her on a first-class to run. they put too big shoes, a set of

very large shoes. that put a pair of wrigley large shoes. don't mess with whoever is here. so cavan glasses at the stern, very popular with vacationing families, business people. still very nice. and in many ways, the preferred ted travel. tourist class located on the dow was not exactly, if you are in a storm in tourist class year and about. your going to get a turnaround lot. and it was cramped. there were no private bathrooms. you had to go down the hall which seems unconscionable today . you had a lot of traveling students, including bill clinton on the way to his rhodes scholarship at oxford.

a lot of immigrants leaving europe, upper and they did talk during her later years. the few working as part of a serving staff the ship had the crew. 800 of them were devoted to take care of the passengers. >> thank you for answering my questions. i think what i would like to do now, a little bit so that anyone

in the audience who might want to ask the author question has an opportunity. [inaudible question] >> november of 1969 there are two reasons for this. in the late 50's that jet aircraft came in and initially 11 shipping companies were like, well, this is in such a huge deal. people would probably want to take a ship one way to relax. but it ended up being, by the early 60's the united states, they were all losing money. and so by the early 60's there was a big cash trainer.

and then the u.s. government began thinking, well, we don't really need chips anymore this fast to take trips overseas. we are now using airplanes. november of 1969 the government pulled the plug on the ships very generous subsidy. the united states that we can't afford to operate the ship without the subsidy. and also, a lot of labor unrest, sailings, and a lot of people were like, why should we have to deal with this. we will just flight. delayed up in the builders yard and stayed there until the early 80's totally intact caught totally fire up again and reactivate. then seattle development register and promptly sold all the furniture to muster up the ship of everything. and then he went bankrupt. another person, a cruise ship operator bought her and took her to turkey and the ukraine where

all of the asbestos was ripped up. one thing that one of the fatal flaws of the ship, so obsessed with fire, well, we don't need to use would to built partitions , walls, paneling. we will use asbestos. he did not know, people did not know back then. all that had to be taken out. since she was stripped of for asbestos in turkey and the ukraine and then she was being towed back to america by one -- by new honor. no port would take care except for philadelphia. so she ended up here in 96. >> various things that were in the ship. was there any knowledge? >> well, a lot of it ended up in the collection of a woman called

[indiscernible] who passed away. she bought a lot of it for a restaurant she on the north carolina doesn't. she will love it to the museum in virginia. i remember visiting there. a huge storage room. i saw stacks and stacks of these famous red chairs. a piano. all sorts of furniture. now waiting to be reused. a lot of other stuff. private collections. you can go on to at ebay and find china and crystal and all sorts of things from the ship. it is all there. it's just scattered. [inaudible question]

>> right now the conservancy has just launched a new public history campaign called save the united states which allows the public, people that travel, people that care about the ship to purchase a sections of that digital's ship, basically modeled on the ellis island wall of honor. get involved in the campaign. and allow the american public to purchase and personalize adding stories, videos, and purchase is actually the ship. and it is a really revolutionary way to raise money for the ships exterior restoration. the conservancy of which i am on the advisory council, talking with a number of potential developers for having to ship as a stationary attraction in an american city. probably never sail again given current regulations it would just cost way too much to bring her back.

also, he looked at her today. she looks enormous. she is three football fields long, 12 stories high, but compared to the days cruise ships she is a quarter of their tonnage. passengers today, all sorts of experiences. in the 50's's people were quite happy to play card games and to eat gourmet meals and watch a movie. today people want to be entertained nonstop. and they also, the duke and duchess of windsor are quite happy. so today people want doug unease. so that is -- i mean, that is the conservancy's up, that she will be turned into a floating attraction. but she goes to scrappers, like most other ocean liners before her. >> something so that we can record this. the conservative -- is the conservancy doing anything to return this digital ship?

>> the conservancy has retained a very skilled caretaking operation which basically pumps up the ship whenever -- the pump, they have to pump up the bill does. any leaks that patch. so not something that the conservancy can repaint, but basically making sure she is well secured and is not leaking. and so the whole is actually in very, very good condition. 92 percent original, very, very high quality steel, very, very high quality element. structurally she is in pretty good shape, especially from the outside and all that rust, appeal, and paint. >> i was struck by the fact that you said it was made by steel. were they just selling supplies? >> live in builds the underwater portion of the whole below the

waterline. but it is gives me who built the above portion. might have been u.s. steel. >> look to conserve the ship and turn it into something stationary. are there other marvels and other parts of the country or around the world letter similar to this serving as a model for what you hope to accomplish? now what you're looking towards to sort of form your impressions. >> to ocean liners that have been preserved. one, of course, in long beach. and the problem with that project, really plaister far away from any sort of central business district and of the container port. development around her

languished. she is kind of there, isolated in long beach. and they ripped up a lot of what major interesting. everything below the superstructure. the engine. so she is -- struggling. another example which is much more recent is a ship of similar vintage, and that's liner which was completed in 1969. she failed. she was the american flag ship. another beautiful ship. she is now a stationary hotel and convention center and in her original home port of rotterdam. she was sold almost just for scrap. they have done a wonderful job in serving her. >> i just returned from to buy.

>> the qe2. taken out of service in 2008 and i believe after serving. serving 40 years, which was very impressive. and the downturn in the economy also affected the project. it seems like she is sitting there fully operational. they could fire her up again. i think the project is no restarted. there is talk. at think there is -- they're moving ahead. there are thinking about really ripping her apart and redoing her. i think now the line is more, keeper of she was. >> i think 82. >> i was a passenger on the ship in 1951. and this ship, you can feel.

in new york going fast. [inaudible question] >> even though she was, she did will. there was a story. she did not have stabilizers. gives would have nothing of it. the two queens are outfitted. one story i did hear from the steward, standing outside the dining room. everyone was all dressed up. then he said to me you feel the shipmate is still tell movement.

of. it was a wave. a 5460-foot wave. the ship went right over. early in the ship's career before they install seat belts under the chairs does so everyone went flying to one side of the ship. he said it was -- the said no one got hurt, but he said he started laughing. then the chief steward comes in screaming. what are you doing? why don't you help these people. then he slipped as some of the food and lands on his rear end. then he said it was even funnier, but it was -- he said, the chief steward never had a hair out of place, and here he was snared in ketchup and gravy. but yeah, no. i mean, the united states would frequently pass other liners. at a respectful distance, it was considered bad form on the atlantic to go up close to a slower ship and then some pass.

considered -- the first captain he did that get in big trouble. he passed by the queen elizabeth . one reporter said, i understand there was a race this venue and the queen elizabeth. and he said, there was no race. we simply raced away from her. >> you are a preservationist. protected. is there any type? if so, have you looked into that? >> a good question. yes, the ss that it -- the s.s. united states is currently on the register. that is very much -- still a destination which does allow developers to use tax credits to redevelop the ship. she -- one possibility cannot the academy of music or other

landmarks. that is a a possible designation . >> my concern is the as as united states is means of dollars to preserve, and i hope it does. i really very much support that. however, on the other hand, they also need millions of dollars right now, and i can tell you, that new jersey is going to need millions of dollars produce in. you have a number of different folks asking for this. the successful, i think it is much larger, overall plan. but disappeared in just about every foreign debt talks about

the development. and every forum comes out with the same answer. bring in the s.s. united states as an iconic therapy for that kind of development. and that was the general conversation up until about two years ago or a year ago. just said to know, we're not going to do that. and now we have a plan here in philadelphia to talk about trails along the river with some little parts. so i'm just concerned. the city government, federal government, state government has seemed to abandon this old general grand idea the have any thoughts on their support? >> well, i am not one, the potential with philadelphia except for the fact that philadelphia is one city that we

are looking in. the ship has some much national appeal that new york is a possibility. you know, miami, other cities. so it is not just a philadelphia bank. i think it would be wonderful if she was here. she is not chopped up inside. you have large space that can be used. the passenger cabin areas have been gutted so you have a blank slate inside to develop. i think it would be wonderful if she was here. i think that the conservancy is looking at other alternatives as well. >> the timeline. after the consignment or the purchase, want any of the historic designation or the national register save this or

extend? is there any way to extend? >> those of the two waves that the ships deadline can be extended. firm, viable opportunities their is a chance for that to happen. and if the public does rally around this ship, and i believe this new fund-raising initiative will really allow people -- i mean, one thing i have discovered is that people, and that is covered here tonight as well. the ship carried over a million passengers in 17 years of service. 1,000 crewmembers on each crossing. that is a lot of people with some connection to the ship.

even people who don't have -- my grandfather lived in a farm on wyoming. ibook, that shipped as a kid. a lot of people. i mean, the ship as its national appeal. people can still remember. i think -- and i think that, i think that will really help with the campaign. the end of the day. >> some personal connection with the ship as well. >> and, yes. my grandparents travel on the ship in, i believe, the late 50's. and my grandmother told the story about how wonderful it was. she enjoyed the crossing. in 1996 when we were looking at colleges in the philadelphia area we were driving over the bridge, and the ship adjuster arrived. my parents to my brother, and my grandmother. driving over the bridge. i had known about the ship. no, there it is. i remember that ship. i remember that ship.

gramm and i were on it. and the stories of people who had traveled on it, were associated with it to then come to philadelphia and i like, oh my god. it's here. it's still here. it is still here. >> the postcard from my father in 1952. one of the best right now. sunday when you grew up to be able to ride on one of the. [laughter] >> i've always kept it for some reason. this wonderful little postcard. >> one thing i discovered. people travel on the ship with

children. they just loved it. and i think gives said the same feeling. it was this feeling of wonder. when you first saw that chip down on the delaware river, the first thing that came to mind was wonder and all. and a very touching moment when the ship finishes its second set of seats riles. she comes and and as a big brown she had gone faster than any other merchant ship before, but no one would say how fast. so he gets off along with all the others. watching all the men come off. and then she observes them leave the ship and get away from the crowd and set down on the dock. he put his chin up to his knees and just look set to ship like a child looking at something that he is very proud of. and i think there is that feeling of awe and wonder, which in many ways we have lost today.

they still represent the feeling, like a cathedral or a skyscraper. americans love to build things. we love pictures of the chrysler building or the empire state building going up. we love these sorts of things. and the s.s. united states is an example of the nation a builder's. >> talking about her. this might be quite obvious, but it's worth mentioning just in case anybody in this trend is not realize. she's right there. we can see here. i guess her ears are burning. steve, you spoke to me about the architects that. most of us in this room know

that his granddaughter is the head of the conservancy. what about his children to listen to my daughter? where did they come into this? the legacy, are the part of the legacy today? are they alive, did they travel? hadn't. >> well, yes. the exhibit director of the conservancy. she is a wonderful and capable person who really did not hear about the ship much growing up from our father. had two sons and one adopted son from his wife's first marriage. but the children did not seem particularly interested in pursuing naval architecture. his wife was there. her father was at a law firm. eastern is supportive of her husband. and she traveled on the ship frequently. william francis gibbs on the

cello on the ship once, although on that made of ways there were some reports of them popping out at odd times and hiding out in the cadets' cabin. but described the ship as the family rowboat. and she loved travelling on the ship. there is one strange moment when william francis gives is asked, do you of that ship more than your wife? and he replied, you are what thousand percent correct. and apparently she was not bothered by that. susan has been involved with the conservancy says he doesn't 3-4. and she has basically -- previously working in international relations and is now focusing full-time on saving her grandfather ship and has also been behind the save the s.s. united states website project. she has really done a tremendous job.

[inaudible question] >> first, sort of a sense of the venture because you're going into a ship that has been out of service for so long. and there is kind of sadness because the ship has been so strapped. i mean, you go inside. she is stripped to the bare bulkhead. you see little bits and pieces of what once was. the crew lounge and use the a couple of chairs sticking up that have not been taken away. you climb up the staircase into darkness and end up on the prominent deck with first-class accommodations. you see these big rooms. you try to imagine what it once was. then you go to the ball room. you see the dance floor. a circular dance were still there peeling at the edges, big dance floor. you look on the stage and you think, that is the stage were

duke ellington once played a said in the late fifties. i -- the announcement in july 1st of 2010, i stood on the promise not. i called my grandmother. and as said, i'm here where you were all those years ago. in that think once you are on board and you really begin to feel it, you know, it is overwhelming. i don't believe in ghosts, but there aren't that ship. the bridges and other credible place. you go up there. told stories of the waterline. i've seen videos from of tons of ships going through a hurricane. waves break over that. the ship is getting tossed around like a toy boat. you're thinking, this is what the ship was facing.

a transatlantic liner, there is no room for error. these ships are built like battleships, not like today's cruise ships. they have to keep the schedule. if they had to slow down in a storm it would use their power to make up the extra. >> what kind of photographic record of the interior do you have? even some of the better stations. what kind of affirmation do you have? >> pretty meticulous records of how the ship's construction. newport news. has all the construction documents. reno where everything was. it was extensive photographic records of the ships from shores

so they could be reconstructed. the question is, which space is the developer wanted to use for a restaurant. the developer might have other ideas for what places would be used, but the conservancy definitely wants to recreate at least some of the principles basis. the first-class dining room or the ballroom. have at least one large space dedicated for a museum. but in terms of reconstructing, you look at them. you still see the allies on the floor. the cabins are actually fairly small by today's standards. i mean, you think that the super rich would occupy these cabins. even the big sweeps, i'm surprised at how small they were the idea back then, did have a lot of time to hang around in your cabin. out in the public rooms. >> time for one more question.

>> thank you. i just want to say, the conservancy is not being very greedy as far as how much space they want for the museum. they're only asking to in several 20,000 square feet for the museum. the ship has over 650,000 square feet of development space. that is quite a bit. on a ship like that to my note that the preservation of the conservancy, keeping it the way that it was. not sustainable. there is no ship museum in the entire world that is sustainable. you have to have something to put it to.

>> that is a good point. you would like to be able to. i'm not involved and redevelopment efforts. you can't make it as it was. you really can't. portions you can. you can imagine yourself being on the deck or the bridge. but any redevelopment has to be practical. >> i want to bring this to a close. i wanted thank you so much for your unique insight. very revealing details about tonight. i wish you all the best. there are some books here, folks. get an autographed book. also, we are going to have a tour focusing pretty much on the

s.s. united states. that will lead the discussion. a set up. you can find the information on the postcard. we have 71 people coming already. we can handle more, many more people than that if you're interested. thank you for your time. [applause] >> to find out more visit the altars website. >> i would say that i am working from nine to three. most riders to say that they write for seven or eight hours a day are exaggerating.

you just can't. you sort of lose it after a while. you certainly lose it when you're working on a novel. because the edges of your imagination start to blur. even when you're ready and nonfiction book, three good hours of pounding away. the rest of it is research, looking into e-mails, making another cup of coffee, that sort of thing. fiction usually begins with a theme for me. identity. redemption. art, fame, things like that. but the whole process really picks up steam when i start to ground some of my thoughts and our character who will become the protagonist. and that character becomes sharper and sharper to me. i think all is affirmatively

good, if only because it leaves a piece of yourself behind. let's say you are blocking all through your 20's. let's say almost no one reads it , but 20 years from then you will have children, and you can show them what he wrote, and they will understand things about you that they might not have understood otherwise. and what i always say is writing, even in its most basic form, a letter, a poem, a note to someone, confers a kind of immortality. we all have that experience of loving someone, of losing them, opening a direct and finding a car that they have signed or a letter they wrote. still alive. so live in some way. so i think -- i think the more rating the better. >> any regrets the anything you have written?

>> you know, i think regrets i things that a good columnist and an elected think was a good columnist, gets out before she publishes. in other words, you spend a fair amount of time at the computer. when you're writing about your family constantly. and even when you're writing part of your brain is thinking, how will this deal continues to rack. how unequivocal to of one to be about certain things? so i think he'd do a lot of, i would not call its answering. it is more taking the long view. and because of that, i don't really have any regrets about anything i have written. >> any advice for writers? >> yes. i mean, don't wait for inspiration. i don't know where she is, but she is not coming. or at least she has never come in here. i never see here.

occasionally there is like a death leading flyby. then she is gone again, and that and saw just about hard work. the hard work part does not wisely consist of thinking about it. people say to me all the time, and thinking about writing a book. i think, nobody ever gets written by thinking about it. at a certain point you just have to sit down, and you have to sit down with you feel like and not. and i think too often people think that if you're going to write well and it must be because you wake up in the morning and your heart sinks. my heart does not sing because i constantly think it's not going to be any good. and it takes at least an hour pounding in out before i think, oh, here we go. and so, if you wait for that moment to come before you sit down, you won't do it.