{"product_id":"9781497658929","title":"Shipwreck: The Strange Fate of the Morro Castle","description":"\u003cb\u003eA spellbinding moment-by-moment account of one of the most spectacular disasters off the coast of New York, which killed more than 130 people, \u003ci\u003eShipwreck \u003c\/i\u003eanswers the question that until now has remained unanswered: Was it a terrible accident—or arson?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the early morning hours of September 8, 1934, the luxury cruise liner \u003ci\u003eMorro Castle\u003c\/i\u003e, carrying 316 passengers and 230 officers and crew, caught fire a few hours out of the New York harbor on a return voyage from Havana. The fire spread with terrifying swiftness, transforming the ship into a blazing inferno. One hundred and thirty-four people died that night—was it an accident?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUntil now, that question has remained unanswered. In \u003ci\u003eShipwreck\u003c\/i\u003e, authors Thomas and Witts prove that the disaster was no accident, that it was planned, meticulously and deliberately, by an officer of the \u003ci\u003eMorro Castle\u003c\/i\u003e. His name: George White Rogers, chief radio officer aboard the ship. They show that, quite possibly, Rogers was also responsible for the untimely passing of the ship’s captain, who died mysteriously, apparently poisoned, several hours before the fire broke out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOther embarrassing questions are answered, questions raised during the investigation following the disaster and never satisfactorily answered. Why was a proper alarm never given? Why did the fire-fighting equipment, such as it was, fail to function? Why were only two lifeboats launched, and why were they filled with crew and officers instead of passengers?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts have written a spellbinding moment-by-moment account of the \u003ci\u003eMorro Castle\u003c\/i\u003e’s last voyage, one of the most spectacular disasters to stir the Atlantic Ocean. In interviews with eye-witness survivors, rescuers, and investigators they have uncovered the startling answers to a multitude of questions that have surrounded the case for almost forty years. The result of their research is a dramatic tale of personal heroism, obvious incompetence, tragedy, and quite possibly murder.\u003cp\u003eGordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts are authors of four previous books, all highly successful in bookstores and book clubs, all acclaimed in the United States and abroad. \u003ci\u003eThe Day the World Ended\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eVoyage of the Damned\u003c\/i\u003e were made into major motion pictures; \u003ci\u003eShipwreck \u003c\/i\u003ewon the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1973; and \u003ci\u003eThe San Francisco Earthquake\u003c\/i\u003e has been hailed as a major achievement of reporting and writing. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Open Road Media","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47136845103344,"sku":"9781497658929","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781497658929_p0.jpg?v=1769896067","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781497658929","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}