Alive on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History

by Pierette Domenica Simpson

Recollections and Revelations! One-half century later, the catastrophic ramming of the MS Stockholm into the Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria in July 1956 is relived in this candid, heartrending account. Author and survivor Pierette Domenica Simpson shares the human and technical aspects of what has become known at the "greatest sea rescue in history" and provides the general public, for the first time, with truth about the error that led to the collision.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

312 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

Reviews

[Everydayreader1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Late on the evening of July 25, 1956, the MS Stockholm rammed into the SS Andrea Doria, not far off the shores of the island of Nantucket. The ramming ultimately resulted in the capsizing of the SS Andrea Doria, hours later, and prompted the greatest sea rescue in history. The author was a young girl, traveling to America with her grandparents, on the Andrea Doria. She and her grandparents survived. She tells her own story, as well as the stories of other survivors, along with the various inquiries that came after.

I found this book fascinating in content and vivid detail. As with the sinking of the Titanic, there was heroism and also plenty of blame to go around. It has taken years and the aid of computers to finally sort out who was to blame and exactly what happened. An excellent read!

[Bob Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first newsworthy memory

I spent my professional life as a newspaper reporter and editor. And I’ve thought about this often: my first “news” memory was the sinking of the Andrea Doria. I was 5 and watched it on TV with my Mom.
And I recall the hubbub. My folks were pretty AngloSaxon in their attitudes and prejudices. They just assumed it was the fault of the Italians.
This author is an actual survivor with a vested interest in finding the facts. She has done yeoman work to not only tell the survivors’ stories but to do a deep dive into the roots of the disaster from maritime scientists’ viewpoints.
Even if you’re not old enough to recall the accident, this is a fascinating read.

[Shirley Leavitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book very interesting and informative, about the tragic collision of the beautiful cruise liner Andrea Doria and the smaller vessel Stockholm. The author gave you so much information on how it happened and how we have developed a more sophisticate technology on how to avoid this ever happening again. The author also interviewed some of the survivors and some maritime experts to help understand how this terrible accident happened in the first place.We also we're given a first hand account on the many dives taken by some very brave and experienced divers to the bottom of the ocean where the Andrea Doria lies.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about the collision of two ships. The stories of the people that lived through this horrible nightmare was intense. I was not aware of this, until I read the book. This book is worth the time reading.

[Insanity47 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at History.

Having lived in that area when it happened it answered questions about the tragic incident.
Well written . Glad I discoved this book

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

So look at my name. Look at the name of the ship. Hence my interest. A really interesting story anyway, a pretty good book.

[Dany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non avevo ancora letto un libro sull'Andrea Doria quindi dovevo recuperare. Ve lo consiglio se, come me, non sapete nulla di questo evento.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and well-researched account of the shipwreck, including the shameful treatment of the captain and crew.

[Nicole Azzalin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il buio, la nebbia fitta, un oceano gelido, due navi ferite e il coraggio degli equipaggi. La drammatica storia dell'Andrea Doria è molto più di quello che viene erroneamente riportato una volta successo il disastro, una narrazione pregna di pregiudizi, razzismo e ricerca di un unico colpevole.
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L'Andrea Doria, fiore all'occhiello dei transatlantici italiani, viene speronata dalla nave svedese Stockholm la notte tra il 25 e il 26 Luglio 1956, la quale apre un profondo squarcio nella fiancata del transatlantico. L'Andrea Doria, ormai senza speranze, diventa lo scenario di uno dei più grandi salvataggi marittimi di sempre, un salvataggio caratterizzato dall'eroismo dell'equipaggio e dal soccorso in massa dato dalle altre navi in zona.
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La vicenda è narrata da Pierette Simpson, sopravvissuta da bambina al naufragio, con la volontà di ridare dignità alla storia di esso. Attraverso il suo racconto non solo vuole riabilitare il nome di tutti gli eroi che hanno mostrato coraggio ma successivamente calunniati dall'opinione pubblica, ma vuole anche dare spazio alle storie dei passeggeri. Storie di sopravvivenza, di morte, di paura e ritrovata fiducia nel mare. A differenza di altri libri sulla stessa scia ho trovato la scrittura più "distaccata" e meno coinvolgente, ma non per questo meno emotivamente straziante. Oltre al dolore che da spettatori possiamo provare nel sapere della vicenda, si aggiunge anche la rabbia per come sono stati successivamente trattati i membri dell'equipaggio e il loro comandante, accusati ingiustamente di codardia. La narrazione di Pierette indubbiamente riesce nel suo intento di ridare loro dignità.
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Questo libro ovviamente è molto consigliato se si trova affascinante l'argomento, ovviamente rimanendo consci del fatto che non si tratta di un intrattenimento, ma di una cronaca di una storia reale, nella quale delle persone hanno perso tutto, gli averi, le speranze, la vita.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Simpson was a survivor of the Stockholm - Andrea Doria collision. In this incredible documentary of that ill-fated trip she does what has not been done before. Alive on the Andrea Doria not only tells passenger and crew stories but also has explanations from nautical experts explaining how and why the collision took place.

Pierette Domenica Simpson was a child on July, 25 1956 traveling with her Grandparents to America where she was going to live with her mother and stepfather. Then her life and many others became perilously endangered when the Stockholm hit the Andrea Doria, the pride of the Italian fleet.

Ms. Simpson does an awesome job of telling the story of this catastrophic event. She tells the story through the eyes of many of the passengers that were aboard - their dreams - their hopes - where they came from - where they were going - their terror - where they are today.

Ever since that tragic night Ms. Simpson had wanted to find out why the collision occurred. She didn’t accept the overall belief that it was the Italian, Captain Calamai’s fault. It was important to be able to put this to rest and have closure. She sought out the help of nautical experts to recreate the collision paths using documented transcripts of the Bridge crew from both ships and today’s technology. In this way they discovered that the assumed guilt of the Italian crew was misplaced.

Alive on the Andrea Doria is a spellbinding tale of the “Greatest Sea Rescue in History.” Ms. Simpson did a wonderful job. Rather than making this a run-of the-mill dry documentary, it is a deep-felt account of a tragedy that should not have happened.

[Marge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most interesting book recalling the stories behind the collision and rescue of the Andrea Doria. The author has done much research and put the results in chapters that will draw you in immediately. She must have interviewed hundreds of the survivors. The technical research was put into readable terms that overturned the final report of the insurance company. Recommended for all ages above 14

[Steven Ferre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two books in one..the first part are recounts from survivors, the second a forensic analysis of the accident. Unexpectedly, I found the survivor tales to be rather repetitive, and the forensic analysis much more interesting.

[Jennifer Oddo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by a survivor and true expert on the Andrea Doria.

[Betty Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author lives nearby in Novi, MI and came to read to our discussion group.

[Alecia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author saved the most interesting account for last. Unfortunately I skipped forward and missed it, as I got a bit bored by the repetition.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

First person accounts, interviews and analysis places blame (correctly) on the Stockholm crew.

[Ferris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting piece of history, yet not particularly gripping as a read.

[Carolyn Ilsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Excellent telling of a terrible disaster that I still remember from all those years ago. I was 12 years old, hearing of this disaster on the television news.