Marcus Goodrich (1897–1991)

The review published in Feb. 1941 included photographs of another battle ship with detailed drawing of a ship and photographs of crew, eating, sleeping, at work. This is a powerful book. The first chapter that describes the ship, like a woman, and introduced two sailors shoveling coal, showing how hot, difficult this work was, sets the stage. Not knowing at first that this was a World War I book , the references to the Moros (the war continues today), the Japanese Navy threatening, mention show more of Japan's imperial plans, made me think at first that this was a World War II book, anticipating the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many believe that this is one of America's best ship novels.

More about the ship Chauncey on which the story was based, a ship of which Goodrich was a survivor when it sank.

http://www.answers.com/topic/uss-chauncey show less

3624. Delilah, by Marcus Goodrich (read Sept 4,2002) This is a book I have long wanted to read. It is I think its author's only work, at least his only famous one, and was published in 1941. It is laid aboard a destroyer in the Philippines just before World War One, and reeks authenticity re naval life. I found this a great, great book, with the most exciting finale I have read since I read Tom Clancy's Debt of Honor (Mar 17, 1997).

The 20th-century classic that inspired a generation of nautical novels.