Thrilling Voyage of The Mayflower II. A Fun, Unexpected and Entertaining Read Praised by Reviewers

Plymouth, MA, April 9, 2024 — The idea of building and sailing a second Mayflower from England to America was an impossible dream. Those behind the idea had no plans, no crew, and no money. There was only a grand vision to thank America for its World War II sacrifices.

Packed with historic photos, footnotes and an extensive bibliography, Project Mayflower – is an untold story of a grand adventure, achievement in the face of adversity  and success despite skeptics and long odds.

The book shares captivating new details of how the Mayflower II made the “special relationship” between the US and Britain even stronger. It chronicles the ship’s daring 5,500-mile voyage on the open sea from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1957, with the world’s finest square-rigger captain leading an untested crew and a mascot named Felix the cat on a voyage National Geographic called “one of the most fabulous voyages of modern times.” Among the journey’s unexpected dangers was a major storm off Bermuda that nearly sank the replica as she rolled 38 degrees in gale force winds.

Authored by Richard Stone, a former NBC, HBO/Time, Inc., and ESPN/Disney executive who holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California, Los Angeles, the 300-page book with more than 60 illustrations compellingly describes how the saga of the Mayflower II captured the world’s imagination in the tradition to Mt. Everest’s conquest and the Kon Tiki voyage.

The book includes a forward by James W. Baker, well known author, historian, and Plimoth Patuxet Museums’ director of research for more than 25 years.

The Mayflower II was built in Brixham, Devon, England from 1955 to 1957.

Project Mayflower  chronicles how the  second Mayflower used designs from Elizabethan architectural standards and was built without modern tools, as her namesake was more than 400 years ago.  The crew also sailed without modern conveniences, just as the 1620 Pilgrims did.

The ship arrived in Cape Cod Bay in June 1957, with global applause and on-site congratulations from future presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.  The following Thanksgiving the craft took permanent residence in Plymouth, Massachusetts, after entertaining audiences in New York City, Miami and Washington, D.C.  Back then the cost of admission to board and inspect the vessel was $1 for adults and $0.50 for children.

Project Mayflower – Building and Sailing a 17th Century Replica  is published by Lyons Press / Globe Pequot, Hardback ISBN 978-1-4930-8436-4 at $32.95 and  eBook is $31.00 ISBN 978-1-4930-8437-1 at $31.00

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