By Isabell Macrina
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Needham Free Public Library (NFPL) hosted local author Doug Most to discuss his latest novel “Launching Liberty: The Epic Race to Build the Ships That Took America to War.” This historical novel tells the story of President Franklin D. Roosevelt partnering with industrialist Henry Kaiser to create a fleet of ships, and what ultimately carried the USA to and through World War II.
At the start of his campaign, the ships took six months to build and cost more than their worth. Roosevelt turned to industrialist Henry Kaiser who was famed for delivering the Boulder Dam ahead of schedule and under budget. But Kaiser had never built a ship before. Through a network of shipyards across the country and a recruitment effort that gave many overlooked Americans a job, particularly African Americans and women, and a chance for a better life. The Liberty Ships took shape as a force for America. They were not battleships, they would travel with fleets of ither ships because they were “lightly armed” but the resources delivered across the world would shape the course of war in ways unforeseen.
Along with many historical jokes and anecdotes, Most shared what fueled his desire to create this novel. His inspiration is interesting people who do interesting things. He likes to tell a narrative story with a beginning, middle, and end. This story is not a World War II book; it is a liberty ship book. It shares the stories of the workers, the lives that changed when the recruitment came out; and it shares the stories of the ships. They were not intended for the long haul, ironically, they were used until their lifespan gave out in the 1950s, when a lot were turned into scrap metal. The John W. Brown became a public school in New York City.
If this topic peaks your interest and you want to learn more, I highly recommend picking up “Launching Liberty” for the unexpected impact of ships in the shadow of war.
