Children's Author To Explore How S.S. United States Worked

The fastest cruise liner ever built has not moved in 17 years.

The S.S. United States was built in 1952, when ships were still the main way to get across the Atlantic Ocean. To this day, no passenger ship has crossed the Atlantic at a faster clip: 3 days 10 hours and 42 minutes.

Today the S.S. United States — the S.S. stands for steamship by the way — is a gutted, rusting shell floating off a pier in Philadelphia.

But, is has attracted the attention of best-selling author and illustrator, David Macauley, who is making the S.S.U.S. the subject of his next book.

From the Here & Now Contributors Network, Peter Crimmins of WHYY has the story.