The SS Delphine is a yacht with a dauntless spirit. Whatever the mystique, this book and the present revival of the yacht into usefulness again is astounding. As a grandson of Horace E. Dodge (st) at the age of three or four I was aware of the yacht. Even so, what this book achieves brings this past three quarters of a century into sharp focus, is remarkable and proof of a very talented young historian at work. This yacht is an enigma - it is a reflection of hard earned new wealth put to work for an ideal that enriches life - not just for yacht owners, but I sense, everyone in sight of it. This book carries an important message from the first part of the twentieth century to our times. We must remember there are still extraordinary individuals earning incredible wealth, and among these there are some who like the yacht lovers of the tens and twenties who continue to add that delight of fantasy to all our lives. This is not a story for cowards, it is a story of courage that starts with a dream of the freedom of the seas and continues inspiring all walks of life. The fact that it has taken the form of a steam yacht is incidental to the message which is not solely for yacht lovers. It is about setting an idea in motion, and then having generations upon generations contribute to the idea and preserve the physical beauty. A yacht is much much more than finances and money, it is: a visionary passion, a dauntless persistance, and most a joy for living.