From their birth in the Roaring Twenties, the Delta King and Delta Queen battled against the odds. As a legendary royal pair, these monarchs of the river ran each night between San Francisco and Sacramento from 1927 to 1940. This rousing true story written by Stan Garvey, a noted Bay Area historian and writer, captures the romance, struggle, and adventure of California's last and most revered paddle-wheel steamers.

The colorful, stirring account chronicles the boats' good and bad years. It takes you behind the scenes for the decision to build the vessels and offers firsthand reports on their launching at Stockton, California. The book then highlights the fun aboard these beloved sternwheelers against the backdrop of Prohibition, waterfront strikes, and the Great Depression. You'll taste the excitement of the last steamboat race in the Golden State, the opening of two of the country's greatest bridges, and a world's fair in the middle of San Francisco Bay.

When World War II ends the two boats' service on the Sacramento River, they join the U.S. Navy, serving on the Bay as hospital ferries, barracks, and troop shuttles. After the war, the twin vessels go their own separate ways. You'll experience the Queen's 7309-mile epic voyage, via the Panama Canal, from the heart of California to the heartland of America-and her later all-out battle to continue passenger service on the Ohio and Mississippi.

You'll thrill to firsthand accounts of the Kings landlocking in British Columbia, two sinkings, a midnight piracy-and, finally, the boat's glorious resurrection at the Old Sacramento waterfront. The book showcases the interesting people whose lives were touched by these celebrated riverboats and brings you detailed maps, schedules, deck plans, and nearly 150 eye-catching photographs, many never before seen in print.

The Delta King and Delta Queen began as river royalty in an era of bootleg booze, the Charleston, and stock market euphoria. Today, they exist as the sole survivors of a once-proud American tradition, the "night boat." They were also the last steamboats to carry passengers and freight on California waters. This engaging book-covering the vessels' 75 action-packed years-brings you their travels, troubles, and triumphs in a fast, page-turning experience.

You'll find King & Queen of the River as captivating and nostalgic as the sound of a steamboat whistle. Fun to read and meticulously researched, it's a fascinating adventure story that also happens to be true.

The book is a new, trade paperback with illustrated wrappers. The book contains 274 pages and many B&W historical photos and illustrations. It measures 10" x 7" and weighs 1.3 pounds.