William H. Miller Jr.

William H. Miller Jr. — universally known as "Mr. Ocean Liner" — is the most prolific maritime author of his era. Born on May 3, 1948, in Hoboken, New Jersey, directly across the Hudson from the great liner piers of New York City, he grew up watching the ships of the world pass his window. That proximity to maritime traffic sparked a passion that has never dimmed.

Miller has written over 100 books on passenger ship history and more than 1,000 articles covering every aspect of the golden age of ocean travel — from luxury interiors and war service to immigrant ships and the great liner races. His range is extraordinary: from early steamers of the 1840s to the last jet-age liners of the 1970s, no writer has covered the field as comprehensively.

Beyond writing, Miller has had a parallel career as a maritime educator and lecturer. He was chairman of the World Ship Society's Port of New York Branch (1970–76), historian at the Museum of the American Merchant Marine, and created the passenger ship database for the Ellis Island Museum. He has been a popular guest lecturer aboard QE2, Queen Mary 2, Rotterdam, and Crystal Serenity for over 30 years. A 60-minute documentary about his life, Mr. Ocean Liner, premiered aboard Queen Mary 2 in 2010.