In commemoration of Women's History Month in March, Macomb Community College's libraries have invited the author of "Alive on the Andrea Doria: The Greatest Sea Rescue in History" to share her recollections and insights about one of the 20th century's most famous shipwrecks.
Pierette Domenica (Burzio) Simpson was a little girl traveling to the United States from Italy with her grandparents on the Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria when it was struck in the fog by the Swedish-American ocean liner Stockholm in Nantucket Sound in Massachusetts on July 25, 1956. A total of 51 people died in the accident, and the Andrea Doria sank to the bottom of the sound, where it remains today, a dangerous but popular attraction for divers from across the country.
Simpson and her grandparents, who also survived, settled in the Detroit area. Simpson graduated with a liberal arts degree and teacher certification from Wayne State University and taught foreign language in Farmington Public and Detroit Country Day schools until her recent retirement. "Alive on the Andrea Doria," was published in 2006 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the ship's sinking.
The first survivor of the Andrea Doria to publish a book chronicling the mishap, it includes interviews with her fellow survivors and an analysis of what went wrong and which ship was at fault. In the Italian language publication, Pages of the Piedmont, Simpson is quoted as saying that writing the book: "…has brought me to the heights of ethnic pride…my book corrects a historical injustice against my people. So, I'm proud…because I now know that we Italians participated in the greatest sea rescue with courage and competence."
Simpson's presentation, "Anatomy of a Shipwreck," will run from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, March 3, in Macomb's South Campus Library, and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, in Macomb's Center Campus Library. South Campus is located at 12 Mile and Hayes roads in Warren. Center Campus is located at Garfield and Hall roads in Clinton Township.
Media Contact: Mary Smith
Phone: 586.445.7997
Email: smithm@macomb.edu