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101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic . . . but Didn't!
April 15th, 2012, will be the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic . People have an endless fascination with the Titanic , yet much of what they know today is a mixture of fact and fiction. In one hundred and one brief and engaging chapters, Tim Maltin, one of the foremost experts on the Titanic, reveals the truth behind the most common beliefs about the ship and the night it sank. From physics to photographs, lawsuits to love stories, Maltin doesn't miss one tidbit surrounding its history. Heavily researched and filled with detailed descriptions, quotes from survivors, and excerpts from the official inquiries, this book is guaranteed to make readers rethink everything they thought they knew about the legendary ship and its tragic fate.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
January 23, 2019
The title is a little insulting, but if you can get past that, the rest of the book is wonderful. Maltin's writing is clear and not the least bit condescending, and he uses clearly documented pieces of evidence to substantiate or to disprove 101 of Titanic's greatest myths. He also explores, to a degree, various what-if scenarios. What if the Titanic had hit the berg straight-on? What if there had been more lifeboats? A very interesting little book that explores the physical ship, some of its passengers, the science of the sinking, and the many legends that grew from that one fateful night.
May 5, 2014
Very interesting!
101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic -- the "things" are given in question form and the answers are never simple yes or no.
Questions are divided into sections: The Ship, Omens, Maiden Voyage, Passengers, "Iceberg, right ahead!", Collision, SOS, The Californian Incident, Women and Children First, Final Moments, Rescue, Statistics and Aftermath
This well-researched book provided a lot of interesting information, a little of which I knew and some I assumed. For a lot of the information in this book, I had no idea!
The authors, Tim Maltin & Eloise Aston support their answers using different sources, but much of their information comes directly from testimony provided on both sides of the pond by the people who were there -- passengers, officers, other ship workers, Ismay, staff aboard the Carpathia and more.
I loved hearing from the people and reading the testimony, but the questions / answers in testimony about Marconi operations and some of the other "science" relating to the ship did not hold my interest. In these chapters, I ended up skimming a lot.
Still, I do recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by the Titanic and her history.
101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic -- the "things" are given in question form and the answers are never simple yes or no.
Questions are divided into sections: The Ship, Omens, Maiden Voyage, Passengers, "Iceberg, right ahead!", Collision, SOS, The Californian Incident, Women and Children First, Final Moments, Rescue, Statistics and Aftermath
This well-researched book provided a lot of interesting information, a little of which I knew and some I assumed. For a lot of the information in this book, I had no idea!
The authors, Tim Maltin & Eloise Aston support their answers using different sources, but much of their information comes directly from testimony provided on both sides of the pond by the people who were there -- passengers, officers, other ship workers, Ismay, staff aboard the Carpathia and more.
I loved hearing from the people and reading the testimony, but the questions / answers in testimony about Marconi operations and some of the other "science" relating to the ship did not hold my interest. In these chapters, I ended up skimming a lot.
Still, I do recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by the Titanic and her history.
January 14, 2012
The sinking of the Titanic was one of the worst tragedies in modern history, evidenced by the fact that, as a whole, we're still salivating over it 100 years later. We're still eager for information about it, we want to know the people, we still want to learn things we didn't know, and for some god awful reason, we want 1996's Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet released in 3D. Apparently there isn't a god.
But that's besides the point. As a crazy Titanic enthusiast myself, having been reading about the ship since I was roughly eight, thus coming across new information is a pretty big rarity, it was refreshing reading 101 THINGS because it did shake some rumors and clear up some cloudy moments about the Titanic for me. Of course, and I say this not patting myself on the back but just as someone that's done a shit-ton of Titanic reading, I already knew a lot of the stuff presented in this book. But that's okay because I still got a kick out of it.
Really it's all in the presentation. Maltin pulled right from the source, relying heavily on the transcripts from the hearings after the Carpathia docked in New York, and also from the hearings in London. It's astounding to read words spoken by Lightoller about how sure he was that the Titanic didn't break in half before sinking. I mean, he was SO sure. Of course, we now know that to not be the truth. And one of the pieces of information I didn't know was that the Brits tried to whitewash the whole thing. Bad, Brits. Bad. Another piece of information I didn't know: even if there were enough lifeboats to fit everyone on board, there weren't enough able seamen to man them, thus rendering the boats useless. How's that for a paradox. Really, those people were screwed anyway.
So there's really something for all levels of Titanic interest in 101 THINGS. If I can find new information within these pages, then anyone can. And it's told in a manner like you'd hear a good teacher talking about it. It's not just information regurgitated back at you simply to get it out. It's evident in the tone of the information that Maltin has a great interest in the Titanic and he's enthusiastic about it. You can't fake that so when you're reading you, in turn, get enthusiastic about the information you're given. You won't be able to help it. It's infectious.
101 THINGS would be especially wonderful for those just coming across the Titanic and wanting to know more about it. It's the Cliff Notes version of what you can find scattered throughout the referential material floating out there. Definitely a good place to start. And it's a good book to have to round out your Titanic knowledge. I can almost guarantee that there'll be something in there that even the most interested Titanic aficionado might not know. So give it a whirl. You'll be able to envision it all as you read. In this case, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it's vivid. That's for sure.
But that's besides the point. As a crazy Titanic enthusiast myself, having been reading about the ship since I was roughly eight, thus coming across new information is a pretty big rarity, it was refreshing reading 101 THINGS because it did shake some rumors and clear up some cloudy moments about the Titanic for me. Of course, and I say this not patting myself on the back but just as someone that's done a shit-ton of Titanic reading, I already knew a lot of the stuff presented in this book. But that's okay because I still got a kick out of it.
Really it's all in the presentation. Maltin pulled right from the source, relying heavily on the transcripts from the hearings after the Carpathia docked in New York, and also from the hearings in London. It's astounding to read words spoken by Lightoller about how sure he was that the Titanic didn't break in half before sinking. I mean, he was SO sure. Of course, we now know that to not be the truth. And one of the pieces of information I didn't know was that the Brits tried to whitewash the whole thing. Bad, Brits. Bad. Another piece of information I didn't know: even if there were enough lifeboats to fit everyone on board, there weren't enough able seamen to man them, thus rendering the boats useless. How's that for a paradox. Really, those people were screwed anyway.
So there's really something for all levels of Titanic interest in 101 THINGS. If I can find new information within these pages, then anyone can. And it's told in a manner like you'd hear a good teacher talking about it. It's not just information regurgitated back at you simply to get it out. It's evident in the tone of the information that Maltin has a great interest in the Titanic and he's enthusiastic about it. You can't fake that so when you're reading you, in turn, get enthusiastic about the information you're given. You won't be able to help it. It's infectious.
101 THINGS would be especially wonderful for those just coming across the Titanic and wanting to know more about it. It's the Cliff Notes version of what you can find scattered throughout the referential material floating out there. Definitely a good place to start. And it's a good book to have to round out your Titanic knowledge. I can almost guarantee that there'll be something in there that even the most interested Titanic aficionado might not know. So give it a whirl. You'll be able to envision it all as you read. In this case, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it's vivid. That's for sure.
January 8, 2014
This was a very enjoyable reading experience.
I am not a fanatic Titanic watcher, so many of the 101 things... I had never heard of. This will doubtless cause confusion later as I try to remember if the various facts were real or debunking. In any case, you do not have to be too deeply into the Titanic (sorry for the horrible pun but I could not resist) to enjoy this book. Anyone with a little interest in the Titanic, history, Maritime disasters or even none of the above should find something to enjoy here.
The book is arranged very intelligently In that the 101 facts are organised into chapters such as ‘The Ship’ through ‘Iceberg, right ahead’, ‘SOS’ and onward to the ‘Final Moments’ and ‘Aftermath”. This organisation allows the facts to be presented as a narrative, and it becomes almost as gripping as a novel or movie would be through the slow build-up of information to the actual sinking.
The 101 ‘things’ are presented individually by title, for example; 41 TITANIC STRUCK A BLUE OR DARK ICEBERG [PG 100]. Had you heard that? It was new to me...
In any case, because the things are presented in this way it makes it possible to skim over the ones you are not interested in or cannot follow. I personally could not follow a lot of the engineering maths and did not choose to follow some of the statistics, this in no way spoiled the narrative and all that information is there for those who really do want to know it.
The narrative style was pleasant and appropriate to the story: The voice of the Author is of course noticeable, but it is not overwhelmingly about the Author so as to obscure the story and facts which is a thing some Authors do and which never fails to put me off a book. The excerpts from the US and British inquiries into the sinking give it an added historical feel with a trifle of courtroom drama and helped progress the story very deftly.
I need to admit here a thing many of my friends scorn me for; I really liked James Cameron’s 1997 film about the Titanic. As this story progressed I found the images the book portrayed and the images I remember from the film overlapping, giving this book an additional zing.
I am not a fanatic Titanic watcher, so many of the 101 things... I had never heard of. This will doubtless cause confusion later as I try to remember if the various facts were real or debunking. In any case, you do not have to be too deeply into the Titanic (sorry for the horrible pun but I could not resist) to enjoy this book. Anyone with a little interest in the Titanic, history, Maritime disasters or even none of the above should find something to enjoy here.
The book is arranged very intelligently In that the 101 facts are organised into chapters such as ‘The Ship’ through ‘Iceberg, right ahead’, ‘SOS’ and onward to the ‘Final Moments’ and ‘Aftermath”. This organisation allows the facts to be presented as a narrative, and it becomes almost as gripping as a novel or movie would be through the slow build-up of information to the actual sinking.
The 101 ‘things’ are presented individually by title, for example; 41 TITANIC STRUCK A BLUE OR DARK ICEBERG [PG 100]. Had you heard that? It was new to me...
In any case, because the things are presented in this way it makes it possible to skim over the ones you are not interested in or cannot follow. I personally could not follow a lot of the engineering maths and did not choose to follow some of the statistics, this in no way spoiled the narrative and all that information is there for those who really do want to know it.
The narrative style was pleasant and appropriate to the story: The voice of the Author is of course noticeable, but it is not overwhelmingly about the Author so as to obscure the story and facts which is a thing some Authors do and which never fails to put me off a book. The excerpts from the US and British inquiries into the sinking give it an added historical feel with a trifle of courtroom drama and helped progress the story very deftly.
I need to admit here a thing many of my friends scorn me for; I really liked James Cameron’s 1997 film about the Titanic. As this story progressed I found the images the book portrayed and the images I remember from the film overlapping, giving this book an additional zing.
July 30, 2021
I’ve always had a huge fascination with the Titanic… the passengers, the crew, how it sank, when it sank… just everything. This book provided me with a lot of insight as to what could have happened, different scenarios than what had happened, as well as myths that you may have heard. What if the iceberg hit the titanic head-on? Or what if the titanic carried more lifeboats, could more people have been saved?
One of the most interesting facts that I learned was that writer Morgan Robertson predicted the sinking of the Titanic 14 years earlier in his novella, The Wreck of the Titanic.
I also learned that the Titanic wreck was finally found by Robert Ballard, a deep sea explorer, in 1985 due to the fact that the two positions Titanic transmitted by radio the night she sank were both way off to the west, 14 and 20 miles.
I recommend this quick read to anyone who has an interest in history, as it provides you with well-researched facts and many myths that have surfaced over time.
One of the most interesting facts that I learned was that writer Morgan Robertson predicted the sinking of the Titanic 14 years earlier in his novella, The Wreck of the Titanic.
I also learned that the Titanic wreck was finally found by Robert Ballard, a deep sea explorer, in 1985 due to the fact that the two positions Titanic transmitted by radio the night she sank were both way off to the west, 14 and 20 miles.
I recommend this quick read to anyone who has an interest in history, as it provides you with well-researched facts and many myths that have surfaced over time.
February 18, 2012
Description:
101 Things You Thought You Knew About The Titanic... But Didn't!, was released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. It contains exactly what the title promises, 101 little known facts about the Titanic, its passengers, and the fateful night that it sank into the frigid sea.
Review:
I, like a billion other people on planet earth, have watched the fictional James Cameron version of The Titanic more times than I'd like to admit. The ship, the sea, the romance, Jack and Rose in the back seat of a Renault... You get the picture, but disregarding the epic love story, what really "went down" on the largest ship in the world in 1912? Well, Tim Maltin has written a guide for the misinformed masses detailing the facts and the myths pertaining to: the ship, the omens, the maiden voyage, the passengers, the iceberg, the collision, the SOS, the Californian incident, the women and children, the final moments, the rescue, the statistics, and the aftermath. Quite an impressive list for such a small book! I was impressed by the amount of facts it held and how much I really didn't know. For example, if the Titanic would have crashed into the iceberg head-on, the ship wouldn't have sank! The book is easy-to-read, engaging, and full of interesting facts that even the biggest Titanic enthusiast can enjoy. I only wish that there had been more photos and illustrations to accompany the quotes and text. Highly recommended to any age group.
Rating: On the Run (4/5)
*** I received this book from the author (BookTrib) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
101 Things You Thought You Knew About The Titanic... But Didn't!, was released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. It contains exactly what the title promises, 101 little known facts about the Titanic, its passengers, and the fateful night that it sank into the frigid sea.
Review:
I, like a billion other people on planet earth, have watched the fictional James Cameron version of The Titanic more times than I'd like to admit. The ship, the sea, the romance, Jack and Rose in the back seat of a Renault... You get the picture, but disregarding the epic love story, what really "went down" on the largest ship in the world in 1912? Well, Tim Maltin has written a guide for the misinformed masses detailing the facts and the myths pertaining to: the ship, the omens, the maiden voyage, the passengers, the iceberg, the collision, the SOS, the Californian incident, the women and children, the final moments, the rescue, the statistics, and the aftermath. Quite an impressive list for such a small book! I was impressed by the amount of facts it held and how much I really didn't know. For example, if the Titanic would have crashed into the iceberg head-on, the ship wouldn't have sank! The book is easy-to-read, engaging, and full of interesting facts that even the biggest Titanic enthusiast can enjoy. I only wish that there had been more photos and illustrations to accompany the quotes and text. Highly recommended to any age group.
Rating: On the Run (4/5)
*** I received this book from the author (BookTrib) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
March 15, 2012
[This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review].
I was going to leave reading this book until closer to the 100th anniversary of the sinking, but couldn’t resist for more than a day or two after being given access to the galley.
This book does exactly what it says on the tin – sheds light on 101 stories or myths about the Titanic and its sinking. A surprising number of these ‘myths’ turned out to be true, or at least based quite heavily on truth.
Both a strength and a weakness of the book is the inclusion of verbatim eye-witness testimony, often transcribed from the formal enquiries that took place to make sense of how exactly the Unsinkable Ship, sank. Whilst it was fascinating to hear about conversations taking place in the lifeboats, teenage boys sneaking past officers to safety wearing bonnets and shawls, the accounts from passengers on other liners in the days afterwards, having to steam through the sea of bobbing corpses (shiver!) and other such anecdotes, the inclusion of the officers’ testimony from the court cases at times got a little dry and repetitive and I found myself scanning rather than reading.
An easy recommendation for anyone with any level of interest in the disaster – or just wants to brush up on their facts with the centenary looming.
I was going to leave reading this book until closer to the 100th anniversary of the sinking, but couldn’t resist for more than a day or two after being given access to the galley.
This book does exactly what it says on the tin – sheds light on 101 stories or myths about the Titanic and its sinking. A surprising number of these ‘myths’ turned out to be true, or at least based quite heavily on truth.
Both a strength and a weakness of the book is the inclusion of verbatim eye-witness testimony, often transcribed from the formal enquiries that took place to make sense of how exactly the Unsinkable Ship, sank. Whilst it was fascinating to hear about conversations taking place in the lifeboats, teenage boys sneaking past officers to safety wearing bonnets and shawls, the accounts from passengers on other liners in the days afterwards, having to steam through the sea of bobbing corpses (shiver!) and other such anecdotes, the inclusion of the officers’ testimony from the court cases at times got a little dry and repetitive and I found myself scanning rather than reading.
An easy recommendation for anyone with any level of interest in the disaster – or just wants to brush up on their facts with the centenary looming.
August 20, 2012
I've been reading a lot of Titanic books this year due to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of that great ship so the title of this one really intrigued me. Can there really be 101 things still unpublished, 101 things I still not might know? Turns out, there can. Well, close to 101 if not that exact number!
Keep in mind I am in no way a Titanic scholar but just a casual reader. Even so , many of the myths in this book were well-known to me. A serious Titanic-phile would probably know most of the content but for a casual trivia reader, there is enough to keep and capture your interest. Many parts of the book were fascinating, casting new insight into the actual sinking.
The format of the book was interesting as well: a common myth is shared and then the truth is revealed, with accompanying data to verify the authors' statements. A lot of the data comes from first person accounts and reports and this adds a unique perspective to the read. If you like narrative stories, stay clear of this one. This is strictly for trivia-lovers.
Keep in mind I am in no way a Titanic scholar but just a casual reader. Even so , many of the myths in this book were well-known to me. A serious Titanic-phile would probably know most of the content but for a casual trivia reader, there is enough to keep and capture your interest. Many parts of the book were fascinating, casting new insight into the actual sinking.
The format of the book was interesting as well: a common myth is shared and then the truth is revealed, with accompanying data to verify the authors' statements. A lot of the data comes from first person accounts and reports and this adds a unique perspective to the read. If you like narrative stories, stay clear of this one. This is strictly for trivia-lovers.
June 12, 2012
“101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic... But Didn't!” was released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. It contains exactly what the title says, 101 unknown facts about the Titanic, the passengers, and its sinking.
I have always been fascinated with anything surrounding that fateful voyage. This book did not disappoint. It is clear that the authors did their research. It is full of new and interesting facts that are not common knowledge. One example of this can be found when they discuss the fact that there were not enough lifeboats for everyone on board. In reality the ship followed the laws of the land for the time and had as many lifeboats as required during the pre-Titanic era. Much of the information this book contains comes from the inquiries that took place after its famous sinking. It also contains survivor accounts of what really happened to Titanic. Tim Maltin takes all of the key elements and breaks them down in an easy to read format.
This is a must not miss book for any Titanic fanatic.
I have always been fascinated with anything surrounding that fateful voyage. This book did not disappoint. It is clear that the authors did their research. It is full of new and interesting facts that are not common knowledge. One example of this can be found when they discuss the fact that there were not enough lifeboats for everyone on board. In reality the ship followed the laws of the land for the time and had as many lifeboats as required during the pre-Titanic era. Much of the information this book contains comes from the inquiries that took place after its famous sinking. It also contains survivor accounts of what really happened to Titanic. Tim Maltin takes all of the key elements and breaks them down in an easy to read format.
This is a must not miss book for any Titanic fanatic.
July 31, 2015
I won this book - as I recall - for answering a trivia question on twitter about the Titanic.
It's actually a very enjoyable book. A few of the facts I did know, but many I didn't. Ismay really wasn't as bad as all that. A great proportion of the dead weren't from steerage. The band may not have been playing "Nearer My God To Thee" as she went down. And many, many other factoids.
The author uses different sources, among them the actual transcripts of the two different inquiries into the accident.
Did you know there was a conspiracy theory that it was actually the Olympic that went down and not the Titanic?
It's actually a very enjoyable book. A few of the facts I did know, but many I didn't. Ismay really wasn't as bad as all that. A great proportion of the dead weren't from steerage. The band may not have been playing "Nearer My God To Thee" as she went down. And many, many other factoids.
The author uses different sources, among them the actual transcripts of the two different inquiries into the accident.
Did you know there was a conspiracy theory that it was actually the Olympic that went down and not the Titanic?
August 17, 2012
And excellent book! Addresses the most common myths about the Titanic, some less common ones and tries to answer everyone of them in a clear, short yet empirically sustained way.
The only thing I found could induce is some eventual error was the fact that many of the answers were based on the USA/British Enquiries to the sinking of the Titanic. Well, such Enquiries were not exactly impartial so one has to have that in mind when reading it. Apart from that, it's a compelling, easy and interesting read.
The only thing I found could induce is some eventual error was the fact that many of the answers were based on the USA/British Enquiries to the sinking of the Titanic. Well, such Enquiries were not exactly impartial so one has to have that in mind when reading it. Apart from that, it's a compelling, easy and interesting read.
September 12, 2016
An informative look at the many myths that surround the sinking of the Titanic. I will admit to the many eyewitness testimonies becoming a bit tedious to read by the end; but never-the-less some very interesting reading. I'm not as well versed in all things Titanic like some other readers might be but I have discovered different opinions in each book I pick up; so I've found the truth even harder to discover.
September 13, 2021
I have finished reading “101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic – But Didn’t!” by Tim Maltin and Eloise Aston.
I am always interested in the truth behind myths and films. And so it was that by chance I listened to one of my history podcasts on the way to work which featured one of the authors to this book. I didn’t know a huge amount about the Titanic. I avoided the James Cameron film like the plague (dude, you went from Judgement Day to THIS?) until I inevitably saw it. But the author’s passion for this subject and my general interest in this period of history led me to give this book a chance.
Those of you hoping that the Titanic was sunk by an Egyptian Mummy curse are going to be bitterly disappointed. It was sunk by an iceberg in a maritime disaster that had a miniscule chance of occurring on such transatlantic journeys at the time.
All of the modern conspiracy theories about the Titanic, including the inside insurance job claims were debunked in the book. Given that the parent company of White Star Line (the company that owned and ran the Titanic) financed much of the insurance, it would have been a giant own goal. And no, the ship wasn’t swapped for it’s sister ship the Olympic.
Contrary to nasty rumours spread after the disaster, the crew were not negligent or poorly trained. They were the best at what they did and given the circumstances of the disaster they did well. Unfortunately, complacency and poor procedure, which was common throughout their industry, meant certain safety precautions were not taken. There were some myriad reports of ice flows possibly being present in the Atlantic, but the industry’s emphasis on speedy journeys meant caution was lacking on the part of Captain Smith. For unknown reasons the Chairman of White Star Line, who was a passenger on the ship, carried an iceberg warning telegram in his pocket for 5 hours.
The crew acted properly in dealing with the disaster, however they did keep back one big secret from the crew. There was a coal bunker fire burning deep within the ship that had been burning since the ship’s departure from Belfast. Furthermore, this same fire caused a large warped bulge in the side of the ship. Questioning of technical experts (albeit ones not necessarily invested in the truth) post disaster claim this structural damage would not have effected the ultimate outcome of the iceberg hit.
The iceberg itself was the warning shot from a wider ice field. If the iceberg had missed the Titanic the ship would have ran into the ice field within minutes. If it had been closer to the ice field after impact then the field may well have been strong enough for the survivors to clamber on until rescued.
Overall, I enjoyed this book on the whole. Sometimes the book was a bit too clever for it’s own good. For instance in times when the authors said their point was proven by court testimony, they had a tendency to quote this testimony at great lengths, no matter how interesting the exchanges were. That said the book did well to get to the bottom line and was very enlightening on telling the tales of the aftermath. The Titanic disaster brought a bloody end to the age of complacency. Soon after the disaster international maritime safety legislation was passed, taking much of the risk out of this form of travel. The International Ice Patrol still exists to this day and is now completely ran by the US Coast Guard. On the anniversary of the Titanic disaster the IIP drops a wreath above the ship’s wreck out of respect for the fallen. Debating over the “what ifs” are interesting, but they can take away credit for brave people dealing with difficult conditions at the time. Unusual weather at the time led to poor visibility, meaning that the crew only had 30 seconds to react to the incoming iceberg. A grim fact we know now is that the ship could have got away with minimal loss of life, by the Captain directing the ship directly into the path of the iceberg. If the bow hit many fire stokers would have died in their sleep. But the ship would not have sank. Such are the hard calculations in life and loss that those in command have to make.
I am always interested in the truth behind myths and films. And so it was that by chance I listened to one of my history podcasts on the way to work which featured one of the authors to this book. I didn’t know a huge amount about the Titanic. I avoided the James Cameron film like the plague (dude, you went from Judgement Day to THIS?) until I inevitably saw it. But the author’s passion for this subject and my general interest in this period of history led me to give this book a chance.
Those of you hoping that the Titanic was sunk by an Egyptian Mummy curse are going to be bitterly disappointed. It was sunk by an iceberg in a maritime disaster that had a miniscule chance of occurring on such transatlantic journeys at the time.
All of the modern conspiracy theories about the Titanic, including the inside insurance job claims were debunked in the book. Given that the parent company of White Star Line (the company that owned and ran the Titanic) financed much of the insurance, it would have been a giant own goal. And no, the ship wasn’t swapped for it’s sister ship the Olympic.
Contrary to nasty rumours spread after the disaster, the crew were not negligent or poorly trained. They were the best at what they did and given the circumstances of the disaster they did well. Unfortunately, complacency and poor procedure, which was common throughout their industry, meant certain safety precautions were not taken. There were some myriad reports of ice flows possibly being present in the Atlantic, but the industry’s emphasis on speedy journeys meant caution was lacking on the part of Captain Smith. For unknown reasons the Chairman of White Star Line, who was a passenger on the ship, carried an iceberg warning telegram in his pocket for 5 hours.
The crew acted properly in dealing with the disaster, however they did keep back one big secret from the crew. There was a coal bunker fire burning deep within the ship that had been burning since the ship’s departure from Belfast. Furthermore, this same fire caused a large warped bulge in the side of the ship. Questioning of technical experts (albeit ones not necessarily invested in the truth) post disaster claim this structural damage would not have effected the ultimate outcome of the iceberg hit.
The iceberg itself was the warning shot from a wider ice field. If the iceberg had missed the Titanic the ship would have ran into the ice field within minutes. If it had been closer to the ice field after impact then the field may well have been strong enough for the survivors to clamber on until rescued.
Overall, I enjoyed this book on the whole. Sometimes the book was a bit too clever for it’s own good. For instance in times when the authors said their point was proven by court testimony, they had a tendency to quote this testimony at great lengths, no matter how interesting the exchanges were. That said the book did well to get to the bottom line and was very enlightening on telling the tales of the aftermath. The Titanic disaster brought a bloody end to the age of complacency. Soon after the disaster international maritime safety legislation was passed, taking much of the risk out of this form of travel. The International Ice Patrol still exists to this day and is now completely ran by the US Coast Guard. On the anniversary of the Titanic disaster the IIP drops a wreath above the ship’s wreck out of respect for the fallen. Debating over the “what ifs” are interesting, but they can take away credit for brave people dealing with difficult conditions at the time. Unusual weather at the time led to poor visibility, meaning that the crew only had 30 seconds to react to the incoming iceberg. A grim fact we know now is that the ship could have got away with minimal loss of life, by the Captain directing the ship directly into the path of the iceberg. If the bow hit many fire stokers would have died in their sleep. But the ship would not have sank. Such are the hard calculations in life and loss that those in command have to make.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2020
I find the title a little bit annoying. It sort of sounds like the author is being snobby about how much he knows and how "little" we know. Kinda annoying, but the content of the actual book itself is fine.
While I did know most of these things about the Titanic, I did find out that some things of what I thought I did know, I actually...didn't...but still. He could have given his book a nicer title than that.
Only a few times did it feel like he was contradicting himself. For example, he would go on and say a statement was false, and as he explained it, he seemed to be explaining more about how it was actually true. It was just sort of weird like that a few times. But I did enjoy reading about the facts I had never considered, and the R.M.S. Titanic has lately been of interest to me.
I did notice at least three typos in this book, one of which was where a sentence didn't even have a period but had clearly ended. I did skim over some of the conversation portions as I found them a bit dull compared to the actual facts written out by the author, and often I didn't know who was even in the conversation talking.
While I did know most of these things about the Titanic, I did find out that some things of what I thought I did know, I actually...didn't...but still. He could have given his book a nicer title than that.
Only a few times did it feel like he was contradicting himself. For example, he would go on and say a statement was false, and as he explained it, he seemed to be explaining more about how it was actually true. It was just sort of weird like that a few times. But I did enjoy reading about the facts I had never considered, and the R.M.S. Titanic has lately been of interest to me.
I did notice at least three typos in this book, one of which was where a sentence didn't even have a period but had clearly ended. I did skim over some of the conversation portions as I found them a bit dull compared to the actual facts written out by the author, and often I didn't know who was even in the conversation talking.
Read
August 9, 2021i have been obsessed with the sinking of titanic since i was a kid, and remember watching the movie in awe at the history (and staying up brutally late to watch it on cable!) i would research all the facts and watch videos of how she sank- years later i’m still fascinated by the wreck. i really enjoyed this book because it taught me more about what i knew, dispelled myths i once believed, or taught me entirely new things about the sinking. it was also written in a really great format, which made it easy to read.
i also loved the conclusion of this book where the author states:
“perhaps most valuably of all, what remains of her wreck will always serve as a tangible reminder of the price we pay for overconfidence.”
i also loved the conclusion of this book where the author states:
“perhaps most valuably of all, what remains of her wreck will always serve as a tangible reminder of the price we pay for overconfidence.”
September 4, 2018
This book has a very cheesy name and a very lazy format, but the contents are incredibly informative. The research is there and it is well presented, but the author seems to have taken the easy road in the format. It's more of "Here is the fact you thought you knew" followed by "Yes" or "no" and then an elaboration of the facts to support the answer. I did, in fact, learn a few things and I even found myself googling things as I was reading (a picture of the iceberg the titanic hit taken the day after the tragedy, for one). I would recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in the Titanic Event, but if you're looking for a good story, maybe try Walter Lord's books!
April 26, 2023
As someone who has spent years researching and exploring the Titanic, I was pleasantly surprised by Tim Maltin's book, "101 things you thought you knew about Titanic... but didn't". Maltin's attention to detail and ability to uncover little-known facts about the ship and its passengers is truly remarkable. He manages to dispel many of the myths that have persisted about the Titanic for over a century, while also shedding new light on the tragedy. His book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Titanic, and will undoubtedly change the way you think about this iconic ship and its place in history.
August 17, 2022
While this book had many interesting facts, I felt like it dragged on.
I get that the author wanted to thoroughly explain the facts, it was a bit boring and went into a bit too much detail.
It was mostly a dry read.
Wouldn't really reccomend unless you knew absolutely nothing about the Titanic and wanted to learn.
I get that the author wanted to thoroughly explain the facts, it was a bit boring and went into a bit too much detail.
It was mostly a dry read.
Wouldn't really reccomend unless you knew absolutely nothing about the Titanic and wanted to learn.
December 30, 2019
Excellent story about what happen to the Titanic and those aboard that died, and those that survived this terrible disaster. Plus the in depth investigation into what exactly happened, that brought this famous ocean liner to its horrific ending.
September 17, 2020
I wasn't surprised by most of the information (despite the title), but it was an interesting read. A good mix of facts and testimonies, among a more conversational analysis of that information. I do wish it had included some maps and diagrams.
January 15, 2021
A lot of these 101 things are common knowledge to anyone who would keep up to date with most things Titanic. However I have had this book since at least 2011 and will always bust it out on rare occasions and reread it from cover to cover.
March 13, 2018
This was not a bad book by any means, but I knew most of the topics discussed and so I got bored pretty quickly.
December 10, 2020
Book good. Ice bad.
January 24, 2021
Absolutely fascinating. Highly recommend.
June 12, 2022
Well written and full of interesting facts
Read a lot of books about Titanic and this is one of the best ones. Full of facts and interesting information.
Read a lot of books about Titanic and this is one of the best ones. Full of facts and interesting information.
January 16, 2023
A really good book. Was just sad to find out that so much that we've been taught about the titanic weren't true. But glad to find out the true story from court accounts.
Want to read
February 9, 202404/27/19
September 2, 2024
I know 8 out of 10 of these facts, but there were several new to me even after all of the other Titanic books, videos and TV shows I've watched. Very well done.
January 5, 2012
Titanic expert Tim Maltin tackles the myths and legends surrounding one of history’s most famous doomed ships in this new book. Methodically moving from the ship’s construction and launch to its notorious sinking, Maltin tackles the biggest stories about the big ship and tells readers what the real story was. History buffs and fans of shipwrecks should take note: this book is detailed, compelling, and accessible.
Obviously this book is going to find a readership in hardcore Titanic fans. This could mean the ship itself or James Cameron’s eponymous, epic 90s movie. (Did anyone else see that it’s being re-released in 3D? Is nothing sacred any more?!) The book might also resonate with fans of shipwrecks and history in general, but because Maltin’s book is so detailed, Titanic fans are going to be the most entertained by his account of what happened.
Using a variety of sources, including actual interview transcripts from surviving passengers and crew members, Maltin dispels the myths surrounding the ship in a clear, concise manner. Each of the 101 issues Matlin tackles is handled in a few pages, but it never feels overly rushed–his accounts are detailed and thoughtful.
It’s a book that will also work for individuals doing research about the ill-fated ship. The writing is accessible enough to work for high school students (or even sophisticated middle-grade readers) looking for detailed information about the boat. This book wouldn’t be a bad resource to have in classrooms or school libraries.
Overall compelling, Maltin’s book about the Titanic is a relatively quick read that offers a great deal of information to chew on. Recommended to fans of the ship, the movie, or those just looking to learn more about what happened to that crazy ocean liner.
101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic…But Didn’t by Tim Maltin. Penguin Books: 2011. Electronic galley accepted for review via NetGalley.
Obviously this book is going to find a readership in hardcore Titanic fans. This could mean the ship itself or James Cameron’s eponymous, epic 90s movie. (Did anyone else see that it’s being re-released in 3D? Is nothing sacred any more?!) The book might also resonate with fans of shipwrecks and history in general, but because Maltin’s book is so detailed, Titanic fans are going to be the most entertained by his account of what happened.
Using a variety of sources, including actual interview transcripts from surviving passengers and crew members, Maltin dispels the myths surrounding the ship in a clear, concise manner. Each of the 101 issues Matlin tackles is handled in a few pages, but it never feels overly rushed–his accounts are detailed and thoughtful.
It’s a book that will also work for individuals doing research about the ill-fated ship. The writing is accessible enough to work for high school students (or even sophisticated middle-grade readers) looking for detailed information about the boat. This book wouldn’t be a bad resource to have in classrooms or school libraries.
Overall compelling, Maltin’s book about the Titanic is a relatively quick read that offers a great deal of information to chew on. Recommended to fans of the ship, the movie, or those just looking to learn more about what happened to that crazy ocean liner.
101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic…But Didn’t by Tim Maltin. Penguin Books: 2011. Electronic galley accepted for review via NetGalley.
May 17, 2011
Wakefield Press (Australia) Version 2011
101 Things You Thought You Knew About The Titanic . . . But Didn't!
I thought everyone knew that the Titanic's fourth funnel was merely a ventilation shaft and thus never smoked – yet we still keep seeing that ubiquitousTitanic picture with all four funnels merrily puffing away. Well okay, here we go again, off on the most re-lived maiden voyage of all time. This time we are in search of the facts rather than the hearsay or the myth, though to be quite honest I doubt that facts actually have much bearing on the sinking of the unsinkable liner. Still, Tim Maltin obviously thinks so because the facts of the Titanic disaster have become somewhat of a holy grail to him. And thus in 101 we get the real story – the one that finally dispels most of the fabrications that have consistently bobbed to the surface whenever the Titanic is mentioned. Maltin's account is enjoyably readable and thoroughly researched, a veritable pocket book of Titanic truths that could bust any argument on the matter wide open.
Regrettably however a considerable amount of the information in this tome has previously appeared in various guises in many of the considerable volumes already penned on the matter, and thus as somewhat of a Titanic stalker myself I really didn't glean much new from this latest dive into the tragedy other than a couple of references appertaining to survivors and cadavers I hadn't come across before – like the three bodies frozen on the shelf of a drifting berg found three months post disaster. 101 is a pleasant enough trip down the ice-laden shipping route called memory lane and unlike its subject matter doesn't go down head first into the abyss.
101 Things You Thought You Knew About The Titanic . . . But Didn't!
I thought everyone knew that the Titanic's fourth funnel was merely a ventilation shaft and thus never smoked – yet we still keep seeing that ubiquitousTitanic picture with all four funnels merrily puffing away. Well okay, here we go again, off on the most re-lived maiden voyage of all time. This time we are in search of the facts rather than the hearsay or the myth, though to be quite honest I doubt that facts actually have much bearing on the sinking of the unsinkable liner. Still, Tim Maltin obviously thinks so because the facts of the Titanic disaster have become somewhat of a holy grail to him. And thus in 101 we get the real story – the one that finally dispels most of the fabrications that have consistently bobbed to the surface whenever the Titanic is mentioned. Maltin's account is enjoyably readable and thoroughly researched, a veritable pocket book of Titanic truths that could bust any argument on the matter wide open.
Regrettably however a considerable amount of the information in this tome has previously appeared in various guises in many of the considerable volumes already penned on the matter, and thus as somewhat of a Titanic stalker myself I really didn't glean much new from this latest dive into the tragedy other than a couple of references appertaining to survivors and cadavers I hadn't come across before – like the three bodies frozen on the shelf of a drifting berg found three months post disaster. 101 is a pleasant enough trip down the ice-laden shipping route called memory lane and unlike its subject matter doesn't go down head first into the abyss.
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