The Story of the Titanic As Told by Its Survivors

by Jack Winocour (Editor), Lawrence Beesley, Archibald Gracie

Why does the sinking of the Titanic hold such fascination for us? Many reasons have been advanced for the continuing fascination of this epic tragedy, but none, we think, can contribute as much to an understanding of it as the four accounts collected in this volume.
All four authors were survivors, and each presents the catastrophe from his own viewpoint; the icy waters, the cries of the drowning, the confusion, and the heroism, are given an intensely personal immediacy.
This volume contains, complete and unabridged, "The Loss of the S.S. Titanic," by Lawrence Beesley, and "The Truth about the Titanic," by Col. Archibald Gracie. Both are full-length books published soon after the disaster. Each has become extremely rare today. The third story in this volume, "Titanic," was written by one of the only officers to survive the catastrophe, Commander Lightoller. It includes the story of the "white-washing" inquiries into the Titanic 's safety measures. The last section is a dramatic tale by the Titanic 's surviving wireless operator, Harold Bride.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Historical, Biography Memoir, Survival

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1960

Reviews

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Story of the Titanic As Told By Its Survivors should absolutely be required reading for anyone interested in learning about that maritime disaster. It features four separate accounts of four survivors and it is truly chilling to learn first hand what they all went through. A must read.

[ALLEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unsophisticated but effective softcover book, first published in 1960, that consists of four actual eyewitness accounts of the sinking of the Titanic that were published as four separate books in their day. Credibility of witnesses is very high. Not the first book I'd recommend to someone looking for an overview of the Titanic disaster, but it can be very useful in separating the wheat from the chaff when it comes to matters of authenticity.



Painting: Courtesy of THE REGISTER (UK). (Note: Many specialists now believe Titanic broke in two before its final sinking.)

[Karen Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated by the Titanic tragedy ever since watching the movie with Leonardo DeCaprio and Kate Winslet. The true story was that all the passengers were calm and compassionate, including the 1500 men who stayed on the ship while their wives and children left on the lifeboats. A very factual account of what really happened as told by the people who survived. If you are looking to be entertained, this is not the version to read. If you love to read about historic events, then this book is worthwhile.

[joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was though drawn out at times, such a moving story. At one point one of the authors goes into a very eloquent description of how beautiful the night was and how as they were rowing through that frigid night the stars seemed to be trying to give extra power to their efforts. Another particularly descriptive event though gut-wrenching speaks of the people in the life boat having to keep rowing despite the desperate screams for help from those drowning. I learned a lot about the rescues and pieces of the history that I had never read elsewhere. This book made me really want to learn more about the Titanic.

[Bruna Oliveira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Algumas partes técnicas me deixaram??? Mas é bem interessante

[Rose Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is made up of 4 stories of survivors of the Titanic, with amazing photos and drawings as well.
I've broken out my review by each story told.
Overall, just a heartbreaking event that never should have happened. Many brave souls that night.

The Loss of the S.S. Titanic
Its Story And Its Lessons by Lawrence Beesley:
Originally published in 1912. Unabridged...
Guess I dont really need to worry about spoilers with this one.
I don't know where to begin or what to say. I have always been fascinated by this tragic event.
Lawrence Beesley made me feel like I was right there with the passengers. (maybe though, from watching The Titanic?) Watching the movie definetely helped with reading this book. There were many things in the movie, that were true to actual events of the night the Titanic sank. And also some that were not.
So many facts that I was not aware of. How the Californian was within 10 miles of the Titanic, their lights visible from the lifeboats who tried to row toward them (for a short time, until the lights disappeared on the horizon). If their wireless operator were awake, everyone could have been saved from the Titanic. SO many factors and heartbreaking realities....unfilled lifeboats, the calmness of the passengers.....the speeding (to save a couple of hours at sea), and ignoring many warnings of icebergs in the area. So many lessons learned and lives unnecessarily lost by this tragic event. Heartbreaking.


The Truth About The Titanic by Colonel Archibald Gracie:
Originally published in 1913. Unabridged...
This was a very detailed account of the tragic event. Not only does Col. Gracie give his account of what happened and how he survived, but he did extensive research with the other survivors and lists each lifeboat, it's number, when it was lowered, who was on it, and any incidents that occured, as told by the passengers/crew themselves. Incredibly amazing!


Titanic by Commander Lightoller
Originally appeared as Chapters 30-35 of the book Titanic and Other Ships, originally published in 1935. Reprinted through the permission of Mrs. Lightoller. Unabridged...
More technical. Probably because it is coming from a First Officer of the ship. Defended the speed of the Titanic, etc.
Honestly....so many factors, hard to point blame at any one person or event of the night.


The Thrilling Tale By Titanic's Surviving Wireless Man
by Harold Bride, as posted in The New York Times, April 28, 1912. Unabridged...
Interesting side of the events of the night told by the wireless operator.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is 4 accounts from 4 different survivors - Lawrence Beesley, one of the few 2nd class male passengers to survive - Archibald Gracie, a first class passenger - Commander Lightoller, the highest ranked surviving officer and Harold Bride, one of the Marconi telegraph operators.

Four different accounts, mainly consistent, with different elaborations and focuses. All interesting.

Well worth reading.

[Erin Entrada Kelly]

This is a compilation of four survivor accounts. I skipped Archibald Gracie’s section because his machismo and classist/racist retelling of events was unbearable. He casts first-class passengers as true heroes and every person who tried to “sneak” into lifeboats as “Italians, “Latins,” etc. The other survivor stories are compelling, however. Particularly Lawrence Beesley.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complilation of four books about the Titanic:

1. The Loss of the S.S. Titanic: written by a surviving passenger

2. The Truth About The Titanic: Written by a passenger, who died before the book was published.

3. Titanic and Other Ships: Written by Second Officer Charles Lightoller, the only officer to survive the sinking.

4. Thrilling Tale by Titanic's Surviving Wireless Man: written by the Marconi wireless operator on the ship, who survived on an overturned boat.

These four stories really gave me a personal, real, look at what happened on the ship when it sank. The details make the disaster all the more real for me.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book as part of a Titanic book club that I did at the library. I found the accounts from the survivors fascinating and insightful. The accounts were also much different than the more well known stories surrounding this disaster. Even 100 years after its sinking, the Titanic still has so much to tell!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some nuggets of pure truth in this book. As I read this, I felt some voice tell me that I should pay close heed to the things I have learned from reading these experiences. Not that I may encounter a sinking ship in freezing waters, but that there would be times in my life where I would need to act and act in a valiant manner.

[Helen Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book for anyone with a depth of love for the tragedy, majesty & story of the white star liner. The stories of the survivors are so harrowing & unnerving...yet if you really want transporting to the time of sinking this book will put you there!

[Joanna Doherty Salone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one. Lots of detail about the event as well as opinions of the survivors about why this happened and how it was handled. Many first -hand accounts enabling the reader to see the tragedy from different viewpoints and situations.

[Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very interesting to hear from the survivors accounts. It also debunked myths such as the band playing "Nearer My God" to thee or about how everyone was hysterical and panicking. I really enjoyed reading the book, but of course, I feel sad and kind of angry for those who were lost.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any Titanic fan simply HAS to have this in their collection. The personal accounts of the sinking are very stark, very honest, and will have you on the edge of your seat!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book, and a definite must for anybody studying the Titanic and more importantly: her passengers.

[Rebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating collection of several contemporary, eye-witness accounts of the Titanic sinking.

The collection starts out strong with Lawrence Beesley’s account. He’s an educated man, an engaging author, and from his perspective as a passenger we see what it was like being on board throughout the trip.

The collection ends on a strong note as well. We get the account of an officer on board (a man who heroically worked to fill lifeboats and went down with the ship, then—surprisingly—became the only officer on board to survive). There’s a short newspaper article after this which relates another unusual perspective, that of one of the communications workers who labored until the end to send out SOS messages and updates to nearby ships.

However, Colonel Gracie (author of a long section in the middle of the collection) was not as compelling as a writer. As a passenger, he had (I felt) a similar story as Beesley’s but not as well told. He then includes a bunch of interviews of other survivors at the end of his section. That was not as interesting as you might think. I found it skimmable. There were a few tidbits buried amidst many lists of who got on which lifeboat and many repetitive accounts of survivors’ time spent getting on and being on lifeboats.

The book also includes some cool historical photos.

Overall, I’d highly recommend this book, which can be read for free as an ebook if you have a subscription to Hoopla.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love history, so the accounts of survivors were really interesting to read. Colonel Gracie's section seemed to go on longer than it needed to, but I think I just didn't find him to be as engaging a writer as the other 3. There is also an element of feeling like he was out of touch with the way he talks about people of other nationalities and such.
I think that Lawrence Beesley has a very personable style to his writing and it is easy to connect with him as a narrator.
Officer Lightoller also has a down to earth approach and makes it easy to see events from his perspective.
I also really enjoyed Mr. Bride's narration, because his narrative was in exactly his voice instead of being cleaned up and polished, so you get the actual perspective of an early 20s young man instead of a professionally written summary of events.

It is interesting to see how people respond to disaster. Also the way that these events could have played out differently and the disaster could have with her been fully prevented or mitigated if different actions had been taken taken really shows the bigger picture and how outcomes were so close to being significantly improved. It seems like in so many cases there were opportunities for a difference being made that were just barely missed.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What a book! So many things happened on board that most people do not know. i.e, only a handful of lifeboats to save almost 2,000 passengers, the ship’s captain steering the boat exceedingly fast with little or no regard to the fact he was in ice-berg-filled waters & so much more. I love this book because the story was actually told from the survivors’ perspective and not random newspaper articles. Also, I was intrigued by the fact not one passenger disobeyed orders when boarding lifeboats, nor did any passenger scream or yell; rather, passengers did as they were told, even though the people in charge really had no idea what to do. However, the passengers were not aware of the diar situation they were in. Most waited in line and said not a word. A very somber night it was but some 700 people were saved, which in itself seems a minor miracle! I think many people thought the ship would not sink since the ship was advertised as unsinkable. I loved this book and plan on watching the movie again, even though I know it’s not nearly as accurate as this book! 5 stars for the historical content.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Found this at a secondhand bookstore years ago and, as a bit of a Titanic fanatic, just couldn't pass it up. I think ultimately, though, this is very much the kind of book that I would only recommend to a fellow fanatic, and not to someone looking for a general introduction to the story of the Titanic. This isn't a comprehensive view of the disaster, since the stories told here are very much focused on the first class passengers and ship's officers. However, it's still an incredible in-depth look at the stories of four different survivors, including three who, incredibly, initially went down with the ship. All of their personal stories are extremely compelling, and absolutely worth a read.

However, I must admit that the portions of the book that do not focus on personal stories (namely, Archibald Gracie's exhaustive The Truth About the Titanic, were a bit difficult to get through. The short stories of survivors are rather repetitive, focused almost exclusively on the first class survivors, and in general weren't as satisfying to read. I do commend Gracie for gathering them, though, since I am sure they have served as an incredible resource for other writers who have explored the story of the Titanic. As research, it's a great jumping off point. But as a reading experience... meh.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, it's Leo for me.

But aside from that (thank you, James Cameron), I can't figure out why the story of Titanic draws me. Or any of us. It's dreadful. We know how it ends and yet we can't look away. I've quit on - or been haunted by - other books about disasters, but somehow this one was different. Four accounts from survivors of the disaster, all written soon after the event, are compiled to paint a richly colored canvas of that April night. I learned so much about the heroism and courage displayed that night. All things considered, the management of the disaster was a credit to the White Star Line. Despite all the horror (if a sentence can even begin that way), the tragedy was mitigated significantly by men who did their duty, who sacrificed their own safety, and who risked everything in order to bring help and comfort.

Titanic's story will never not be awful. But this book reminds us that it may only be in such dark times as these that man's dross is melted off and his gold is able to shine through.


And by the way, survivors' accounts do not support that the ship split in two above the water. How it ended up on the sea floor in two pieces is a mystery of the deep.

[Debra Waites · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had seen the blockbuster Titanic in 1997 or 1998 and had purchased and read this book then. It was eye opening. Fast forward to 2023 and the rerelease of Titanic in some movie theaters. I am now twenty five years older. The movie version was not as good as I remembered. I reread the book, as I couldn’t remember all the pertinent facts. I found myself more affected now than then. Should be required reading. The stupid questions asked by the United States Enquiry are resounded in our politics of today as is the need to blame and justify, neither of which meant anything to the 1500 people who died.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a compilation of three accounts that went out not long after the sinking. So, if read back to back to back, it can be a fair bit repetitive.

That said, it was really fascinating to hear the varying accounts - proof that eyewitnesses are frequently wrong!

The other thing I found quite notable was how all three were very much written “of their time”. The passengers who were named were only first class passengers. The lower classes were occasionally mentioned and steerage barely got a word. The classism and sexism and even some racism were so casually thrown about!

Now I want to go search for photos of these survivors on the Carpathia or as they arrived in NY.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cualquiera de los cuatro testimonios merece cuatro estrellas. No porque sean alta literatura sino porque son recuerdos de testigos del hundimiento de uno de los barcos más impresionantes del siglo XX. Además, probablemente sin pretenderlo, reflejan algunos datos curiosos de la época, como el hecho de que a los pasajeros de segunda y de tercera no se les menciona por su nombre o el empeño cerril que tienen todos en que el Titanic no se partió en dos al hundirse.
Es muy recomendable si el Titanic fascina.

[Nancy Bandusky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is actually four stories of the Titanic sinking as told by four different men, providing different perspectives on the disaster. Two of the authors were passengers while the other two worked on the ship as an officer and a radio operator. The stories are informative, giving great insight into the situation while on the Titanic, after the collision, in the water, and on the Carpathia. People interested in eyewitness accounts would find this a remarkable read.

[Snickerfritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting reading

As one would expect from a compilation of first hand accounts, there was a great deal of repetition that at times was difficult to follow. However, there was agreement on many key points which provided a clear picture of what happened that night. I am glad I read it.

[Angela Bezold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such candid and vivid memories of that fatal night on the Titanic. The writing was so powerful that I felt like I was there. It was as if God spared these individuals so that they would be the ones that could tell their stories with such amazing descriptiveness. Such a sad story but also so fascinating in its irony of being the unsinkable ship.

[Kym Couch · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me over 5 years to read this book, in part because it was so easy to put down.

Archibald’s section was absolutely the most dull, and riddled with inaccuracies that have since been disproven, but written with such confidence. I felt like I was being gaslit from someone who wrote the book over 100 years ago.

Overall, still an interesting read, but not always a good one.

[Alex Chafetz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dated prose and often technical. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone looking for just any read or who is casually interested in the Titanic. But an excellent primary source for those who want to learn more about the disaster.

[Ryan Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

If 'A Night To Remember' is TITANIC book #No1, then this is definitely No 2. The first hand accounts from survivors dispel myths whilst raising more questions about the most famous maritime disaster in modern history. Track it down on eBay. Excellent!!