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DK Eyewitness Books
Titanic
Offers detailed descriptions of the Titanic, including its accommodations, and a retelling of its sinking in the North Atlantic in April, 1912.
72 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Simon Adams
281 books39 followersSimon Adams is a writer and editor of children’s non-fiction and reference books. He specializes in history, politics and current affairs and has written extensively on exploration, music and the arts. He is also a well established jazz critic and reviewer. Simon has also contributed to family and adult reference books and has been an editorial consultant on various history and other titles.
Simon was born in Bristol and studied history and politics at the London School of Economics and Bristol University, where he gained an MSc. He entered publishing as a publicity copywriter at Routledge and subsequently joined Dorling Kindersley, eventually becoming managing editor of the children's division. He became a full-time writer 15 years ago. Since then, he has written and contributed to more than 60 books for a wide range of publishers on subjects as varied as archaeology, the sinking of the Titanic and the history of jazz. Simon lives in London and is a keen reader and cyclist.
Simon was born in Bristol and studied history and politics at the London School of Economics and Bristol University, where he gained an MSc. He entered publishing as a publicity copywriter at Routledge and subsequently joined Dorling Kindersley, eventually becoming managing editor of the children's division. He became a full-time writer 15 years ago. Since then, he has written and contributed to more than 60 books for a wide range of publishers on subjects as varied as archaeology, the sinking of the Titanic and the history of jazz. Simon lives in London and is a keen reader and cyclist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
May 29, 2020
Although this book is, according to what I've read, targeted towards younger readers, I purchased it from a used book store and I am glad I did. It also came with a CD.
The book is a well-illustrated synopsis of who, what, and how the Titanic came to be, and how she was lost on her maiden voyage. A few personal stories are told, and there are plenty of photos of the ship, her crew, passengers, etc. Included in the beginning are the myriad of stories of the prediction of the tragedy - some decades before it was even though about and up to a dying child just a couple of days prior to the launch.
There is one mistake I found in reading the book -and even that made me smile. In speaking about some of the things that were part of the reason the hull failed so badly, the word "incorrectly" is spelled, well, incorrectly, which I found to be one of those things that make me go "hmmmm" :D
As someone who has viewed the traveling Titanic exhibit and who has read many books on the subject, this one, although a short read, will enlighten even the biggest Titanic historian in some way.
The book is a well-illustrated synopsis of who, what, and how the Titanic came to be, and how she was lost on her maiden voyage. A few personal stories are told, and there are plenty of photos of the ship, her crew, passengers, etc. Included in the beginning are the myriad of stories of the prediction of the tragedy - some decades before it was even though about and up to a dying child just a couple of days prior to the launch.
There is one mistake I found in reading the book -and even that made me smile. In speaking about some of the things that were part of the reason the hull failed so badly, the word "incorrectly" is spelled, well, incorrectly, which I found to be one of those things that make me go "hmmmm" :D
As someone who has viewed the traveling Titanic exhibit and who has read many books on the subject, this one, although a short read, will enlighten even the biggest Titanic historian in some way.
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January 17, 2013Titanic
Simon Adams
Titanic was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK to New York City, US. The sinking of Titanic caused the deaths of 1,502 people in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in modern history. The RMS Titanic was the largest ship afloat at the time of her maiden voyage. She was the second of three Olympic class ocean liners operated by the White Star Line, and she was built by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast with Thomas Andrews, who perished with the ship, as her naval architect. On her maiden voyage, she carried 2,224 passengers and crew. Under the command of Edward Smith, her passengers included some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as hundreds of emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland, Scandinavia and elsewhere throughout Europe seeking a new life in North America. The ship was designed to be the last word in comfort and luxury, with an on-board gymnasium, swimming pool, libraries, high-class restaurants and opulent cabins. She also had a powerful wireless telegraph provided for the convenience of passengers as well as for operational use. After leaving Southampton on 10 April 1912, Titanic called at Cherbourg in France and Queenstown (now Cobh) in Ireland before heading westwards towards New York. On 14 April 1912, four days into the crossing and about 375 miles (600 km) south of Newfoundland, she hit an iceberg at 11:40 pm ship's time. The glancing collision caused Titanic's hull plates to buckle inwards along her starboard side and opened five of her sixteen watertight compartments to the sea; the ship gradually filled with water. Meanwhile, passengers and some crew members were evacuated in lifeboats, many of which were launched only partly loaded. A disproportionate number of men were left aboard because of a "women and children first" protocol followed by the officers loading the lifeboats. By 2:20 AM, she broke apart and foundered, with well over one thousand people still aboard. Just under two hours after the Titanic foundered, the Cunard liner RMS Carpathia arrived on the scene of the sinking, where she brought aboard an estimated 705 survivors.
This book was easy to read and contained great information regarding that fateful night the Titanic sank. This book is pretty tragic because it has too many deaths in it. The book has many good illustrations. The book also has many emotions in it because of all the tragedies. This book is good.
Simon Adams
Titanic was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK to New York City, US. The sinking of Titanic caused the deaths of 1,502 people in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in modern history. The RMS Titanic was the largest ship afloat at the time of her maiden voyage. She was the second of three Olympic class ocean liners operated by the White Star Line, and she was built by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast with Thomas Andrews, who perished with the ship, as her naval architect. On her maiden voyage, she carried 2,224 passengers and crew. Under the command of Edward Smith, her passengers included some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as hundreds of emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland, Scandinavia and elsewhere throughout Europe seeking a new life in North America. The ship was designed to be the last word in comfort and luxury, with an on-board gymnasium, swimming pool, libraries, high-class restaurants and opulent cabins. She also had a powerful wireless telegraph provided for the convenience of passengers as well as for operational use. After leaving Southampton on 10 April 1912, Titanic called at Cherbourg in France and Queenstown (now Cobh) in Ireland before heading westwards towards New York. On 14 April 1912, four days into the crossing and about 375 miles (600 km) south of Newfoundland, she hit an iceberg at 11:40 pm ship's time. The glancing collision caused Titanic's hull plates to buckle inwards along her starboard side and opened five of her sixteen watertight compartments to the sea; the ship gradually filled with water. Meanwhile, passengers and some crew members were evacuated in lifeboats, many of which were launched only partly loaded. A disproportionate number of men were left aboard because of a "women and children first" protocol followed by the officers loading the lifeboats. By 2:20 AM, she broke apart and foundered, with well over one thousand people still aboard. Just under two hours after the Titanic foundered, the Cunard liner RMS Carpathia arrived on the scene of the sinking, where she brought aboard an estimated 705 survivors.
This book was easy to read and contained great information regarding that fateful night the Titanic sank. This book is pretty tragic because it has too many deaths in it. The book has many good illustrations. The book also has many emotions in it because of all the tragedies. This book is good.
September 19, 2014
A nice book filled with facts about Titanic, nice pictures and some inaccuracies.. Ideal for kids that want to explore the best known ship and wreckage of all time.
A beautiful journey, with many details varying from the facilities of the "practically unsinkable" vessel, to well known passengers. I enjoyed reading it a lot. And although it is meant for children an adult can find it amussing and pleasing..
The only thing i didn't like was how it suggests that the ship was poorly built. It has been proved countless times that the ship was in fact built with the best materials that were available at the time. I don't really understand the almost offensive tone the author adopts about the matter. Other than that, everything else was nice.
A beautiful journey, with many details varying from the facilities of the "practically unsinkable" vessel, to well known passengers. I enjoyed reading it a lot. And although it is meant for children an adult can find it amussing and pleasing..
The only thing i didn't like was how it suggests that the ship was poorly built. It has been proved countless times that the ship was in fact built with the best materials that were available at the time. I don't really understand the almost offensive tone the author adopts about the matter. Other than that, everything else was nice.
July 7, 2009
Eyewitness does a spectacular job of describing every little detail on what happened that tragic night. The things recovered, the remnants and parts of the ship are also well represented.
April 30, 2013
The book is about the titanic a ship that was created in the year 1912. Many called this ship "unsinkable",and "luxurious". No one would ever thought that her first maiden voyage would of been her last. The biggest and largest ship of her time surprised the world and no one thought she was beatable compared to any other ship there wasn't a ship as close to her in luxurious and big. It all starts way before the year 1912 it was about 1902 10 years before the titanic would make its maiden voyage. 2 people had the mind of creating such a ship like the titanic there names were "P. Morgan", and "J. Bruce Ismay." They had a vision to bring a new class into ships a new class that will be the last word of comfort and luxury. By 1912 when the titanic was fully completed its final scale was an amazing 882 ft with 9 inches the largest ship of its time and her height was a record breaking 134 ft high. She was larger then the empire state building and any other skyscraper in the world. A total of 2,224 people were on bored this fine ship not knowing this would be there last trip of there lives. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in ships and the disasters of any ships this book will tell you how this ship came to end, and also the lives it brought with her to the bottom of the ocean. This is just a curse in my opinion but there was a book created 14 years before the titanic sank and the author named its ship titan and it sank in the middle of the atlantic ocean and killed about 1000 people. I don't know about you guys but that is creepy.
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March 19, 2026As a kid I was obsessed with the Titanic. This book got so many check outs from me at both my school and public libraries.
In anticipation of an upcoming trip I decided to see if the series was still around and to my delight it is. In reading this one cover-to-cover for the first time in *cough cough* years I’m pleased to say it holds up.
I was shocked to learn I retained a lot of information.
While the updated edition is required for the youth of today, I miss this one illustration that took up two pages depicting the night of the tragedy. With lifeboats in the water and some being lowered - probably omitted because it wasn’t accurate, but forever etched in my mind.
In anticipation of an upcoming trip I decided to see if the series was still around and to my delight it is. In reading this one cover-to-cover for the first time in *cough cough* years I’m pleased to say it holds up.
I was shocked to learn I retained a lot of information.
While the updated edition is required for the youth of today, I miss this one illustration that took up two pages depicting the night of the tragedy. With lifeboats in the water and some being lowered - probably omitted because it wasn’t accurate, but forever etched in my mind.
October 27, 2013
1. Genre- Non-Fiction
2. Awards- None
3. Grade Level- 3-4
4. This is a great book to use when discussing the Titanic. The book explains how the Titanic was built, how things ran while on board, and what happened when it sank, with extra tidbits throughout of survivors' tales and remnants later discovered after the wreck. As a follow-up activity, I would work together with students and assign each student a different part. The groups would be first class, second class, and third class passengers, the crew members, and reporters. Then, using the information given to us from the book, I would have the students put together a front page news report describing the disaster. The students playing the part of reporters would go to the other students acting as surviving passengers and crew members and interview them (using questions we come up with as a class) about life on board the ship and the disaster that ensued. After, as a class, we would put together the information and make the report. This will help students to fully understand the tragedy of the Titanic from a more personal viewpoint.
2. Awards- None
3. Grade Level- 3-4
4. This is a great book to use when discussing the Titanic. The book explains how the Titanic was built, how things ran while on board, and what happened when it sank, with extra tidbits throughout of survivors' tales and remnants later discovered after the wreck. As a follow-up activity, I would work together with students and assign each student a different part. The groups would be first class, second class, and third class passengers, the crew members, and reporters. Then, using the information given to us from the book, I would have the students put together a front page news report describing the disaster. The students playing the part of reporters would go to the other students acting as surviving passengers and crew members and interview them (using questions we come up with as a class) about life on board the ship and the disaster that ensued. After, as a class, we would put together the information and make the report. This will help students to fully understand the tragedy of the Titanic from a more personal viewpoint.
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October 27, 2008Classroom applications-informational text
text features, guided reading, shared reading
15 copies available
text features, guided reading, shared reading
15 copies available
June 25, 2009
luv these books
August 5, 2011
This was ok. I guess it was worthy of reading...
August 28, 2011
Awesome; many photos of many different recovered items & of construction & voyage. Detail & depth.
February 15, 2012
Neat stuff was found on Titanic.
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October 27, 2012How do I start reading Iam new
Want to Read
November 19, 2012Its so heart breaking i always cry
May 4, 2013
This book is awesome
September 11, 2013
This book is so sad it is so sad that every time I read it or watch the movie I cry I would recommend every one who loves romantic/ sad movies or books need to read this!!!!! :)
April 28, 2017
The book is very well structured and he always wants to be read out of it. Even as an adult, you still acquire a lot of detailed knowledge. Very well illustrated and interesting written.
June 25, 2022
Lovely presentation but unfortunately there were several glaring factual errors!
April 13, 2019
Part of the Eyewitness series, Titanic is an excellent introduction and overview of this extraordinary ship that continues to fascinate the world over. With an odd yet interesting format the book covers a variety of topics, from the early twentieth century transatlantic shipping trade, to the Titanic’s maiden voyage and sinking, to the efforts to salvage and preserve artifacts from the wreck; with each topic being given a double page spread with a 1-2 paragraph summary and a collage of illustrations, photos, and various objects, each accompanied by a short description. The rich coloring and crisp images are beautiful to look at, and the collage layout has the effect of making the book incredibly engaging. And while it’s clearly geared toward young readers and simplifies things a bit, it’s well-written and delivers several pieces of trivia that even seasoned Titanic enthusiasts are likely to be unaware of. Eyewitness’s Titanic is a remarkably compelling book with a unique approach to the material that makes it fresh and exciting.
May 2, 2018
Rather redundant after reading another book about the Titanic recently, but enjoyed the photos and illustrations.
February 8, 2020
It sinks in the end 🚢
May 25, 2023
This was a fantastic colorful book that went through the making of the ship. It went over the different sections of the boat and what amenities were available. It then went over the sinking of the ship and the survivors. I love the images they shared of the people who were on the ship and the items that have been found after the accident. This book is great for younger readers. This is a quick read and a great history of the unsinkable ship.
April 29, 2012
Interesting!!! All these extra factoids allowed me to geek out after I saw the Titanic movie in 3D. Particularly haunting was the page which listed all the PREDICTIONS of the Titanic sinking. A bunch of dying people, for example a dying girl in Scotland, said they could see a sinking ship with screaming people on it sinking into the icy ocean just a few hours before the Titanic actually sank. A bunch of books were published as much as thirty years before the incident which described a story almost identical to what happened on Titanic. One story even had a captain with the same name as the real captain of the Titanic! ALSO, some people were about to walk on to the ship when they suddenly got an ominous feeling about it and at the last minute decided not to board.
SO sad, there all these pictures of people that died. There was an entire second class family of eight, every single one of them perished. There was a graph of the percentage of each class that died. SO unfair - there were significantly more deaths in steerage than there were in first class. Some people were admirable in first class, at least, and allowed others to board the life boats instead of them.
PLUS it turns out that the guy in the movie who shot two passengers and then shot himself was a myth. Also, the guy who snuck on to the lifeboat along with the women and children was actually not as despicable as it seems - there really was a man who went on to a women and children's lifeboat, but he did so because at the time there was no one else left on deck and an officer actually ordered him to board the lifeboat while there was still time.
SO sad, there all these pictures of people that died. There was an entire second class family of eight, every single one of them perished. There was a graph of the percentage of each class that died. SO unfair - there were significantly more deaths in steerage than there were in first class. Some people were admirable in first class, at least, and allowed others to board the life boats instead of them.
PLUS it turns out that the guy in the movie who shot two passengers and then shot himself was a myth. Also, the guy who snuck on to the lifeboat along with the women and children was actually not as despicable as it seems - there really was a man who went on to a women and children's lifeboat, but he did so because at the time there was no one else left on deck and an officer actually ordered him to board the lifeboat while there was still time.
December 4, 2016
1) Book summary: The luxury steamboat Titanic was plunged under the ocean when it hit a iceberg. More than 1,500 people lost their lives causes of this accident. The boat was carrying lower, middle, and upper class citizen on the boat. So many lost their lives trying to survive the cold water as rescue boats tried to save them.
2) Grade level, interest level, lexile: 4-7th grade, ages 9-12, 820L
3) Appropriate classroom use (subject area): History
4) Individual students who might benefit from reading: Every child would benefit from this book. It teaches a important historical fact.
5) Small group use (literary circles): During small group session, we can discuss the important roles of the economic citizen level
6) Whole class use (read aloud): We can watch the Titanic movie and later on write a paper over the movie
7) Related books in genre/subject or content area: The story of Titanic for children
8) Multimedia connections (audio book, movie) available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, DVD, Audible
2) Grade level, interest level, lexile: 4-7th grade, ages 9-12, 820L
3) Appropriate classroom use (subject area): History
4) Individual students who might benefit from reading: Every child would benefit from this book. It teaches a important historical fact.
5) Small group use (literary circles): During small group session, we can discuss the important roles of the economic citizen level
6) Whole class use (read aloud): We can watch the Titanic movie and later on write a paper over the movie
7) Related books in genre/subject or content area: The story of Titanic for children
8) Multimedia connections (audio book, movie) available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, DVD, Audible
October 17, 2012
Titanic Simon Adams
This book is all about the Titanic. There many facts that teach people about the Titanic, like the rooms, clothes, food, and etc. Also it tells what happens to the Titanic and the events in order until it sinks. I would let people read this book
The point of this book is to inform the reader about the Titanic and what happens in great detail. The author is trying to say that the Titanic was a great ship and it sank in the mid-atlantic in 1912 on a new moon, also on a sunday.
I feel this book is great because it talks about the Titanic and I love it. Also it I wouldn't change anything in this book at all. Everything had a lot of important details and great facts too.
I would recommend this book to people who love the Titanic and who are studying it to. What you should really know is that it gives everything you would what to know about the Titanic.
This book is all about the Titanic. There many facts that teach people about the Titanic, like the rooms, clothes, food, and etc. Also it tells what happens to the Titanic and the events in order until it sinks. I would let people read this book
The point of this book is to inform the reader about the Titanic and what happens in great detail. The author is trying to say that the Titanic was a great ship and it sank in the mid-atlantic in 1912 on a new moon, also on a sunday.
I feel this book is great because it talks about the Titanic and I love it. Also it I wouldn't change anything in this book at all. Everything had a lot of important details and great facts too.
I would recommend this book to people who love the Titanic and who are studying it to. What you should really know is that it gives everything you would what to know about the Titanic.
February 24, 2012
Awesome look at the Titanic, with lots of really interesting (and some pretty freaky) facts about the ship itself, the passengers, and of course it's fateful sinking. This Eyewitness series book contains a wide variety of photos, and blurbs of information. A few facts that stood out to me:
•On April 14th, 1912, the night of the sinking of Titanic, a young Scottish girl names Jessie lay dying her in her bed. As she slipped away, Jessie told her parents of a premonition she had about a ship hitting something and sinking afterwards. She also stated that a man named "Wally was playing the fiddle." On Titanic, Wally the violinist played until the end.
•The life vests were composed of cork and covered with thick canvas. But these vests didn't help much with the freezing water of the Atlantic.
•On April 14th, 1912, the night of the sinking of Titanic, a young Scottish girl names Jessie lay dying her in her bed. As she slipped away, Jessie told her parents of a premonition she had about a ship hitting something and sinking afterwards. She also stated that a man named "Wally was playing the fiddle." On Titanic, Wally the violinist played until the end.
•The life vests were composed of cork and covered with thick canvas. But these vests didn't help much with the freezing water of the Atlantic.
November 26, 2014
A Titanic book coming from the "Eyewitness" series is not a disappointment. This book is jam packed with information on the story we all know, love, and crave more through curiosity. The book contains an array of real photographs of recovered wreckage from the ship along with facts of its purpose etc. We are also taken along on a history lesson from when the grand ship was built all the way to its final demise and destruction. The book is hardcover and bares sleek polished illustrations and elaborate photographs/ blueprints from the time period. I would recommend this book to any child looking to seek out more knowledge of the titanic.
October 6, 2010
These eyewitness books are amazing. Especially eyewitness Titanic. The Titanic's maiden voyage was set to start in March. It took 2 tons of anchor weight to try to stop the Titanic. The Titanic sunk on April 12 1912, when I just slightly hit a iceberg on the front bow. It took 2 hours for the water to rise over the 15 water tight bulkheads. When it did the Titanic started to rise out of the water. With the back of the Titanic up in the air it's splits into 2! The front plows down to the ocean floor and the back bobs in the air for about 2 minutes and then starts to sink!
October 1, 2019
My favorite character was the Californian boat because they saved some of the passengers on the titanic. I was surprised that it was 3 football field long. the boat crashed April 14 1912 about 11:40 PM. It was 11 story's tall and could hall 2500+ passengers. the cost of the best room was $ 3500, the 2nd room was $65.00 and the 3rd best was $35.00. I would not change the end.
April 7, 2013
To state,the obvious,a story,full of,sadness,joys,happiness,very hard to even,imagine living thru that,surviving the ordeal,would be imbedded in ones mind forever,it would be the hardest thing to ever forget,or let go of. . . just enuf. .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews