1912 Facts about the Titanic

by Lee W. Merideth

Offering fascinating, lesser-known facts about the "Titanic", author Lee Merideth gives details on the ship, the passengers, and the sinking and explores aspects of the salvage operations of the wreck today. 10 photos/illustrations.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Trivia

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 1999

Reviews

[Michael O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well-written. Clear, concise, interesting, and to the point. Merideth really brings out some interesting facts on the Titanic, and his matter-of-fact manner in telling it really shows how time and chance happeneth to all, great and small, rich and poor, average and above average. Absolutely fascinating. It really brings out a lot of "What ifs..." ---- such as what if the Titanic had not been 4 hours behind schedule, what if the lookouts had had a pair of binoculars (which unbeknownst to the crew were locked in a safe aboard the vessel), what if the officer of the deck had elected to ram the iceberg instead of trying to evade it, what if the Titanic had had its original number of lifeboats ---- and many more. Moreover, this book really brings out how people tend to revert their core personality and attributes --- when thrown into an unplanned, unpredictable, unstructured catastrophic situation. A highly enjoyable read overall. I highly recommend this to anyone desiring to learn more about one of the greatest maritime catastrophes in history.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the Titanic Exhibition in Las Vegas in 2014. I have always been fascinated and intrigued by the Titanic. I've spent a lot of time throughout my life researching the Titanic, building the mini version of the ship, or rewatching James Cameron's movie (which is my second favorite film of all time). I've picked this book up here and there throughout the years since 2014, reading a chapter whenever I felt like it. However, the last time I picked it up, I was about a quarter of the way through it. But, this time I did not put the book down after a chapter. I couldn't put the book down and finished the remaining 75% of the book in three days. I thought this book had great facts and very detailed information. I liked how it focused on telling the story of Titanic and the journey the ship made. Everything was chronological and connected easily. The only part that I didn't enjoy was learning sooooo much info on the building and design of the ship. I know these are crucial facts when discussing Titanic and its doom, but I don't understand how to build a ship and the terminology and expertise that requires. The author went into way too many facts for a normal reader to grasp. Half of these chapters went over my head, especially since I started reading this book when I was 14 compared to when I finished the book at 20. These early chapters were too complex for a teenager to really grasp. I think he could've cut out about half the info and have readers get the same knowledge. Overall, a great and factual book on everything Titanic. If you are hooked on learning about Titanic or want to start, this is a great place to look.

[Destiny Sanderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested in the Titanic but this had too much information in it. It was hard to get through and at times, repetitive. It was interesting and I learned things I didn't know but there were many times I just wanted the book to end.

[Jordan Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful read for Titanic fans and history buffs alike! The facts were arranged by category, in chronological order, and in bullet form, making this a straight-to-the-point read with an easy-to-follow narrative. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because there were a handful of typos and an error on one of the dates mentioned. However, these things didn't affect the overall narrative. A great addition to anyone's Titanic collection!

[Katie H · Rating 2 out of 5]

So. Many. Typos. The author did help me learn a lot about Titanic but the writing itself couldve used another pass from an editor. The facts would sometimes get lost by confusing wording or being too repetitive

[Valaree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! Although I know a LOT about Titanic and have developed a study unit for my students, I learned even more while reading the book. The bullet-style organizational format makes it easy and convenient to use the book as a valuable reference or reliable research companion. Loved it. Thx!

[Amy Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met the author of this book at a signing at the Luxor in Las Vegas. It was at the incredible Titanic exhibit there. I am a HUGE Titanic buff.

I was floored by the exhibit but then very excited to meet Dr. Merideth. I had heard about him and his book but didn't own a copy yet. He was a very nice man who indulged my questions and queries for about half an hour. We discussed many of the facts that I was unsure about and he seemed so knowledgeable that I was very excited to read his book. It is well written, easy to read and very thoroughly researched. I highly recommend it.

Also, on a side note-if you are interested in Titanic, go to the Luxor and see the exhibit there. They have a full scale model of the main staircase, many other full size rooms and decks. But the most amazing thing, was the piece of the hull that they brought up. I was in awe when I walked around a corner and saw it. It is a must for any Titanic fan.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is entitled 1912 Facts About The Titanic, and that is how many facts you'll find in this great and informative book...1,912.

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book full of a lot of facts. Loved it

[Nicole M. Lilly Rawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely leans towards the more die hard Titanic nuts (of which I am 100% one), especially in the beginning where it lays out a lot of stats about the ship's technical aspects, White Star Line history, and the state of shipping in the early 20th century. The bullet point aspect of the book however makes it very enjoyable to read at one's own pace and to be able to pick and choose what to skip or not.

The editing of the book was not always of the highest quality (I noticed several typos) and if read cover to cover (which I did) there are multiple instances of repetitive information, but that is to be expected with the bullet point layout. Those things aside, it was a highly enjoyable book and chock full of facts that I'd either never known or long forgotten about the Titanic and the disaster.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

1912 Facts about the Titanic was really well- written with a bullet fact list that was clear and included in each of the chapters. There were 19 specific chapters- from the dream to build the Titanic, to the Titanic's first voyage and each of its stops, to the iceberg, to not enough life boats, to the rescue, to more random facts. It was amazing to learn the ship had many issues before it even set sail, that it wasn't properly looked over before its first voyage and had a couple mishaps on the ocean. It was really doomed from the beginning.
I love the fact that Lee. W. Merideth brought light on several passengers and told the readers a bit about who they were, their backgrounds and why they were on the Titanic sailing to America. It felt that reading about them was in someway honouring that they existed and their bravery. Some of the passengers' facts were gut-wrenching. It's amazing how many people were not supposed be travelling on the Titanic. The Titanic's history has always been maddening to me because of the errors that could've been avoided with the extra time and care, for example: safety priorities and lifeboats. But, it is sadly part of our history!
Captain Smith and Bruce J. Ismay made my skin crawl with goosebumps. They were just cowards!

[Jessica Gallant · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 and only because this book was very slow to begin with. He begins with the building of the Titanic and then proceeds to go individually by those who are aboard. It's picked up pace about halfway through if not a little bit later on. I wasn't expecting him to go into detail with those who survived and also the captain's and those who were in charge of the ship what happened to them after how for example many of them lost their licenses to work again. All in all, it is a terrible tragedy. I believe that the author did due diligence.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I was a Titanic girly. The love started with the movie (who doesn't love a young Leo and Kate?). But as I got older, I started to look into the disaster more and more and became enthralled with how it came to be. This book is amazing if you are interested in more than just the movie going into details about how the idea for the build came, to building the actual ships and even the crew and passengers.

[Gretchen Turonek · Rating 4 out of 5]

The research done for this book was remarkably thorough and presented well. The information was quite interesting, and the book would be right at home on the bookshelf of a maritime history buff or Titanic enthusiast.

[Wesley Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never really knew much about the history of the Titanic. The stories of all the people, their backgrounds, how they reacted to the disaster, and what happened afterwards created a compelling story. Great history.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and well-organized book of facts about everything Titanic. Needed better editing for the revised edition as there were many grammar errors that served as a distraction (apostrophes used unnecessarily and there/their errors).

[Gabby Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a lot of facts about 1912 not just about Titanic, Very great and informative!!

[L. Maristatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and informative read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

1912 Facts About the Titanic-Revised Edition by Lee W Merideth.

Although the great ship sank nearly 50 years to the day before I was born, I've always been fascinated with anything Titanic related.

I think the title is somewhat misleading. This book is more than just a list of facts and, in some parts, reads as mini bios of the people on board. I really enjoyed this book.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested in learning about the Titanic.

I gave this 5 stars.

[J.lenard · Rating 4 out of 5]

SSR Book a Month
Title: 1912 Facts About Titanic
Author: Lee W. Meredith
Date started/date completed: Nov. 28th - Dec. 17th
Total Pages: 224
Rating of Book: 8 out of 10
Minor character that had major importance:
The Titanic’s First Officer William Murdoch played a key role in the sinking of the Titanic. He was on duty as a lookout at 11:40 pm on April 14, 1912. When he saw the iceberg, he had a split second decision to make. Should he order the ship to be turned left or right? Or should he decide to hit the iceberg full on? He immediately ordered the ship to be turned left. The ship began to veer to the left, and nearly avoided the fast approaching iceberg. As the ship met the iceberg, the right side of the ship collided with it and the iceberg bumped along below the waterline, breaking the walls of the ship. The Titanic was designed so that if the first four watertight compartments were flooded, it could stay afloat until help came. However, the fifth compartment of the Titanic flooded, leaving the ship to sink.
If Murdoch had decided to hit the iceberg full on, many of the electricians and firemen would have been killed by the impact, but fewer compartments would have flooded. Murdoch knew this, but he was trying to save as many lives as possible. So he tried to avoid the iceberg entirely, saving everyone. Ever since the Titanic sank, many “what ifs?” have been asked. What if Murdoch did not order the ship to be turned at all? What if the Titanic hit the iceberg head on, intentionally? Would it have sunk? We will never know.
Author’s purpose: The author’s purpose was to inform the reader of what happened to the Titanic, and to provide the reader with a lot of background knowledge on the subject.
Intended Audience: People with interest in the Titanic, historians, and shipbuilders or ship enthusiasts.

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting book! The events that lead up to the sinking were amazing…so many little things that could have been avoided that ultimately ended in the loss of life. Blame could be placed on many individuals and should have been removed from others. The author makes the best point at the end, that it was ultimately complacency & the era that attributed to this tragedy. Fast read, chock full of great info. Additionally, I loved the way it was written – in fact, I wish many historical books were written this way – small snippets of information in broken-down, bulleted blocks of information.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. However, sometimes the 1912 facts were mentioned several times so I sometimes felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again. I know that there are obviously numerous accounts of that evening but writing them several times in the book kind of got annoying. Other than that, it was a great read. I enjoy the whole storyline of the Titanic disaster and this was a great read to further educate myself on it's demise.

[Ken Rossignol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee Merideth is an accomplished historian and researcher into many facets of history and he brings together all of his talent into this book. This goes far beyond how long the ship is, or how many decks, providing a greater understanding of this remarkable ship and the people who sailed on it's only voyage.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read tons of books on the Titanic and this book gave me tons of facts that I had never heard before and told me facts that I've been looking for but haven't ever been able to find anywhere else. This is stunning with all of its information. A must read!

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love learning about Titanic and I absolutely loved this book. I didn't know of its existence until I met the author, who was selling signed copies in Columbus, Ohio (at the Titanic exhibit at Cosi a couple years ago), but I'm so glad that I got to meet the author and that I bought a copy!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as I can tell, this is a completely accurate fact-based retelling of the Titanic disaster. It's nothing compared to A Night To Remember, but it is very informative and well worth picking up if you're looking for a good research book.

[Bonnie Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was really interesting and brought up a lot of facts, explained some previous myths, got into some stories, etc. For someone who has read a lot of books about the Titanic, this was one of the better ones.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was interested in the Titanic but this had too much information in it. It was hard to get through and at times, repetitive. It was interesting and I learned things I didn't know but there were many times I just wanted the book to end.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went to a Titanic artifact exhibit and read this after to refresh my memory of more details of the sinking of the Titanic.