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Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth
When Margaret Tobin Brown arrived in New York City shortly after her perilous night in Lifeboat #6, a legend was born. Applauded for her tireless work on behalf of the poorest survivors -- especially women in steerage who had lost all family and possessions, and who spoke no English -- Brown soon became famous throughout the nation and the world. Through magazines, books, a Broadway musical, and a Hollywood movie, she became The Unsinkable Molly Brown, but in the process her life was distorted beyond recognition. Even her name was changed -- she was never known as Molly during her lifetime.
322 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
69 people are currently reading
1220 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Iversen
11 books79 followersKristen Iversen is the author of Full Body Burden Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats, a finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, and Molly Brown Unraveling the Myth, winner of the Colorado Book Award and the Barbara Sudler Award for Nonfiction. Full Body Burden was chosen by Kirkus Reviews and the American Library Association as one of the Best Books of 2012 and named 2012 Best Book about Justice by The Atlantic. Iversen’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, Reader’s Digest, and many other publications. She has appeared on C-Span and NPR’s Fresh Air and worked extensively with A&E Biography, The History Channel, and the NEH. She holds a Ph.D from the University of Denver and currently teaches in the PhD program in creative writing at the University of Cincinnati. She is also the author of a textbook, Shadow Boxing Art and Craft in Creative Nonfiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
August 22, 2013
I do know from reading & watching documentaries on Molly Brown that a lot of her "exploits" from the Titanic and also throughout her life were grossly exaggerated but this book really shows how exaggerated many beliefs about her were inaccurate. She was still a very strong minded woman but not as belligerent as the movies make her seem. A really wonderfully written story.
February 13, 2012
Next month I'm going to be at a teacher workshop in Denver. The topic is how to use biographies to teach Western History. The workshop is hosted by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Molly Brown House, and our first assignment is to read a biography on Mrs. Brown. Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth. Kristen Iversen's 1990 volume won the Colorado Book Award for Biography, and a 2010 updated edition was just published. The 304 page paperback is a quick read, and even if you don't know anything about Molly Brown beyond her “unsinkableness,” you'll find this an enjoyable book.
Iversen's account of Molly Brown's life starts with the most famous part of her life—her survival the night the Titanic sank. This harrowing story is really the only thing I knew about Mrs. Brown (real name Margaret Tobin Brown, whose alteration Iverson eventually explains) before picking up the book. It serves as a good introduction to both Brown and the world that she lived in—one of riches and excess, but also an overwhelming concern for and connection with the people not of her elevated class.
After the Titanic story, Iversen goes back in time to tell us about where Margaret came from: her parents' roots in Ireland, her own birth and childhood in Hannibal Missouri (her time there did overlap with Samuel Clemens, but it doesn't seem like they knew one another), and her move to Leadville Colorado—a silver boomtown that was growing faster than Denver in the 1880s. When she marries J.J. Brown, Margaret Tobin marries someone 13 years older than her, a hardworking engineer who eventually helps a mine break into a new source not of silver, but of gold. This makes them fabulously wealthy, and catapults them into Denver's social scene.
Throughout the book, Iversen does a good job of differentiating the myths of Molly Brown (no one ever called her “Molly,” as far as historians can figure out, although some early friends and family did call her “Maggie”) from the reality of her life. The Titanic story is the one that's ended up most true, although she wasn't ever standing in her lifeboat, stripped down to her corset and garters, singing ala Debbie Reynolds. She's often portrayed as a bumpkin who got rich overnight, rejected from Denver high society because she wasn't as refined or educated as The Sacred 36, the most elite of the wealthy families. The truth is that while she wasn't as accepted by some of those families, others embraced her, because for more than a decade, she was Denver high society. Mrs. Brown was educated, both in book learning and in the peculiar mores of the Gilded Age. She played instruments, she sang, she had private tutors for herself and her children, she spent time in Europe and around the world—she wasn't a hick.
Her life reminds me somewhat of Eleanor Roosevelt's—she felt like she had more to give than just host tea parties for the other wealthy ladies of the city, and she put herself and her money to work with many charitable organizations. Some of that seems to have stemmed from her own childhood and experience working in a tobacco processing factory in Missouri; some of it from what she saw as a boss's wife in Leadville. Wherever it came from, she always seems to have been busy with one cause or another, which may have helped to erode her own marriage.
Iversen spins a good tale, and her research is well-documented with more than twenty pages of end notes, a bibliography, and an interview with the author at the end of the book. If you're interested in a number of topics from the time period, whether it's the Titanic, Women's Suffrage, the Gilded Age, or the Wild West, you'll enjoy Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth.
Iversen's account of Molly Brown's life starts with the most famous part of her life—her survival the night the Titanic sank. This harrowing story is really the only thing I knew about Mrs. Brown (real name Margaret Tobin Brown, whose alteration Iverson eventually explains) before picking up the book. It serves as a good introduction to both Brown and the world that she lived in—one of riches and excess, but also an overwhelming concern for and connection with the people not of her elevated class.
After the Titanic story, Iversen goes back in time to tell us about where Margaret came from: her parents' roots in Ireland, her own birth and childhood in Hannibal Missouri (her time there did overlap with Samuel Clemens, but it doesn't seem like they knew one another), and her move to Leadville Colorado—a silver boomtown that was growing faster than Denver in the 1880s. When she marries J.J. Brown, Margaret Tobin marries someone 13 years older than her, a hardworking engineer who eventually helps a mine break into a new source not of silver, but of gold. This makes them fabulously wealthy, and catapults them into Denver's social scene.
Throughout the book, Iversen does a good job of differentiating the myths of Molly Brown (no one ever called her “Molly,” as far as historians can figure out, although some early friends and family did call her “Maggie”) from the reality of her life. The Titanic story is the one that's ended up most true, although she wasn't ever standing in her lifeboat, stripped down to her corset and garters, singing ala Debbie Reynolds. She's often portrayed as a bumpkin who got rich overnight, rejected from Denver high society because she wasn't as refined or educated as The Sacred 36, the most elite of the wealthy families. The truth is that while she wasn't as accepted by some of those families, others embraced her, because for more than a decade, she was Denver high society. Mrs. Brown was educated, both in book learning and in the peculiar mores of the Gilded Age. She played instruments, she sang, she had private tutors for herself and her children, she spent time in Europe and around the world—she wasn't a hick.
Her life reminds me somewhat of Eleanor Roosevelt's—she felt like she had more to give than just host tea parties for the other wealthy ladies of the city, and she put herself and her money to work with many charitable organizations. Some of that seems to have stemmed from her own childhood and experience working in a tobacco processing factory in Missouri; some of it from what she saw as a boss's wife in Leadville. Wherever it came from, she always seems to have been busy with one cause or another, which may have helped to erode her own marriage.
Iversen spins a good tale, and her research is well-documented with more than twenty pages of end notes, a bibliography, and an interview with the author at the end of the book. If you're interested in a number of topics from the time period, whether it's the Titanic, Women's Suffrage, the Gilded Age, or the Wild West, you'll enjoy Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth.
June 23, 2013
In real life, there really wasn't a "Molly" Brown, but when did truth ever get in the way of telling a good story?
Margaret Tobin Brown's real life story is much more fascinating that the myths and legends that sprang up around her, and this book does a wonderful job 1) telling the real story, 2) explaining how and why we've come to think these things about a woman who lived not so very long ago, and 3) sheds light on what life was like for a (relatively) wealthy American feminist in the days before American women could vote.
Far from being crude or uneducated, Margaret (and JJ) hired tutors not only for their children, but for themselves. She spoke five languages and among other things, took yodeling lessons for two years.
She loved to travel - and she wrote travel articles. She ran for political office. She was a staunch friend of workers' rights, children's welfare, a mother, a mother-surrogate for her widowed brother's daughters.
By her own account, Margaret was in bed reading when Titanic struck the iceberg. That alone makes her a woman after my own heart.
The book is meticulously researched, full of detail but not dry, and also contains many wonderful photographs. Great read for anyone who is interested in Titanic, women's history, and life in Colorado at the turn of the 20th century.
Margaret Tobin Brown's real life story is much more fascinating that the myths and legends that sprang up around her, and this book does a wonderful job 1) telling the real story, 2) explaining how and why we've come to think these things about a woman who lived not so very long ago, and 3) sheds light on what life was like for a (relatively) wealthy American feminist in the days before American women could vote.
Far from being crude or uneducated, Margaret (and JJ) hired tutors not only for their children, but for themselves. She spoke five languages and among other things, took yodeling lessons for two years.
She loved to travel - and she wrote travel articles. She ran for political office. She was a staunch friend of workers' rights, children's welfare, a mother, a mother-surrogate for her widowed brother's daughters.
By her own account, Margaret was in bed reading when Titanic struck the iceberg. That alone makes her a woman after my own heart.
The book is meticulously researched, full of detail but not dry, and also contains many wonderful photographs. Great read for anyone who is interested in Titanic, women's history, and life in Colorado at the turn of the 20th century.
March 21, 2024
A-MAZ-ING
February 10, 2013
I didn't know very much about Molly Brown before reading this - just a few references to her and of course the James Cameron movie. I knew from somewhere that she was an activist, ahead of her time, and that there was a lot of difference between the legendary "Unsinkable Molly Brown" and the real woman, but that was all I knew.
This book does a lot to contextualize the legendary Molly Brown and contrast that image with the real Margaret Brown. The author makes a few pointed snipes at other historians who rely on the legend rather than going to primary sources. At the same time, she shows where some of the legend comes from, based on reality.
The real Margaret Brown was a fascinating woman, very much ahead of her time. She also was something of a larger than life character, with a taste for extravagance and a generous heart. Her experience on the Titanic immortalized her, but her life before and after the Titanic is worthy of interest and discussion. It's more than a bit ironic how many of the causes she fought for are still being fought for today.
The book is framed by Margaret's experience of the Titanic disaster and its immediate aftermath. The rest of the book tells you who she was, and why she was the sort of person who did what she did during and after the sinking. It's a well-written history and I recommend it!
This book does a lot to contextualize the legendary Molly Brown and contrast that image with the real Margaret Brown. The author makes a few pointed snipes at other historians who rely on the legend rather than going to primary sources. At the same time, she shows where some of the legend comes from, based on reality.
The real Margaret Brown was a fascinating woman, very much ahead of her time. She also was something of a larger than life character, with a taste for extravagance and a generous heart. Her experience on the Titanic immortalized her, but her life before and after the Titanic is worthy of interest and discussion. It's more than a bit ironic how many of the causes she fought for are still being fought for today.
The book is framed by Margaret's experience of the Titanic disaster and its immediate aftermath. The rest of the book tells you who she was, and why she was the sort of person who did what she did during and after the sinking. It's a well-written history and I recommend it!
May 4, 2018
"At a critical time for women's suffrage, the Titanic disaster reignited all of the difficulties of early feminist dialogue with respect to articulating the rights of women," writes Kristen Iversen in her definitive biography of Margaret Brown, simultaneously explaining why "Molly" is so important to history as well as contextualizing the tragedy in yet another important light.
Dr. Iversen's thoughtful study of Mrs. Brown wisely begins with her now-immortal role in the Titanic disaster, separating facts from myths while catching the reader's interest with the story that no doubt most know her for. After this initial chapter, we're intrigued by Margaret - not Molly! - Brown, and what follows is a thoughtful and well-researched exploration of this bold, complex, and devoted woman and her lifetime dedication to activism.
The author particularly appealed to me as someone that demonstrates care and interest both in her subject and humanity as a whole, writing about her subject and the era through a modern progressive feminist lens... the very sort of person that Margaret Tobin Brown would want to have writing about her!
Dr. Iversen's thoughtful study of Mrs. Brown wisely begins with her now-immortal role in the Titanic disaster, separating facts from myths while catching the reader's interest with the story that no doubt most know her for. After this initial chapter, we're intrigued by Margaret - not Molly! - Brown, and what follows is a thoughtful and well-researched exploration of this bold, complex, and devoted woman and her lifetime dedication to activism.
The author particularly appealed to me as someone that demonstrates care and interest both in her subject and humanity as a whole, writing about her subject and the era through a modern progressive feminist lens... the very sort of person that Margaret Tobin Brown would want to have writing about her!
October 31, 2011
I didn't love this. I was reading it for a book club. I didn't really have much interest in Molly Brown. I now know more than I ever wanted. I give her credit for writing the "true" story but goodness - how many times are you going to tell me that previous stories were lies, that her son Lawrence was bothered by the lies, etc. The book was incredibly repetitive. I would have enjoyed the story more if it had been about half as long. For example, the introduction tells Molly Brown's entire Titanic story. Then, the last chapter re-tells the end of the Molly Brown's Titantic story adding a few details. UGH.... I would not recommend this to... well anyone I know
December 20, 2018
"Unsinkable" Molly Brown did indeed survive the Titanic disaster. But most of what we think we know about her is false. In fact, she was never referred to as "Molly" in her lifetime. Put that in your corset and snap it!
She was anything but the coarse bumpkin portrayed in the 1960 movie. In fact, much of the lore about Molly Brown is so preposterous, it would make Paul Bunyan blush. (Suckled by a nanny goat, anyone?) But she certainly didn't lead an ordinary life.
Margaret Tobin grew up as the daughter of poor, Irish parents in Hannibal, Missouri. She married a poor Irishman, J.J. Brown. They moved to Colorado so that he could work in the mines, and he became wealthy as a mine manager and owner.
Margaret was outspoken, progressive, and a feminist. But neither these qualities nor her heritage prevented her from rising to a high position in Colorado society. She even established herself in the rarefied air of Newport, Rhode Island.
She was a generous donor, crack organizer, and prodigious fund raiser for all kinds of causes, including charities that served the poor, promoted education and culture, advanced juvenile justice, and advocated for women's suffrage. She alternated between living in Paris and New York and traveled around the world, visiting India and Egypt among many places. She was a fashion leader.
Later in her life, she pursued higher education--"Why should a woman be mildewed at forty?" she asked. She also considered a run for the U.S. Senate, took acting lessons and performed in shows, and actively supported France during World War I. She was awarded the French Legion of Honor. Oh, and she learned to yodel.
Margaret and J.J. drifted apart and formally separated. She mostly raised her two children on her own, along with three nieces that she took in after their mother died.
And yes, she survived the Titanic. She was placed in a lifeboat that was nominally commanded by a male member of the Titanic's crew. However, he was clearly traumatized and in shock, so besides taking her turn at the oars, Margaret organized the rowing, supervised the allotment of blankets and warm clothing, and maintained morale until the survivors were rescued.
After they were picked up by the Carpathia, Margaret continued to support the survivors, many of whom were poor or spoke no English. (She spoke several languages.) She followed through, sometimes at her own expense, to be sure that the survivors were placed after they arrived in New York.
With a life like this, it's hard to understand why anyone thought they had to make up tall tales about Margaret Brown. Unfortunately, though, this book devotes too much space to the daily details of life, to who attended which society function, to what the newspapers thought about them, to what they wore or ate, to whom they married... .
Even loaded down with this unnecessary baggage, Margaret Brown remains unsinkable. But she rides low in the water.
She was anything but the coarse bumpkin portrayed in the 1960 movie. In fact, much of the lore about Molly Brown is so preposterous, it would make Paul Bunyan blush. (Suckled by a nanny goat, anyone?) But she certainly didn't lead an ordinary life.
Margaret Tobin grew up as the daughter of poor, Irish parents in Hannibal, Missouri. She married a poor Irishman, J.J. Brown. They moved to Colorado so that he could work in the mines, and he became wealthy as a mine manager and owner.
Margaret was outspoken, progressive, and a feminist. But neither these qualities nor her heritage prevented her from rising to a high position in Colorado society. She even established herself in the rarefied air of Newport, Rhode Island.
She was a generous donor, crack organizer, and prodigious fund raiser for all kinds of causes, including charities that served the poor, promoted education and culture, advanced juvenile justice, and advocated for women's suffrage. She alternated between living in Paris and New York and traveled around the world, visiting India and Egypt among many places. She was a fashion leader.
Later in her life, she pursued higher education--"Why should a woman be mildewed at forty?" she asked. She also considered a run for the U.S. Senate, took acting lessons and performed in shows, and actively supported France during World War I. She was awarded the French Legion of Honor. Oh, and she learned to yodel.
Margaret and J.J. drifted apart and formally separated. She mostly raised her two children on her own, along with three nieces that she took in after their mother died.
And yes, she survived the Titanic. She was placed in a lifeboat that was nominally commanded by a male member of the Titanic's crew. However, he was clearly traumatized and in shock, so besides taking her turn at the oars, Margaret organized the rowing, supervised the allotment of blankets and warm clothing, and maintained morale until the survivors were rescued.
After they were picked up by the Carpathia, Margaret continued to support the survivors, many of whom were poor or spoke no English. (She spoke several languages.) She followed through, sometimes at her own expense, to be sure that the survivors were placed after they arrived in New York.
With a life like this, it's hard to understand why anyone thought they had to make up tall tales about Margaret Brown. Unfortunately, though, this book devotes too much space to the daily details of life, to who attended which society function, to what the newspapers thought about them, to what they wore or ate, to whom they married... .
Even loaded down with this unnecessary baggage, Margaret Brown remains unsinkable. But she rides low in the water.
February 1, 2020
Growing up, Unsinkable Molly Brown was (and still is) one of my favorite movies. I would watch it daily at times. I always knew that it was a biographical movie to a point. As I got older, I obviously learned that it was more of a fictional biographical movie. So getting to read about the real Margaret Brown is inspiring. If you've heard the name Molly Brown, you obviously know her story about being on the Titanic. Hollywood has fictionalized it in many ways. She was a hero in many ways as a passenger of the ship. But there is so much more to Margaret Brown then what Hollywood has "told" us.
Getting to read about not only her experience on the Titanic, but also how her life really was, is eye-opening. It's amazing to see how different her life was compared to what people made it out to be. I loved every moment of this biography. Reading Muffet Brown's Foreward is a blessing to knowing just how reliable this book would be.
Getting to read about not only her experience on the Titanic, but also how her life really was, is eye-opening. It's amazing to see how different her life was compared to what people made it out to be. I loved every moment of this biography. Reading Muffet Brown's Foreward is a blessing to knowing just how reliable this book would be.
October 1, 2022
I thought I knew the story of the Unsinkable Molly Brown very well; I had seen the film and the stage play with Debbie Reynolds in the title role of Molly. But as I was doing research for an upcoming trip to Denver, I discovered the story that I and most of the public believed was true was actually very far from the truth about the life of Margaret Tobin Brown. The myth had persisted for decades and was even repeated by James Cameron in his blockbuster film "Titanic." What is truly baffling is that the true story of the magnificent Mrs. Brown far eclipses that of Molly's story. Why do so many books and films alter the facts in the name of entertainment? Why do we, the public, usually accept the stories without delving deeper? I'm so glad I read this heavily researched book! I will now visit her Denver home, knowing just how special a person she REALLY was. Dr. Iversen has written a stellar biography.
February 11, 2022
Awesome book ....wow
August 8, 2021
A well-researched and interesting book about the real Molly Brown. See the movie; read the book; tour the house. I had no idea Molly was such an activist.
Food: Hotdog at Coors Stadium would be perfect!
Food: Hotdog at Coors Stadium would be perfect!
July 28, 2024
Interesting portrait of a fascinating woman whose public image has long been distorted by Hollywood portrayals that don't do her justice.
January 5, 2019
Be careful when you pick this up to read. You will be immediately transported to a frozen seat on a frozen lifeboat being rowed by frozen men and women as the Titanic sinks, and you will be hooked on the real life adventures of Margaret Tobin Brown. She was more than all the legends, books, and movies portray.
* She was a steady, Missouri girl who came to Leadville with her brothers.
*She was a sales clerk, married a smart mining man at a time when gold and silver and other metals were being found in abundance. She never forgot the Leadville miners and their families, and collected warm clothing and food to send them every Christmas; even the Christmas after she died.
*She was a strong Catholic who organized events to help fund the construction of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the heart of Denver.
*She was a strong mother, raised her son and daughter to be educated and world wise, and provided her nieces a home, education and place in her heart after her sister's death.
*She traveled the world, ate with kings and diplomats, opened her Newport, RI, home to ailing soldiers during WWI.
*People and events were hosted at her country home nine miles outside Denver which sat on two hundred acres, but which now sits on the corner of busy Sheridan Blvd on barely a full lot surrounded by high wall, shielding it from traffic.
*She worked hard to change and enact laws governing juvenile offenders vs. adult law breakers.
*She worked for women's suffrage.
*And, of course, she survived the sinking of the Titanic, took care of those who survived, honored those who were lost, and all in all rode the wave of her time with style, flare, and courage.
***
I never realized, until I read this, how much of the history of Denver, where I have lived these past fifty three years, was shaped by Margaret Brown, her family, friends, acquaintances. How cool it would have been to see her driving by, or walking briskly down the street, or sitting on her porch at her house of lions on a cool, summer's evening.
Read this! Take your time. You'll not be disappointed.
* She was a steady, Missouri girl who came to Leadville with her brothers.
*She was a sales clerk, married a smart mining man at a time when gold and silver and other metals were being found in abundance. She never forgot the Leadville miners and their families, and collected warm clothing and food to send them every Christmas; even the Christmas after she died.
*She was a strong Catholic who organized events to help fund the construction of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the heart of Denver.
*She was a strong mother, raised her son and daughter to be educated and world wise, and provided her nieces a home, education and place in her heart after her sister's death.
*She traveled the world, ate with kings and diplomats, opened her Newport, RI, home to ailing soldiers during WWI.
*People and events were hosted at her country home nine miles outside Denver which sat on two hundred acres, but which now sits on the corner of busy Sheridan Blvd on barely a full lot surrounded by high wall, shielding it from traffic.
*She worked hard to change and enact laws governing juvenile offenders vs. adult law breakers.
*She worked for women's suffrage.
*And, of course, she survived the sinking of the Titanic, took care of those who survived, honored those who were lost, and all in all rode the wave of her time with style, flare, and courage.
***
I never realized, until I read this, how much of the history of Denver, where I have lived these past fifty three years, was shaped by Margaret Brown, her family, friends, acquaintances. How cool it would have been to see her driving by, or walking briskly down the street, or sitting on her porch at her house of lions on a cool, summer's evening.
Read this! Take your time. You'll not be disappointed.
September 13, 2008
I didn't know much about the outlandish stories of Molly Brown. My first introduction of her was in the movie Titanic. I then heard my mother tell me a little of her tale and the movie The Unsinkable Molly Brown. I bought the book for my mother. Kristen, the author, was able to get the family to trust her, which wasn't easy, and began unraveling the myths told about Molly. One, no one really called her Molly, it just made the musical easier to write. Margaret was a fascinating woman who was just as interesting as the tales told about her. The story starts with her experience on the Titanic, very vivid and frightening. Margaret was a world traveler when most people barely left their communities. She fought for human rights, especially women and children. The book had several passages that were long and I found myself skimming through them. A truly fascinating subject.
June 26, 2024
Researched to a fault! Painfully detailed on every rabbit trail imaginable.
I was really interested in learning about Margaret Brown, but I would never have finished reading this book if it had not been selected for our book club. Someone should sift through all this information and write an interesting, hang-on-to- your seats biography of Margaret Brown. An amazing woman! Spare me the unnecessary information, and focus on her!
I was really interested in learning about Margaret Brown, but I would never have finished reading this book if it had not been selected for our book club. Someone should sift through all this information and write an interesting, hang-on-to- your seats biography of Margaret Brown. An amazing woman! Spare me the unnecessary information, and focus on her!
April 6, 2012
(We own the hardcover first edition which doesn't appear on Goodreads for some reason.)
Kirsten Iversen certainly did extensive research for this book. I know because I had a very small part in some of it and learned how meticulous Kirsten is. Which is very important if you want to write an accurate biography. It was a joy getting to know Kirsten while providing her with some information we had in our family scrapbooks, memorabilia, letters, etc. In return, she provided us with unknown information on some family members. This book provides the reader with an extensive history of the "Molly" Brown we never knew, separating the Hollywood myth from the fascinating facts.
Kirsten Iversen certainly did extensive research for this book. I know because I had a very small part in some of it and learned how meticulous Kirsten is. Which is very important if you want to write an accurate biography. It was a joy getting to know Kirsten while providing her with some information we had in our family scrapbooks, memorabilia, letters, etc. In return, she provided us with unknown information on some family members. This book provides the reader with an extensive history of the "Molly" Brown we never knew, separating the Hollywood myth from the fascinating facts.
September 10, 2015
I read this book because I'd listened to a podcast that got most of its information here, and I wanted to find out the real story behind "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." The book was interesting but could have been cut down by half. Every time a new character was introduced, the author spent a page or so describing the character's background. I learned lots of interesting facts about Molly's life in Colorado, her trip on the Titanic, and her work helping women and the poor. One of the main points of the book was that her name wasn't even Molly, but the people who wrote the play thought it sounded better than Margaret.
September 2, 2012
The true story of this remarkable woman's life and accomplishments are far more interesting than the myths. She is a woman to be admired. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
February 17, 2025
Really well researched. Very interesting to read. I did think there was a little too much setting the scene of historical markers of the time discussed that weren’t relevant to Margaret’s life. I was drawn to the book because I loved the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown with Debbie Reynolds, and I bought the book at the Titanic Museum in Missouri. She was never even called Molly, so that’s just a small taste of how many things about her life and personality were mythologized and incorrect. Here were the highlights for me:
She was educated until 13 in a school taught by her aunt.
She did play with her brothers because their neighborhood had plenty of natural playgrounds of forest.
Irish Catholic
Grew up in Hannibal, MO. Both parents were on second marriage, each had a daughter coming in. Older brother Daniel, younger brother William, and younger sister Helen.
Dad worked for Hannibal Gas Works.
I would prefer the author start with the myth and debunk it rather than start with the truth and end with the myth.
Went to Leadville because her brothers and half-sister lived there, and she wanted to see what she could make of herself and to support her father in his old age. Lived with brother and then started working in carpet and drapery department of a department store.
Maggie met J.J. Brown at a church picnic. He came from Pennsylvania from Irish immigrant parents as well. He was 13 years her senior with years of mining experience already before coming to Leadville, so he got up to superintendent of the mine. He understood that mining wasn’t just luck but geological know-how. Maggie thought he was personable, charming, and had lots of friends. They were both ambitious.
Margaret took reading and music lessons after marriage to better educate herself and had a housekeeper.
Margaret’s parents, sister, and brother moved to Leadville soon after Margaret birthed Lawrence in Hannibal.
Margaret was involved in women’s suffrage movement and feeding the poor miners.
Margaret wore large fashionable hats and makeup, which was considered trashy at the time.
America gave value to gold and silver, but with Grover Cleveland, silver was devalued and Leadville was in big trouble, many miners moving on. Fortunately JJ Brown and Ibex Mining Company hit big with Little Jonny Mine and found gold.
Margaret was heavily involved in Women’s Clubs that led philanthropic endeavors like literacy and playgrounds.
Avoca was name of country home where many grand events were held for society.
Always styled herself after European fashions, was a leader in fashion.
JJ’s philanthropy was for orphan homes, as he felt badly about their fathers dying in his mines.
Margaret wanted to go to college, and she did at the Carnegie Institute studying language and literature.
Margaret had a close and productive friendship with Ben Lindsey. They worked hard to make juvenile court a reality and children’s rights in general.
Polly Pry, the journalist with a code name, is like Lady Whistledown for 1900s Denver!
The Sacred 36 was a thing, and the Browns weren’t on the list. They were Irish, Catholic, liberal, new money, and outspoken.
Margaret raised her three nieces as her own after her sister-in-law died.
Margaret ran the Carnival of Nations, a month long fair that raised money to build Denver’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
She learned how to yodel.
One of their houses had a polar bear rug.
Worked closely with Alva Vanderbilt Belmont on women’s suffrage.
She made a bid to run for Senate position in Colorado.
Always spoke her mind
Helped with medical efforts in the US and France in WWI
JJ Brown didn’t have a legal will, so there were years of battling in the courts with Margaret and Lawrence and Helen.
Margaret died suddenly in a French hotel while acting and teaching acting. She was 65. Brain tumor.
Margaret’s children and other people who knew and loved her were appalled at the myths being spread about her. Out of concern for their privacy, the children didn’t do much to counter the myths.
She was educated until 13 in a school taught by her aunt.
She did play with her brothers because their neighborhood had plenty of natural playgrounds of forest.
Irish Catholic
Grew up in Hannibal, MO. Both parents were on second marriage, each had a daughter coming in. Older brother Daniel, younger brother William, and younger sister Helen.
Dad worked for Hannibal Gas Works.
I would prefer the author start with the myth and debunk it rather than start with the truth and end with the myth.
Went to Leadville because her brothers and half-sister lived there, and she wanted to see what she could make of herself and to support her father in his old age. Lived with brother and then started working in carpet and drapery department of a department store.
Maggie met J.J. Brown at a church picnic. He came from Pennsylvania from Irish immigrant parents as well. He was 13 years her senior with years of mining experience already before coming to Leadville, so he got up to superintendent of the mine. He understood that mining wasn’t just luck but geological know-how. Maggie thought he was personable, charming, and had lots of friends. They were both ambitious.
Margaret took reading and music lessons after marriage to better educate herself and had a housekeeper.
Margaret’s parents, sister, and brother moved to Leadville soon after Margaret birthed Lawrence in Hannibal.
Margaret was involved in women’s suffrage movement and feeding the poor miners.
Margaret wore large fashionable hats and makeup, which was considered trashy at the time.
America gave value to gold and silver, but with Grover Cleveland, silver was devalued and Leadville was in big trouble, many miners moving on. Fortunately JJ Brown and Ibex Mining Company hit big with Little Jonny Mine and found gold.
Margaret was heavily involved in Women’s Clubs that led philanthropic endeavors like literacy and playgrounds.
Avoca was name of country home where many grand events were held for society.
Always styled herself after European fashions, was a leader in fashion.
JJ’s philanthropy was for orphan homes, as he felt badly about their fathers dying in his mines.
Margaret wanted to go to college, and she did at the Carnegie Institute studying language and literature.
Margaret had a close and productive friendship with Ben Lindsey. They worked hard to make juvenile court a reality and children’s rights in general.
Polly Pry, the journalist with a code name, is like Lady Whistledown for 1900s Denver!
The Sacred 36 was a thing, and the Browns weren’t on the list. They were Irish, Catholic, liberal, new money, and outspoken.
Margaret raised her three nieces as her own after her sister-in-law died.
Margaret ran the Carnival of Nations, a month long fair that raised money to build Denver’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
She learned how to yodel.
One of their houses had a polar bear rug.
Worked closely with Alva Vanderbilt Belmont on women’s suffrage.
She made a bid to run for Senate position in Colorado.
Always spoke her mind
Helped with medical efforts in the US and France in WWI
JJ Brown didn’t have a legal will, so there were years of battling in the courts with Margaret and Lawrence and Helen.
Margaret died suddenly in a French hotel while acting and teaching acting. She was 65. Brain tumor.
Margaret’s children and other people who knew and loved her were appalled at the myths being spread about her. Out of concern for their privacy, the children didn’t do much to counter the myths.
September 24, 2017
I enjoyed this biography, which knocks down all the exaggeration and myths about the historical Margaret—never Molly—Brown, made famous to many people via a 1960s Broadway musical and subsequent movie starring a very young Debbie Reynolds, as well more recently by an appearance as a character in Titanic. The real Margaret/Molly was colorful, certainly, but not a poorly educated country bumpkin shunned by Denver society despite her and her husband's mining wealth as depicted in decades' worth of stories. Iversen gained access to many family letters, diaries, photos, and other documents and talked to her descendants as well as friends and acquaintances still alive to put together a more accurate account of the life of Mrs. Brown, who was a philanthropist, crusader for social justice, especially for youths, an advocate of women's rights, ran for political office several times, and made up for a somewhat limited formal education during her childhood by educating herself on many subjects and learning multiple languages later in life. I picked up the basics of the real story about Mrs. Brown while touring her former Denver home, now a historic property, and subsequently bought this book in the gift shop. The movie musical is enjoyable, but I'm glad to have made the acquaintance of the remarkable Margaret Tobin Brown through these pages.
December 9, 2021
Perhaps the most famous survivor of the Titanic sinking, Margaret Brown's story became so distorted even within her own lifetime that her many remarkable achievements in social causes and women's suffrage were overshadowed and eventually unknown. This biography brings to light the very unique changing times in which she lived and made her mark. There was more detail than I needed on what she wore to various functions and her extended family issues, but it certainly undoes the Hollywood mythology built up around her. As always, real life is more interesting than fiction.
Favorite quotes: "What she had just witnessed had shaken her, but she had done more than just survive. She had responded with action, and her convictions were stronger than ever... The publicity attending her Titanic experience provided her with a ready platform to voice her concerns."
"As she grew older, her strong social and political beliefs - and her willingness to express them - grew even more resolute. She began to care less about what other people thought of her than what she herself considered to be the essential ingredients of a meaningful life, regardless of appropriate social roles for women."
Favorite quotes: "What she had just witnessed had shaken her, but she had done more than just survive. She had responded with action, and her convictions were stronger than ever... The publicity attending her Titanic experience provided her with a ready platform to voice her concerns."
"As she grew older, her strong social and political beliefs - and her willingness to express them - grew even more resolute. She began to care less about what other people thought of her than what she herself considered to be the essential ingredients of a meaningful life, regardless of appropriate social roles for women."
August 24, 2018
I picked up this book after touring Margaret Brown's house in Denver. After the excellent tour I was interested to learn more and the tour guide recommended this book which helped to delve into her early life more deeply and helped to give a feel for the culture of the time. The book is very well researched and enjoyable to read particularly the dramatic parts included with the recreation of what happened on the Titanic. On the same day we toured the house we also toured the Colorado State Capitol just down the street. Although the Capitol was very good and interesting the tour guide of the Capitol made the common mistake of mentioning "Molly Brown" as being famous but not really famous enough to warrant recognition in the State Capitol for having done anything for the State of Colorado. Unfortunately we toured the Capitol before the "Molly Brown" house so I did not have the chance to object and recommend this book to correct the misinformation repeated on tours. I did however mention this to the volunteers in the bookshop.
April 20, 2018
Molly Brown has always been one of my personal icons. My daughter has moved to Denver, so one of the places I wanted to visit was the Molly Brown house. The movie, with Debbie Reynolds and Harve Presnell, has long been one of my favorites. I can sing most of the score. Well, folks, most of the story is myth. Margaret Brown, while a flamboyant character, was never called Molly. She never worked as singer in a bar, wasn't a boozer, and didn't know Mark Twain. She was, however, married to J.J. Brown. They made lots of money in gold. She was very outspoken, a champion of women's rights, a fundraiser of unbelievable ability, a constant traveler even after the Titanic tragedy. Yes, she was on the Titanic, and she was very instrumental in helping steerage passengers after their arrival in New York City. So Margaret Brown is still remarkable. She was larger than life, a force of energy that must have been exhausting to family and friends. Glad to know the facts.
January 25, 2022
A Woman Ahead of Her Time…Margaret Tobin Brown
Refreshing and impeccably researched, Dr. Kristen Iverson’s book about Margaret “Molly” Brown clears up the myth and sets the record straight about this remarkable woman. I was unenthused about the prospect of this history book selected by my book club, but once I began reading it, that was dismissed! This is a fantastic account of the real life of the woman who became known as “the Unsinkable Molly Brown.” This woman is nothing like the myth created by Hollywood and Broadway. She was smart, spirited, and outspoken; clearly a woman ahead of her time. Margaret Brown was also a well respected, generous, Denver socialite who raised 5 children, did good works for her community, and was both cultured and educated. The title of this book is perfect. It really does unravel the myth of Molly Brown. This is a well researched, well written biography. I loved it!
Refreshing and impeccably researched, Dr. Kristen Iverson’s book about Margaret “Molly” Brown clears up the myth and sets the record straight about this remarkable woman. I was unenthused about the prospect of this history book selected by my book club, but once I began reading it, that was dismissed! This is a fantastic account of the real life of the woman who became known as “the Unsinkable Molly Brown.” This woman is nothing like the myth created by Hollywood and Broadway. She was smart, spirited, and outspoken; clearly a woman ahead of her time. Margaret Brown was also a well respected, generous, Denver socialite who raised 5 children, did good works for her community, and was both cultured and educated. The title of this book is perfect. It really does unravel the myth of Molly Brown. This is a well researched, well written biography. I loved it!
January 27, 2025
3/5 Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth is a decent story. Margaret Brown certainly had a full and interesting life and it's worth a read. The writing leaves something to be desired though.
Does no one use editors anymore? As in someone skilled at editing rather than using Microsoft tools? I realize in biographies there are bound to be an abundance of dates, names, and places, but this bordered on unreadable at times. The last two chapters would have benefited from a serious edit to turn them into something more readable. As they were, I felt like I was deciphering pages out of Margaret Brown's date book or scanning Kristen Iversen's notes. There was also a very obvious amount of redundant information which should have been culled.
And finally, and this isn't the author's fault at all, it didn't help that nearly every woman in this tale was named Helen.
Does no one use editors anymore? As in someone skilled at editing rather than using Microsoft tools? I realize in biographies there are bound to be an abundance of dates, names, and places, but this bordered on unreadable at times. The last two chapters would have benefited from a serious edit to turn them into something more readable. As they were, I felt like I was deciphering pages out of Margaret Brown's date book or scanning Kristen Iversen's notes. There was also a very obvious amount of redundant information which should have been culled.
And finally, and this isn't the author's fault at all, it didn't help that nearly every woman in this tale was named Helen.
January 18, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, and learning so much about Margaret Brown's fascinating life. I visited the House of Lions in Denver back in 2008. So fascinating to learn that Margaret was such a prolific fundraiser and event planner. Margaret did so much good for so many people, and that's inspiring. But I found the last part of her life to be kind of sad. Am I the only one who felt kind of bad for J.J.? He was far from perfect, but it seemed so sad that they fell away from the close-knit ways in the earlier years. There's a line in the book where Helen does say that her mother's charity work and travel became a vice. It seemed almost manic at times. Perhaps a cautionary tale about balance. Or the tragedy that Margaret Brown was born in the wrong era.
July 12, 2019
This is a well researched biography of a woman that many people think they know, from seeing her portrayed in Titanic or as the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Her story is a lot more complex, from her moving from Missouri to Colorado when she was young, her marriage to Leadville Johnny Brown, and her rise in Denver society. Mrs. Brown was a feminist, supporting women’s suffrage, juvenile reform, and many Catholic charities. When there was an event to raise money in Denver, Molly Brown was often behind it. She learned French, studied acting, helped to raise her nieces and nephews, all in addition to the fundraising she did for survivors of the Titanic. She was fascinating to read about.
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July 3, 2019I am so pleased to discover this interesting tale of a legendary woman. I watched the Unsinkable Molly Brown when I was a girl and was FIRED UP at the Johnny Appleseed like tale. Before a trip to Denver I read this book in preparation for a tour through her home. As a history lesson, of which Ms Iversen took great care to research the facts and document, I would say give yourself some inspiration through a great history read.
November 10, 2019
I've always loved The Unsinkable Molly Brown and visited her home in Denver multiple times over the years. It will not surprise you to learn that her real life is actually far more interesting than the myths and legends that arose about her. She was a woman ahead of her time, deeply involved politically and in progressive causes. Great to learn about the real Margaret Tobin Brown.
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