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The Titanic: Disaster of a Century
In this centennial edition of the definitive book on the Titanic, new findings, photos, and interviews shed light on the world s most famous marine disaster for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic s sinking.
On that fatal night in 1912 the world s largest moving object disappeared beneath the waters of the North Atlantic in less than three hours. Why was the ship sailing through waters well known to be a mass of floating ice ? Why were there too few lifeboats? Why were a third of the survivors crew members? Based on the sensational evidence of the U.S. Senate hearings, eyewitness accounts, and the results of the 1985 Woods Hole expedition that photographed the ship, this electrifying account vividly recreates the vessel s last desperate hours afloat and fully addresses the questions that have continued to haunt the tragedy of the Titanic.
426 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 1, 2023
A very thorough and comprehensive look at the birth of the White Star Line, the sinking of The Titanic, the subsequent U.S. Senate investigation hearings, and the complicated and corrupt politics surrounding it all.
Wyn Craig Wade knows that we know the basic outline of The Titanic and what happened, and uses that as a foundation to present the specific and important context around the incident, and the subsequent investigation. Craig doesn't reinvent the wheel, and instead deftly uses his time to discuss aspects of history in general, and The Titanic specifically, and why the whole situation is one giant monument to human folly and shattered pride.
Although a bit dated by the standards of Titanic purists, Disaster of the Century remains one of the best straight-forward Titanic books that I have ever read. Skillfully written, very readable, and not the same story you've heard 100 times over.
Wyn Craig Wade knows that we know the basic outline of The Titanic and what happened, and uses that as a foundation to present the specific and important context around the incident, and the subsequent investigation. Craig doesn't reinvent the wheel, and instead deftly uses his time to discuss aspects of history in general, and The Titanic specifically, and why the whole situation is one giant monument to human folly and shattered pride.
Although a bit dated by the standards of Titanic purists, Disaster of the Century remains one of the best straight-forward Titanic books that I have ever read. Skillfully written, very readable, and not the same story you've heard 100 times over.
February 7, 2023
I almost put this down during the slow introduction, but I’m so glad I stuck with it.
Instead of investigating the action leading up to and during the sinking of this famous ship, this book is about the USA inquiry immediately following the sinking, what happened while waiting for the Carpathia to arrive in NYC, investigations of the disaster, and the long-term affects of the Titanic’s sinking on American, British, and maritime cultures. Using actual testimony and first hand accounts of April 15, 1912, the reader learns that heroes and villains of the disaster are not always the ones we’ve been told about, and sorts out what legends have been changed, created, or actually have been presented faithfully in the plethora of tellings and retellings of the Titanic’s story over the years.
Instead of investigating the action leading up to and during the sinking of this famous ship, this book is about the USA inquiry immediately following the sinking, what happened while waiting for the Carpathia to arrive in NYC, investigations of the disaster, and the long-term affects of the Titanic’s sinking on American, British, and maritime cultures. Using actual testimony and first hand accounts of April 15, 1912, the reader learns that heroes and villains of the disaster are not always the ones we’ve been told about, and sorts out what legends have been changed, created, or actually have been presented faithfully in the plethora of tellings and retellings of the Titanic’s story over the years.
January 26, 2014
This book does not chronicle the disaster from the point of view of the event itself -- rather, it concentrates on the Senate hearings that occurred after the fact. The book is filled with details about passengers and crew members, procedures on ships at the time, and the results of the disaster. However, it also contains quite a bit of information about the members of Congress who were involved in the investigation, which, to some extent, seemed a bit extraneous. The author also became very philosophical at the very end of the book, and, although several of the points he made were interesting (example: women and children were given first rights to seats in the lifeboats, but what was the resulting impact on the women's suffrage movement and feminism in general?), his review of each point was too lengthy and I began to wonder when he would truly finish discussing them.
The most fascinating part of the book was the revelation of the myriad ways in which communication broke down, and, in its absence, the possibility of preventing the disaster was lost. One item that came up in the investigation was that the radio operator on the Californian was told by the captain of that ship (Stanley Lord) to warn E.J. Smith, the captain of the Titanic, of the large fields of ice in the area and that the Californian had ceased moving altogether. However, the radio operator casually called up the radio operator on the Titanic, instead of using a more formal approach that indicated the message was from the captain, and the radio operator on the Titanic dismissed him immediately because he was so busy receiving and transmitting commercial messages for the wealthy passengers. It was just one warning of many that was never heard or acted upon.
I would recommend this book to those individuals who are dedicated to learning as much as possible about the Titanic, because it takes a different approach to the disaster than most other books. However, generally speaking, the text is a bit tedious and the book could have been just a little shorter.
The most fascinating part of the book was the revelation of the myriad ways in which communication broke down, and, in its absence, the possibility of preventing the disaster was lost. One item that came up in the investigation was that the radio operator on the Californian was told by the captain of that ship (Stanley Lord) to warn E.J. Smith, the captain of the Titanic, of the large fields of ice in the area and that the Californian had ceased moving altogether. However, the radio operator casually called up the radio operator on the Titanic, instead of using a more formal approach that indicated the message was from the captain, and the radio operator on the Titanic dismissed him immediately because he was so busy receiving and transmitting commercial messages for the wealthy passengers. It was just one warning of many that was never heard or acted upon.
I would recommend this book to those individuals who are dedicated to learning as much as possible about the Titanic, because it takes a different approach to the disaster than most other books. However, generally speaking, the text is a bit tedious and the book could have been just a little shorter.
May 24, 2018
Audiobook. Reader good.
This book deals more with the aftermath of the sinking and the U.S. hearings as well as some personal stories. For the most part it was interesting especially seeing the political scheming around it as well.
The side portraits of Taft and Teddy Roosevelt and their interactions were a bit sidetracking but did provide some insight on their political agendas. Taft seemed like a ninny and TR was a bully.
The results of the hearings did create some safeguards regarding travel by boat and the creation of a monitoring body that eventually became the Coast Guard.
Those looking for romance will not find much of that here but you will get a picture of the actual event, the ramifications after and a view of the times politically and culturally.
This book deals more with the aftermath of the sinking and the U.S. hearings as well as some personal stories. For the most part it was interesting especially seeing the political scheming around it as well.
The side portraits of Taft and Teddy Roosevelt and their interactions were a bit sidetracking but did provide some insight on their political agendas. Taft seemed like a ninny and TR was a bully.
The results of the hearings did create some safeguards regarding travel by boat and the creation of a monitoring body that eventually became the Coast Guard.
Those looking for romance will not find much of that here but you will get a picture of the actual event, the ramifications after and a view of the times politically and culturally.
April 18, 2023
This started off really slow and seemed too factual for me to enjoy but it really picked up later. It focuses very heavily on the senate hearings post sinking. So if you’re looking for a book chronicling the event from start to finish in a linear fashion, this ain’t for you. The author does cover many of the events in great detail though. It’s probably best to read this when you already have a good grasp of what happened and you want to further explore the societal impact and consequences for the survivors after the fact. All in all, I loved it.
May 8, 2015
The classic study of the Titanic disaster and the hearings that took place in the United States following the tremendous loss of life. Highly recommended to those interested in studying what happened, and why.
February 8, 2019
This is an updated version of a book published in 1979 about the Titanic. While the building, sailing and sinking of the vessel are presented in this book, the real focus of this book is the now unfortunately little-remembered United States Senate investigative hearings on the Titanic diaster chaired by Senator William Alden Smith. Today it is taken for granted that committees of the House of Representatives and United States Senate have a broad mandate to conduct oversight investigative hearings, but the concept was little known in 1912. Prior to Senator Smith, most hearings had focused only on gathering information needed to draft legislation, or approve nominations and treaties. The case was all the more novel because the International Mercantile Marine trust that ultimately owned the White Star Line and Titanic was American majority owned by J.P. Morgan, while the White Star Line was British.
Whether you are interested in the Titanic or United States legislative politics or the Progressive Era, this book is fascinating and informative read and the author was a captivating writer. This book was written in the late 1970s when survivors still lived, accounts were still first hand, and none of the later Hollywood distortions caused by the best-selling 1997 movie "Titanic" had polluted people's minds of the event. Because the focus of the book is on the U.S. Senate hearings, none of the information is dated and the book has been updated to talk about the discovery of the shipwreck in 1986.
Although I am a student of politics and also someone who has read many books on the Titanic, I learned a great deal reading this book. I did not realize how much then President William Taft had ignored the disaster, even though his close friend and advisor, Major Archie Butt, was among those killed in the sinking. I did not realize how Senator Smith had transformed the role of the Senate in investigations. i did not realize how much the British press, parliament and public had disdained Senator Smith for his in-depth investigation that time and again revealed glaring deficiencies in how the Titanic was operated both before and during the sinking. Literally each chapter of this book I learned something new.
Underlined in this book is the harsh reality that even though the Titanic's captain took some precautions, ultimately he headed his vessel into an icefield at high speed even though he was repeatedly prewarned of its existence. During the sinking the ship's lifeboats were lowered in some cases less than half full because the ship's officers had not been told they could be lowered at full capacity. The crew did not have lifeboat assignments, nor did the passengers. Two extra lifeboats were tied down on deckhouse roofs where they were almost impossible to successfully launch.
And it also underlines the reality that the crew and officers of the Californian clearly saw the Titantic and its distress rockets and failed to respond properly. No one on the Californian bothered to awaken their sleeping radio officer until the next morning, and while Captain Stanley Lord has been villified and perhaps rightly so, it is not clear that the officers totally awoken him to alert him of what they were seeing. No matter what account you read, it comes across that Captain Lord was left half asleep at best, and that surely contributed to his failed response.
Although this book was written in the 1970s it is still a very good and worthwhile read for any student of the Titanic disaster and anyone interested in American legislative oversight history. Highly recommended.
Whether you are interested in the Titanic or United States legislative politics or the Progressive Era, this book is fascinating and informative read and the author was a captivating writer. This book was written in the late 1970s when survivors still lived, accounts were still first hand, and none of the later Hollywood distortions caused by the best-selling 1997 movie "Titanic" had polluted people's minds of the event. Because the focus of the book is on the U.S. Senate hearings, none of the information is dated and the book has been updated to talk about the discovery of the shipwreck in 1986.
Although I am a student of politics and also someone who has read many books on the Titanic, I learned a great deal reading this book. I did not realize how much then President William Taft had ignored the disaster, even though his close friend and advisor, Major Archie Butt, was among those killed in the sinking. I did not realize how Senator Smith had transformed the role of the Senate in investigations. i did not realize how much the British press, parliament and public had disdained Senator Smith for his in-depth investigation that time and again revealed glaring deficiencies in how the Titanic was operated both before and during the sinking. Literally each chapter of this book I learned something new.
Underlined in this book is the harsh reality that even though the Titanic's captain took some precautions, ultimately he headed his vessel into an icefield at high speed even though he was repeatedly prewarned of its existence. During the sinking the ship's lifeboats were lowered in some cases less than half full because the ship's officers had not been told they could be lowered at full capacity. The crew did not have lifeboat assignments, nor did the passengers. Two extra lifeboats were tied down on deckhouse roofs where they were almost impossible to successfully launch.
And it also underlines the reality that the crew and officers of the Californian clearly saw the Titantic and its distress rockets and failed to respond properly. No one on the Californian bothered to awaken their sleeping radio officer until the next morning, and while Captain Stanley Lord has been villified and perhaps rightly so, it is not clear that the officers totally awoken him to alert him of what they were seeing. No matter what account you read, it comes across that Captain Lord was left half asleep at best, and that surely contributed to his failed response.
Although this book was written in the 1970s it is still a very good and worthwhile read for any student of the Titanic disaster and anyone interested in American legislative oversight history. Highly recommended.
October 23, 2019
In my semi-unhealthy binge into maritime disaster books, I was saving the Titanic for last. After all the books I've read covering shipwrecks I have come across the most horrific, stomach churning, "well I'm never setting foot in a boat of any kind ever again" scenes. Stranded sailors being eaten by sharks, cannibalism, mutiny, near rescue only to be overlooked, I've read pretty much everything by now. In comparison the Titanic, to me, almost seemed...dinky? In the scope of maritime disasters. Why is this disaster so romanticized? Why does the image of stoic first class men in their finery going down with the ship span across the WORLD?
This book didn't just recount the schematics of the ship, the off-the-book decision of the man behind the wheel at the sighting of the iceberg, what song the band allegedly played up until their last moments. It certainly covered those things, but went so much deeper. Senator William Alden Smith was a huge part of this book, far beyond his heading the committee of the investigation into the sinking of the Titanic in the US. He, and by extension the Titanic itself, represented and ripped open to expose the festering wound that is the amount of absolute absurd level of hubris humanity had (and still has) at the turn of the century. Smith showed the world that this was indeed the
symbolic death of Victorian romanticism. To even name a ship "Titanic," after the Titans of Greek mythology, that something man-made could "conquer the ocean" is 1912's equivalent of things like the BP oil spill, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, and numerous other examples of humanity showing such unabashed pride that would have quite literally gotten you arrested in ancient Greece. Pride is not something to be celebrated. It is dangerous, it elevates people above the reality of the world and causes errors that are 100% human based, entirely preventable, and cost human lives and destroys the planet.
The Titanic also had consequences that accounts and dramatizations like James Cameron's movie ignore. The backlash against the suffragette movement because of the ridiculous maritime protocol of "women and children first," bumping up anglo-saxon men up to the status of "heroes" deserving a monument. The class separation on board that was so terribly ingrained into steerage passengers that it cost them their lives. Steerage passengers were so utterly convinced that they were less-than that most didn't even attempt to get on deck. They held their children, played the piano, and prayed. What kind of world is this? That people have been told for so long that they are less-than that they truly believe they are not worth saving? That their children are not worth saving? That is the real story of the Titanic. Think about that the next time you watch Jack and Rose.
"It can't happen here."-2001
"A practically unsinkable ship."-1912
This book didn't just recount the schematics of the ship, the off-the-book decision of the man behind the wheel at the sighting of the iceberg, what song the band allegedly played up until their last moments. It certainly covered those things, but went so much deeper. Senator William Alden Smith was a huge part of this book, far beyond his heading the committee of the investigation into the sinking of the Titanic in the US. He, and by extension the Titanic itself, represented and ripped open to expose the festering wound that is the amount of absolute absurd level of hubris humanity had (and still has) at the turn of the century. Smith showed the world that this was indeed the
symbolic death of Victorian romanticism. To even name a ship "Titanic," after the Titans of Greek mythology, that something man-made could "conquer the ocean" is 1912's equivalent of things like the BP oil spill, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, and numerous other examples of humanity showing such unabashed pride that would have quite literally gotten you arrested in ancient Greece. Pride is not something to be celebrated. It is dangerous, it elevates people above the reality of the world and causes errors that are 100% human based, entirely preventable, and cost human lives and destroys the planet.
The Titanic also had consequences that accounts and dramatizations like James Cameron's movie ignore. The backlash against the suffragette movement because of the ridiculous maritime protocol of "women and children first," bumping up anglo-saxon men up to the status of "heroes" deserving a monument. The class separation on board that was so terribly ingrained into steerage passengers that it cost them their lives. Steerage passengers were so utterly convinced that they were less-than that most didn't even attempt to get on deck. They held their children, played the piano, and prayed. What kind of world is this? That people have been told for so long that they are less-than that they truly believe they are not worth saving? That their children are not worth saving? That is the real story of the Titanic. Think about that the next time you watch Jack and Rose.
"It can't happen here."-2001
"A practically unsinkable ship."-1912
August 2, 2018
Rarely have I found myself giving 4+ stars to a non-fiction book but The Titanic was such a one. This story is about the US Senate Subcommittee Hearings conducted in the aftermath of the tragedy & because so many US citizens (a number quite prominent) were killed or involved. Opened only days after the horrific event (19 Apr-28 May 1912), Senator William A. Smith (R-MI) chaired this event begun at the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC and later moved to (and the first hearing in) the Russell Senate Office Building Senate Caucus Room in Washington, D.C. (https://www.senate.gov/reference/refe...).
Despite negative press and shouts of protest from the British, Senator Smith and his colleagues interviewed over 80 witnesses and the final report ran over 1,000 pages. I have often believed that the Titanic was an event that seemed to have been a harbinger of change for the world of that time (1912) but this book tells us about everything that happened to conspire to make that tragedy almost inevitable on that night.
Another interesting aspect of the Hearings was the role the (Marconi) telegraph operators played in the delayed rescue attempts. Thinking about this event from the 21st Century perspective, it was fascinating to realize that Guglielmo Marconi was only 38 years old at the time of the Titanic event and he was a vital part of his telegraph company. At that time, all telegraph operators on ships reported not only to the Captain, but to the Marconi Company (formerly The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company) in the UK and their duties often entailed the quick dispatch of first class passengers' messages before all others. This too changed as a result of the Senate Hearings.
The testimony of the crew and officers was most fascinating, enlightening and a sensation at the time. The subsequent UK hearings were not as thorough and spent more time with engineering and structural aspects and was, overall, considered a "whitewash" in comparison. The Hearings and, especially, Senator Smith were victims of what today is called "Fake News" and often I compared current bombastic (and dubious) statements made by prominent folk and how those false statements color public opinion. Ultimately, truth prevailed when the Hearing Report was finally released and facts offered in print.
The aftermath of the Senate Hearing was almost as interesting as the Hearings themselves as it was ultimately responsible, for one, for the U.S. Coast Guard among many other new maritime regulations. Who were the real heroes and villians in this infamous tragedy? You be the judge.
4.5 stars for this most interesting non-fiction book.
DD@Phila
Despite negative press and shouts of protest from the British, Senator Smith and his colleagues interviewed over 80 witnesses and the final report ran over 1,000 pages. I have often believed that the Titanic was an event that seemed to have been a harbinger of change for the world of that time (1912) but this book tells us about everything that happened to conspire to make that tragedy almost inevitable on that night.
Another interesting aspect of the Hearings was the role the (Marconi) telegraph operators played in the delayed rescue attempts. Thinking about this event from the 21st Century perspective, it was fascinating to realize that Guglielmo Marconi was only 38 years old at the time of the Titanic event and he was a vital part of his telegraph company. At that time, all telegraph operators on ships reported not only to the Captain, but to the Marconi Company (formerly The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company) in the UK and their duties often entailed the quick dispatch of first class passengers' messages before all others. This too changed as a result of the Senate Hearings.
The testimony of the crew and officers was most fascinating, enlightening and a sensation at the time. The subsequent UK hearings were not as thorough and spent more time with engineering and structural aspects and was, overall, considered a "whitewash" in comparison. The Hearings and, especially, Senator Smith were victims of what today is called "Fake News" and often I compared current bombastic (and dubious) statements made by prominent folk and how those false statements color public opinion. Ultimately, truth prevailed when the Hearing Report was finally released and facts offered in print.
The aftermath of the Senate Hearing was almost as interesting as the Hearings themselves as it was ultimately responsible, for one, for the U.S. Coast Guard among many other new maritime regulations. Who were the real heroes and villians in this infamous tragedy? You be the judge.
4.5 stars for this most interesting non-fiction book.
DD@Phila
August 31, 2023
I read Death of a Dream (End of a Dream?) back in the 90's and as it was released in the late 70s it was dated. The debate raged on about if the ship broke in two or went down in one piece which until 1985 was as big a debate as what was the last song the band played and where and how Captain Smith met his end; on the bridge, or swimming for a boat. This book is a sort of updated version for the 100th anniversary of the sinking. Unlike A Night to Remember this book relies more on flashbacks and looking at the story through those in New York waiting for news following the sinking. It does it through the American inquiry which granted has never gotten much notice. While Senator Smith came across at times as ignorant, thinking water tight compartments were for passengers to shelter in emergency, Lord Mersey wasn't really that knowledgeable either. But for all that Smith wasn't so bad. I did like that he didn't put the captain on a pedestal like so many others do. Also the captain and the Senator having the same last name could get confusing. But I have never understood why Ismay and Captain Lord were vilified to the point of ruin while Captain Smith who caused this whole event is lauded as a great hero. All Ismay did was get in a lifeboat. He would've been just another of the thousand dead if he hadn't and while Lord should've done more he was the responsible captain stopping for the night to protect his ship and crew, while Smith ignored warnings and continued full speed into a dark calm night where he had to have known there was danger. Then when disaster struck he wandered around in shock and most likely caused more deaths by not instilling in passengers a sense of urgency not to mention canceling lifeboat drills. His arrogance was typical of the time, but the fact that the hero captain myth continues to this day always bugged me. He was in charge, not Murdoch, not Lightoller and definitely not Ismay. His actions or inaction was what caused the deaths of 1500 people including himself. So for that I do have respect for Senator Smith cause he didn't fully buy into the myth and neither did the author. Overall the book was enjoyable it dragged at points but mostly kept me engaged. It was different than other Titanic books so it had that going for it as well. Definitely one to add to the Titanic book collection.
November 19, 2021
Despite the generic title, this is not a "beginner" or "overview of the sinking" Titanic book. A lot of its content - particularly toward the beginning - is only tangentially related, and focuses heavily on bureaucracy and politics. I’ve read the inquiry transcripts and found them fascinating, and this does flesh it out somewhat by describing witnesses’ demeanor, how those present responded, etc - the audiobook narration of Lowe and Smith butting heads had me laughing aloud in the car - so it’s definitely worth it for that, as well as details about Carpathia’s arrival in New York and the media frenzy, and the effect of "women and children first" on women's suffrage, which hadn't occurred to me. However, the book gets weighed down here and there by unnecessary slogs of information with only the barest connection to Titanic. Is the minutiae of Senator Smith’s childhood and the dynamic between Roosevelt and Taft really relevant?
Something else that rubbed me the wrong way is the author’s rather cynical approach to the disaster: both the ship’s creation, sinking, survivors, and the ensuing public response and inquiry. Save for Rostron, almost everyone who testified is, to varying degrees, implied to be unintelligent, evasive, difficult, weaselly, over-dramatic, arrogant, and/or self-serving. (Even Titanic itself doesn't escape censure, described several times as “monstrous.”) Certainly they were all ordinary human beings with their own flaws and their own feelings about the inquiry, but the author zeroes in terrier-like on any weakness and assumes the worst. A prime example is the out-of-nowhere suggestion that Lightoller not only didn't care about the falling funnel killing anyone, but didn’t care because it washed him safely away from the sinking ship! That these people had, mere days before, suffered a harrowing ordeal is not really taken into consideration when analyzing their behavior. If the author’s suppositions were influenced by direct impressions of the reporters present at the inquiry, I would’ve liked to see those quoted more directly, because otherwise a lot of it seems rather baseless.
Something else that rubbed me the wrong way is the author’s rather cynical approach to the disaster: both the ship’s creation, sinking, survivors, and the ensuing public response and inquiry. Save for Rostron, almost everyone who testified is, to varying degrees, implied to be unintelligent, evasive, difficult, weaselly, over-dramatic, arrogant, and/or self-serving. (Even Titanic itself doesn't escape censure, described several times as “monstrous.”) Certainly they were all ordinary human beings with their own flaws and their own feelings about the inquiry, but the author zeroes in terrier-like on any weakness and assumes the worst. A prime example is the out-of-nowhere suggestion that Lightoller not only didn't care about the falling funnel killing anyone, but didn’t care because it washed him safely away from the sinking ship! That these people had, mere days before, suffered a harrowing ordeal is not really taken into consideration when analyzing their behavior. If the author’s suppositions were influenced by direct impressions of the reporters present at the inquiry, I would’ve liked to see those quoted more directly, because otherwise a lot of it seems rather baseless.
August 15, 2021
An excellent account, not so much of the actual sinking but all the factors that led to it and the dogged investigation of the U.S. senator determined to find the truth and - if there truly was someone to blame - to lay said blame at their feet. It was not what I had expected, but did flesh out the disaster more wholly and dispel the myths that are still perpetuated today. It was a string of unfortunate events and bad decisions from multiple parties including a coal shortage, outdated regulations, technology outpacing the experience of the men working her, wireless rivalries, and above all the hubris of the gilded age. Those held up as noble and heroic are much more tarnished than we realize and those we have decried are merely the scapegoats of the day.
It was very interesting to learn so much more of surrounding events, and I enjoyed the almost biographical account of Senator William Alden Smith's actions. He seems an incredible man and I'm sad that I've never heard of him before. The book at times could ramble on seemingly irrelevant topics, but in the end was a very thorough account. I wouldn't recommend for light curiosity, but for those truly interested in the disaster, it would be immensely helpful to understanding.
It was very interesting to learn so much more of surrounding events, and I enjoyed the almost biographical account of Senator William Alden Smith's actions. He seems an incredible man and I'm sad that I've never heard of him before. The book at times could ramble on seemingly irrelevant topics, but in the end was a very thorough account. I wouldn't recommend for light curiosity, but for those truly interested in the disaster, it would be immensely helpful to understanding.
April 9, 2023
It’s April 2023, and for the 111th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, I decided to read Wyn Craig Wade’s “The Titanic: Disaster of a Century” aka and formerly: “Titanic: End of a Dream.” I wasn’t disappointed. Up until now, I’ve only read Walter Lord’s “A Night To Remember” and “The Night Lives On” along with some survivor’s accounts such as: Harold Bride, Jack Thayer, and Colonel Archibald Gracie. Wade has written a well researched book here both for the people who want to know about the disaster and Titanic buffs like me. If you want read a straightforward chronological history book about the ship from the time of its construction to its discovery in 1985, I suggest you look elsewhere for the time being. Here, Wade focuses more on the U.S. Senate Inquiry conducted by Senator William Alden Smith after the disaster. But don’t let that deter you from reading this book. Wade, through his narration, takes you back in time and makes you feel like you’ve witnessed those proceedings live. I just recommend that you know a bit more about the disaster before picking this up. It will help. But please do pick this up! This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read about the tragedy, and one of my favorites.
April 22, 2019
All in All a Good Read
For anyone interested in the tragedy of the Titanic, but knows very little of the history surrounding her sinking, this is a great read. After a short recap of her short life, the book focuses almost exclusively on the investigation into the reason she foundered. The book brings real life to the very well known story and offers evidence and testimony in a way that does impose a slight opinion, but also lets the reader decide for themself weather the rulings are inline within their own views. The only reason I am delivering a four out of five star review is in my personal opinion, there were certain points more towards the end of the book that seemed to linger on with ideas that did not seem to benefit the advance of the story, and subsequently began to lose my interest. But overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who's interest into the titanic has presented their curiosity for more information past the simple timeline of events that transpired that night.
For anyone interested in the tragedy of the Titanic, but knows very little of the history surrounding her sinking, this is a great read. After a short recap of her short life, the book focuses almost exclusively on the investigation into the reason she foundered. The book brings real life to the very well known story and offers evidence and testimony in a way that does impose a slight opinion, but also lets the reader decide for themself weather the rulings are inline within their own views. The only reason I am delivering a four out of five star review is in my personal opinion, there were certain points more towards the end of the book that seemed to linger on with ideas that did not seem to benefit the advance of the story, and subsequently began to lose my interest. But overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who's interest into the titanic has presented their curiosity for more information past the simple timeline of events that transpired that night.
May 26, 2021
I was really looking forward to reading this book about the Titanic disaster. It was something of a anticlimactic experience however. That said, the causes for the ship's sinking could easily be the same reasons for any operational disaster today: over confidence, poor communication, and just bad judgment. The first mate in charge at the time the ship struck the iceberg, could have taken the iceberg dead on and likely saved everything and everyone but instead acted against his better instincts, cut power and swerved, thus loosing control and exposing the whole side of the ship to ruin. He feared hitting the iceberg at all. Sometimes we just gotta accept risk for what it is and take the challenge head on rather than fear it and allow it to sideswipe us, right?
August 3, 2018
be prepared - This is AMAZINGLY THOROUGH - as it should be, documenting the original senate hearings and investigation by Sen. William Alden Smith. It is exhaustive in its detail, which many readers/listeners will simply find too boring, but the magnitude of this disaster, and the WHAT IF's of circumstances that night that were truly human folly and failure, are impossible to ignore.
I initially ran across this as the revision has an introduction by John Chatterton, whose historic exploits underwater are thrilling.
I initially ran across this as the revision has an introduction by John Chatterton, whose historic exploits underwater are thrilling.
October 27, 2020
If you know the basic story of the Titanic, this book is a fantastic read that really changes one's perspective on a number of central characters and events. It's chock full of little facts and anecdotes I can't wait to tell people, which I find to be a good test of how engaging the book was. There were very few parts that seem to have aged poorly, but overall there's almost nothing to complain about.
May 12, 2023
One of the more comprehensive reviews of the tragedy from its beginnings on a napkin to its comprehensive analysis by the United States Senate within the same week as the ship sunk. While its missing some more detailed bits about the inner workings of the ship, it could be argued that the book's ability to dispel the alluring conspiracies of the sinking along with world-wide reaction makes this a solid read.
April 22, 2019
Disclaimer: I got about 325 pages read if the about 385 pages. I had to stop. It was just too sad to keep reading. The book is more about the legal proceedings after the sinking of the ship. Really it was just an adult version of " your fault, not my fault," between the US and Britian, and Officers and Ship Owners.
July 15, 2024
Interesting context
So much more than just what happened on the ship. The distress calls, the ships that responded (or didn’t), the arrival of the survivors in New York, the questioning of company officials and crew, the investigation, and changes to maritime law… its all here. Highly recommended.
So much more than just what happened on the ship. The distress calls, the ships that responded (or didn’t), the arrival of the survivors in New York, the questioning of company officials and crew, the investigation, and changes to maritime law… its all here. Highly recommended.
March 20, 2025
This was a very thorough and informative look at the creation, voyage, and sinking of the Titanic and the subsequent investigation hearings that took place afterwards. It was very fascinating and I like that we got to know more about what happened afterwards and how the hearing prompted safety legislation.
December 17, 2021
Definitely not the book on the Titanic I was expecting - a lot on the trials, not as much about the boat or the passengers. Some might like it - I wasn't really looking for this book when I wanted a book about the Titanic.
September 3, 2024
Normally, I will read any book on the Titanic simply because I find the subject matter very interesting, but damn this one was hard to get through. This book does not chronicle the timeline of the disaster so much as follows the senate hearings that occurred afterwards as the governments tried to piece together what happened. This book is informative, but it is the driest book on the Titanic that I have ever read and made from a rather tedious read. It was interesting to see some of the accounts and how Bruce Ismay was painted as the devil by just about everyone. Otherwise, this was a pretty boring read.
February 8, 2019
I was so interested to read this but it was so boring! Do not recommend
February 12, 2019
Very interesting look at the aftermath of the Titanic disaster.
May 19, 2019
Good book
Well written book that focuses more on the aftermath than the actual sinking. I found it very informative and I learned things I never knew.
Well written book that focuses more on the aftermath than the actual sinking. I found it very informative and I learned things I never knew.
May 29, 2019
Gives details of the inquest and aftermath.
November 4, 2019
There is a lot more to the story than what one's see based on the two movies.
June 17, 2021
I wasn't sure what to expect with this but it was very informative, I listened to the audiobook but it drew me in, I listened to the whole thing in 2 days.
September 9, 2022
Very interesting but the history of the US politics of the era was a bit dry
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