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Titanic: Triumph and Tragedy
First published in 1986, revised and expanded in 1995, this book has been called "the definitive history" of the Titanic.
Continuing interest in the ill-fated vessel has been heightened in recent years by the dramatic events including the discovery of the wreck, new speculation on the Californian's failure to rescue the Titanic, and the recovery of artifacts from the disaster site. All are chronicled in a new chapter which, with a section of completely up-to-date color photographs, makes this edition a must.Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 21, 2017
Stayed up till 3 am to finish this. Was totally fascinating. Again most people know the tragic circumstances that befell The Titanic on the that fateful night in 1912, but this was such an informative look at how this affected so many lives afterward as well. From two orphan brothers that were kidnapped by their father to the people of Southampton who lost many men who served on the ship. The sights that the passengers experienced as they boarded the ship, many archived photos of the sumptuous details and comforts First and Second Class enjoyed, many I have never seen. I couldn't put this down. While some reviewers were put off by the newspaper looking set up of the book it still doesn't detract from the immense information this book provides.
December 15, 2019
5/5
The pictures alone make this worthy of a 5-star review. Beyond that, the content brings together much of what isn't typically highlighted in other books about the Titanic. Instead of focusing solely on the sinking, this book goes further back in time to when the Titanic was created, and goes through the case against the White Star Line and the importance of a law giving a set amount I'd lifeboats.
I have been fascinated by her story for many years, and the content in this book put my poor brain in overload.
And that's a good thing.
Recommended for fans of the story of one of the most tragic vehicular accidents in history.
The pictures alone make this worthy of a 5-star review. Beyond that, the content brings together much of what isn't typically highlighted in other books about the Titanic. Instead of focusing solely on the sinking, this book goes further back in time to when the Titanic was created, and goes through the case against the White Star Line and the importance of a law giving a set amount I'd lifeboats.
I have been fascinated by her story for many years, and the content in this book put my poor brain in overload.
And that's a good thing.
Recommended for fans of the story of one of the most tragic vehicular accidents in history.
April 24, 2026
There was information, areas of interest, and data that were previously unknown to me that I read for the first time in T:TAT. Anyone with even a moderate interest in all things Titanic will find this an informative, interesting read.
However, there were a few concerns and misses.
I did not care for the personal opinions expressed by the author(s), such as Lordites vs Anti-Lordites, and their argument concerning the last song that was played on the Titanic.
While the authors did include a passenger list, which I often referenced during this read, it was upsetting to find there was no crew list. I had to reference other sources if I wanted information on whether a crew member survived or perished in the tragedy, when not mentioned in the material. It is difficult to imagine a reason why the authors did not deem the crew list important enough to include with the passenger list.
I greatly appreciated the many photos of passengers, crew, and ship, and others associated with the Titanic, but especially those photos of passengers and crew; it was very moving. Unfortunately, some photos were dark, especially the photos of the 1985 discovery, which made it difficult to discern what I was supposed to be viewing, even with the description. It would have been helpful had the authors used point annotations, i.e., an arrow, to assist the reader on some of the darker photos.
Overall, this book is loaded with information and is a keeper for my Titanic library. A must read for Titanic enthusiasts.
However, there were a few concerns and misses.
I did not care for the personal opinions expressed by the author(s), such as Lordites vs Anti-Lordites, and their argument concerning the last song that was played on the Titanic.
While the authors did include a passenger list, which I often referenced during this read, it was upsetting to find there was no crew list. I had to reference other sources if I wanted information on whether a crew member survived or perished in the tragedy, when not mentioned in the material. It is difficult to imagine a reason why the authors did not deem the crew list important enough to include with the passenger list.
I greatly appreciated the many photos of passengers, crew, and ship, and others associated with the Titanic, but especially those photos of passengers and crew; it was very moving. Unfortunately, some photos were dark, especially the photos of the 1985 discovery, which made it difficult to discern what I was supposed to be viewing, even with the description. It would have been helpful had the authors used point annotations, i.e., an arrow, to assist the reader on some of the darker photos.
Overall, this book is loaded with information and is a keeper for my Titanic library. A must read for Titanic enthusiasts.
April 18, 2026
A new favorite! I could not wait to dive back in each morning and really take my time to read all the chapters, along with the descriptive photo captions that helped me to understand certain details better. The insanely detailed deck plans at the beginning and back of the book endpapers make this book a stand out. I think I spent an entire hour familiarizing myself with the plans to be able to better visualize everything that was spoken about in the text. Such a great reading and learning experience!
December 15, 2025
Das Buch über die Titanic bietet sehr viele detaillierte Informationen und war für mich äußerst interessant. Ich habe beim Lesen viel Neues gelernt.
Ergänzt wird der Text durch zahlreiche Fotos. Teilweise sind Bilder von Schriftstücken jedoch etwas schwer zu erkennen.
Insgesamt ist es ein informatives und gut aufbereitetes Buch für alle, die sich intensiver mit der Titanic beschäftigen möchten.
Ergänzt wird der Text durch zahlreiche Fotos. Teilweise sind Bilder von Schriftstücken jedoch etwas schwer zu erkennen.
Insgesamt ist es ein informatives und gut aufbereitetes Buch für alle, die sich intensiver mit der Titanic beschäftigen möchten.
August 2, 2025
Absolutely adored this book, the amount of detail is astonishing, I admired the plethora of photos in this book aswell!!
February 3, 2012
Just read here that there is an updated version with color photographs. I checked out my copy from the local library and they only had the black and white older copy. This book covers everything related to the Titanic. The court ruled that the liability of the Titanic was $97,772.02 with claims against of $16,804, 112.
Loss of life on average paid $35,376.
Fascinating book and background on everything Titanic.
Loss of life on average paid $35,376.
Fascinating book and background on everything Titanic.
October 7, 2011
This is the essential illustrated history of the world's most famous shipwreck, Titanic. Its scope is sweeping, its prose authoritative. There is no greater foundation for study than this refined, encyclopedic tome.
December 31, 2009
I have not read this straight through, but it is the most comprehensive book on the Titanic that I've come across. Many rare, interesting photos from construction of the ship and after the disaster.
October 8, 2010
Quite simply the definitive book about Titanic. I've not read any book so well researched, so detailed, and so well written.
This really is a must read book.
This really is a must read book.
April 25, 2017
I've read a lot of Titanic books in my life, and this is probably the single most thorough volume I've experienced. The sheer wealth of detail and collection of photographs is such a treat.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews