Titanic History discussion

This discussion is a place to ask questions and introduce yourself.

Please add books to the groups bookshelf. Make it as a "To-read". I don't think we'll have group reads, but when you add a book, create a discussion under "Titanic Books"

Hello. This is a hugely interesting subject - if you search "Titanic" on Amazon, there are close on 3,000 results. The disaster is a focus for all kinds of conjecture and invention, despite which everybody accepts the inevitability that the ship must sink.

Of course, stories can go all over the place, but for me there are just two sources for authentic detail: Walter Lord's "Night to Remember" - about the only author to interview real survivors across the board as well as analyse the two official inquiries; and Robert Ballard's "Discovery of the Titanic" - the documentary account of the wreck's finding.

Fascination for the disaster seems to affect everyone. It was so all-embracing and so total its touch lives on to this day. So does the longing that somehow it could have been avoided. History can't be rewritten, but that doesn't stop people wishing that it could.

Reflecting on that is what caused me to write "Stop the Titanic", a fictitious thriller that plays with that very possibility. Maybe it's good, maybe it's terrible, but it was certainly diverting to consider the implications.

The other compelling dimension is conspiracy, which I first encountered in Robin Gardiner & Dan van der Vat's "Riddle of the Titanic". My hold on reality is contained within all these titles, but I cannot resist the appeal of all those thousands of books and websites that delve ino intricacies no-one could have imagined in 1912.

A truly amazing platform to form a group around!

Hi I've been intrigued with Titanic since late one night I watched a black and white movie on TV "Titanic!" But when James Cameron's movie came out that intrigue shifted into an obession overnight.

You have asked that we add books to this group and I fully intend to do just that. I just have a super crazy work schedule up until Sunday and that will be around the time I can do that. But between now and then you guys are more than welcome to go check out my books and see the collection I tagged by Titanic-fiction and Titanic-nonfiction. The vast majority of those books are simply on my wish list but I am hoping to rectify that soon. If you see any books I've collected into my wishlist that you'd like to add here or even just to talk about, by all means go for it and I'll be glad to talk about it/them on Sunday, my ONE day off from work. LOL

Peter I looked up your book and at first I hesitated at adding it to my to-read list because I noticed it had such a low rating. Then I realized you were the only one who rated your book. Why did you do that to your own creation? I agree with that person's comment. When it comes to rating your own work, of all times to be modest that is definitely the wrong time to do so. Okay? You need go back and give it a five star rating, okay? This is your book. Please represent it. If not for yourself then do it for your characters. You "breathed life" into them, which makes you their "god". And you are being a terrible god to your own characters by rating it 2 stars. Okay, enough soap box time. Back to Titanic history:

(Ahem) Have you read "The Night Lives On" by Walter Lord? He wrote it shortly after Ballard found Titanic in two pieces. It's interesting to read the difference in "voice" between his first book, when the survivors he had interviewed were still living and then in the 80's when most of them were dead. In A Night To Remember he handled the survivors with almost "kid gloves" but in The Night Lives On those gloves came off! That included a full chapter **rant** about what happened in steerage when the ship was sinking. A Night To Remember remains my favorite non-fiction book about Titanic but I'd still like to add The Night Lives On to this group, purely because Lord took off those "rose colored glasses" he used in A Night To Remember and gave a more realist's telling of those who survived. But the best part of all, of course was the huge rant and arguments he had for (purely based on logical deduction) proof that the third class passengers were in fact held back from boarding lifeboats until the last minute. He also acknowledged that the (mysterious) officer more than one person had witnessed shooting a 3rd class man and then shooting himself most likely happened. That was another Titanic fact/theory Lord had glossed over in A Night to Remember.

The Night Lives On, sounds like an interesting book.
I've never read A Night to Remember, but I would like two. I'll certainly look them up!

Hi, I have been interested in Titanic for a long time, probably since watching the film, "A night to remember" when I was a child. I have read many, many books on the subject - I will check out the booklist and see if I can add any to what, I am sure, is an extensive list. I look forward to lots of interesting discussions with the group.

Hi Susan, nice to meet you! If you want you can go check out my books and look up my "Titanic-fiction" and "Titanic-nonfiction" tags. (I made them both sticky so you don't have to sift through 4 pages of tags, LOL...What can I say? I like my virtual books on GR as neatly organized as my personal library) I haven't read, much less gotten the vast majority of those Titanic books but you may have and can tell about the ones you have read. Or my list could give you some ideas for what you may want to read. :)

Hi Margaret, thanks for the nice welcome:) I had a quick look at your books and I loved "The band that played on" and "The watch that ends the night", which I read recently. I haven't read much fiction about Titanic, so I will certainly look at your tags, or maybe you could recommend something?

Oh both books you listed are ones I am particularly anxious to get my hands on. In fact I added the top 5 nonfiction on my wishlist to this group and stated my reason for adding them.

I also added my favorite Titanic fiction (so far) which was Distant Waves. I too haven't read much Titanic fiction; only a small handful, in fact. And I know our founder of this group is particularly fond of Gordon Kormon's trilogy though I haven't gotten my hands on that yet either. (Though I can certainly vouch for his story telling ability because I read No More Dead Dogs by him and absolutely loved it!) Just click "view" on any of the six books I added to this group and you should see my reasons for adding each one.

I also admit wholeheartedly that I'm more than a little prejudiced where Titanic is concerned so I tend to give all Titanic books a generous rating. LOL! I...just...can't...stop...my...urge...to go back...to Titanic!

I just added Lifeboat 8. If you own a kindle then you won't want to miss out on this one. I'm half tempted to get one just so I can read this ONE book but I have to stay strong in my convictions...no ereaders! Books, not bytes! (Yes, I am protesting their existence, LOL!)

Thanks, Margaret, will take a look. I DO own a kindle - my house is so full of books I had to to save space, but I am now a total convert. Great when you go on holiday too, especially if you read as much as I do!

I forgot to mention at the beginning, that if you all want, feel free to make any discussions about the Titanic that you wish. The more we learn the better!
By the sounds of all the books we're adding, I don't think I'll finish everything I want to read before I die! There are too many good books out there!

Thanks Anna! And BTW a little something I say almost daily: So many books, so very little time! :(

Thank you Margaret for you kind words. I have done as you suggested, though I still hesitate about 5-star. I had so much enjoyment out of researching the book and writing it, it seems strange now it is out there and seeking a place for itself. I have not read The Night Lives On but will do so. Lord was an ex-copywriter and so am I. That alone will give me motive. Thank you for your perspective.

Oh good, I read over what I posted to you and worried that my accidental overkill of "okay?" may have made my message sound just a tad on the B**** side. LOL! So glad you took it the way I meant for it to be taken. I sure hope you gave it 5 stars and don't worry about coming off sounding boastful. Every single writer I've seen on here that has rated his or her own book has always given it 5 stars and no one, myself included ever thought low of the author. If you give it less than 5 it may give the impression that you put less effort than your best into creating your book and you don't want potential readers to think that.

I hear you on the fun research. Now that I'm off work indefinitely on worker's comp (broken toes!) I've been spending at least two hours a day researching a little project I've thought about doing for a while but never had the time. I'm working on some Titanic fiction of my own. I don't want to formally publish it but I wouldn't mind posting it to GR's creative writing. It gets absolutely mesmerizing uncovering all those 1500+ "untold stories"! :)

That sounds really cool Margaret. I love writing and have always wanted to write something about the Titanic, but I'm worried if I do I'll get something wrong. If you do put up the story I'll definitely read it!
Hope your toes feel better!

Thanks Anna! This is going to be an extremely unorthodox Titanic story; sort of a Lost (the TV show) meets pergatory on Titanic. I'm using only those who actually lost their lives on the ship and developing their characters based off their brief biographies. If I was smart enough to figure out how to make movies with the Sims (I can't even create Titanic on Sims!) I would have been a whole lot closer to getting it on youtube as a "continual series" than I am now, trying to figure out how to make my story's premise as interesting in written form as I had it in my head for a Sim (series) show for youtube.

*purgatory (Can't spell today! LOL)

Anna, if you want to write some Titanic fiction then I'd suggest start writing it and research only a little as you go along. A lot of people tend to get caught up in their research phase so much that they're lucky when they aren't too burnt out on their subject when they do start to actually write the book. A lot of times people are amazed at the amount of factoids they Did Not have to know, after all. That's why I'd say only research when you get to a certain scene and you're unsure of a certain custom or maybe you need to know the technical name for a part of a ship as opposed to knowing the names for every inch of it. The great thing about Titanic is, if ever there's a fact you don't know, you'll find it out soon enough by simply typing it into your search engine. :)

Margaret wrote: "*purgatory (Can't spell today! LOL)

Anna, if you want to write some Titanic fiction then I'd suggest start writing it and research only a little as you go along. A lot of people tend to get caught..."

Thanks for the advice! That's very helpful. I have many other projects on the go already though, so I have to force myself not to write anything, except maybe a plot. Thanks again!

Please invite your friends to join too!

I would gladly invite anyone I even *thought* was a Titanic buff. Unfortunately "I'm all alone" in that regard.

Hi everyone, just wanted to say hello. I'm a (relatively new) Goodreads author and I'm thrilled to discover this Titanic discussion group. My (Titanic) novel is a time-crossing ghost story, but I love all things Titanic and I did a lot (too much!) of research for the novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Ellie wrote: "Hi everyone, just wanted to say hello. I'm a (relatively new) Goodreads author and I'm thrilled to discover this Titanic discussion group. My (Titanic) novel is a time-crossing ghost story, but I ..."

Hi Ellie! I will definitely look up your novel! The cover looks very interesting and I am sure the story is too! :)

Has anyone heard Bob Dylan's new song "Tempest"? Apparently it is about Titanic.

Hi Susan!

I didn't know that, but then I'm not really a fan of Bob Dylan. And the cover version I've just listened to on YouTube hasn't helped!

Oh Geez, I'm so sorry! I haven't noticed we have a "new" member until now. Hi Ellie, and a very belated welcome to you! :)

Thank you! I'm very pleased to be in this group being a Titanic enthusiast (and author of a Titanic novel, Ship of Haunts). I'm also a fan of Encyclopedia Titanica - a wonderful source of all things Titanic: http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org

YES! Encyclopedia Titanica?? Oh, I'm very familiar wih that site. I *used* to consider myself a Titanic scholar...then I found that site and realized I was nowhere near the league of those who contributed and were in the forums!

Is your book available in book form or e-book only?

Both. The ebook is much cheaper (obviously) but Ship of Haunts is quite a complex read so the paperback is useful for checking back on facts and events.

The book is set in three time periods (1912 & 2012) and the 1940s - this section is about child migration.

The novel has some controversial elements but I tried to be as factually correct as possible when writing about the ship. The Titanic sections are set on the ship and also at the bottom of the sea where Carrin lives as a ghost beside Titanic.

See below for links to the ebook & paperback versions.

UK ebook

paperback and US ebook

There'll be a special offer on the ebook soon, probably later this week - I'll let people know.

Good to talk to you!

Hello! My name is Annie and I've been interested in the Titanic since 1997... one guess why, ha! I've progressed past the movie though to learn a lot of interesting truths. I'm currently writing a historical fictional novel on the Titanic, which I'm really excited about!

Good luck with that, Annie!

Welcome, Annie! Can't wait to read it someday. I just love any story, fiction or nonfiction that's about Titanic. :)

Thank you! It features Madeleine Astor as the main character :)

Hi! Sorry I'm so late to welcome you :( I haven't looked to this club for awhile.

I love historical fiction! I'm sure it will turn out great and I'd love to read it one day! :)

You may think I'm crazy, but I don't care, I'm used to it at my age and my profession. I was on Titanic as a child in 3rd Class. I did not survive. Yes, I do believe in reincarnation. Why? Because I have too many memories I can't account for in this life. I also know I died as a young soldier in the Civil War, but that's another story. In this life, I had nightmares of drowning, not once but in two different incarnation. The other was as a child in 1830s Kentucky, but again that's another story. See? I said you'd think I'm nuts. I've been a Titanic person since seeing the 1953 TITANIC with Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb. It gave me chills watching the ship sink, but none of the characters in the film made any sense to me. I actually joined the US Navy to get over my fear of being on a ship at sea. Seeing James Cameron's version of TITANIC brought up other memories of that short life. I cried at the end. So did my wife and daughter, so stop laughing now. It was my daughter Tegan who insisted that I write a book about Titanic, so I wrote TEGAN O'MALLEY STOWAWAY ON TITANIC last year. It's a novel, but it's as historically accurate as I could make it from heavy research and from my past-life memories. Stowaway on Titanic