Book Series Review: Return to Titanic

Return to Titanic (Series)
#1 Time Voyage, #2 Stowaways, #3 An Unsinkable Ship, #4 Overboard

written by Steve Brezenoff

4-book series, children's fiction
published in 2012

My Review...

Return to Titanic is a set of 4 books about a couple of modern-day 14-year-old kids who are whisked back through time to experience the Titanic's first -- and only -- voyage.

After reading just the first book, I was most definitely "on board" with the plot Brezenoff created! He has interwoven the important facts of the RMS Titanic into a relatable story that kids today will understand and relate to... and they'll even enjoy learning about history this way. In a similar way to the popular Magic Tree House series, two friends, Tucker and Maya, are in a museum warehouse in 2012 one minute... and open their eyes in 1912 the next.

In Book #1, Time Voyage, Tucker and Maya arrive on board Titanic, interact with other passengers and learn true facts about the giant ship... even meeting important people who were aboard. The element of time travel used in the book will intrigue young readers, and they'll be gaining historical knowledge without even realizing it.

Book #2, Stowaways, picks up where the first left off... the 2nd day of Spring Break. All Maya and Tucker want to do is get the chance to visit the Titanic again. I enjoyed how Book #2 shows young readers how large the ship really was, by telling of Maya and Tucker's adventure on board. It also accurately captures the essence of 1912 finery and fashion, and then comparing it to how the 3rd-class passengers were poorly treated and restricted. The author did such a good job with this series by showcasing some of the important historical figures concerning the Titanic's story.

In Book #3, An Unsinkable Ship, Tucker and Maya, the two brave friends, want to visit the sinking ship again, in an effort to save the life of their new friend, Liam, whose family is aboard. Along the way, readers will learn more details about the interesting history of the giant ship, including some of the famous passengers aboard, like the millionaire John Jacob Astor and his wife. Particulars about the segregation of different classes of passengers are revealed too.

Book #4, Overboard, This last book chronicled the actual sinking of the ship well. So many accurate facts were included about the lifeboats, rescue and the final disembarkation. I love the futuristic twist these books have, because the modern-day kids go back in time 100 years to the time of Titanic's maiden voyage (I think this is what really sells the history to youngsters).

Steve Brezenoff has written a great account of the epic shipwreck, fitting in lots of details that young readers will latch onto and remember about the RMS Titanic. Overall, a very cool book series that kids will enjoy learning from (whether they realize it or not!).

The series is written for a 3rd grade reading level, although slightly older readers would probably enjoy breezing through the series too (like myself, obviously). Each book is only about 100 pages long. Little children could easily enjoy this as a read-aloud with parents too, because there are so many pages with cool illustrations to look at. The artwork certainly added some great features to the story.

Recommended for ages 8-11.

These books are a good read, packed with fun facts! Definitely a great series!

Book Review: Eyewitness to Titanic

Eyewitness to Titanic
From Building the Great Ship to the Search for Its Watery Grave

written by Terri Dougherty, Sean Price, Sean McCollum

162 pages, non-fiction (ages 10 & up)
published in 2015

To start this review off -- I've read a lot of books about the RMS Titanic (as readers of my blog already know) and I have personally learned much about its history. So going into this particular book, I wasn't exactly sure how "Eyewitness to Titanic" could be much different, but I have to say... it is UNIQUE in its own way, and I truly enjoyed it.

Here's the deal: This books offers tidbits of information on everything there is to know about the ill-fated ship, RMS Titanic. How does this differ from other non-fiction Titanic titles on the market? Most other books may center on only one of the topics touched in "Eyewitness". For example, one book may focus only on the history behind the ship, while another book may tell about the passengers' lives, the crew, or Dr. Ballard's discovery of the shipwreck. (I know this, because I've personally read all those individual types of books.) But instead of reading 4+ different books to get the overall facts about Titanic... READ THIS ONE FIRST. It's an excellent starting place, and it makes for light reading material. Or try it out even if you are already familiar with the Titanic, because it might bring out a few impressive points you hadn't heard of yet -- as it did for me!

"Eyewitness to Titanic" is perfect for both children and adults. It covers the most basic information you need to know, and serves it to you in an easy-to-read manner. You won't drown in a sea of words in this book (AKA, plenty of pictures and visual content). After reading it, (if you have an inquisitive mind like my own!) you'll want to graduate into the bigger, in-depth books to find out the details behind your favorite part of the story. Perhaps you'll be more drawn to the building process, the iceberg, the aftermath of the tragedy, or the hunt for the wreck decades later. Regardless, it's all in there, ready for you to explore.

What I love: All 162 pages feature good information and fascinating facts. There are dozens of photos and illustrations to really set the scene and help the reader dive into the Titanic and her history. In addition, there are plenty of charts, lists, short quotes, quick facts and other types of content to keep one interested. Not only will you learn about the history of the ship, the architecture, and building process, you'll also have a chance to meet passengers aboard the ship and come in contact with the personal side of the disaster too.



Keep in mind, April is always an excellent month to read a book on the Titanic to commemorate the anniversary, since the tragedy happened on April 14-15. 2015 marks the 103rd anniversary since the fatal disaster.

The bottom-line: This is the perfect starter guide for a person with an interest in learning about The Unsinkable Ship, or as a refresher course for someone who already has been studying the Titanic. Since the book is packed with so many morsels of history, it's worth an occasional perusal after the initial reading too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Young Readers for the free ebook.





P.S. See this review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Book Review: Sally's Movie Diary

Sally's Movie Diary

written by Catherine Harriott

112 pages, children's fiction
published in 2014

"Sally's Movie Diary" is the brand new companion book to Catherine Harriott's "Missing in Time" (see my review).

Summary: In "Missing in Time", Sally Soforth happened to fall backwards in time, to 1912. While she was trapped as a housemaid over a century ago, she made a new friend -- a boy named Adrian Merryweather. They got along well, although, due to their time difference, Adrian couldn't always comprehend Sally's comments about the films she enjoyed so much.

In this new book, Sally pens down her thoughts on movies, since she wants Adrian to learn more about the fantastic world of cinematography. Reviewing some of her own favorites, Sally covers quite a variety, from black-and-white classics to modern-made movies (the perfect kind of selection for my taste). I'm not saying that I would watch all of the movies included, but it was fun to read about them in a diary/story format.

Within each chapter, you're not just reading a girl's point-of-view about movies, but you're learning interesting tidbits and behind-the-scenes facts (things that will make you look cool when you tell other people about the movie!). Some of my favorite diary entries were about "The Wizard of Oz", "Mary Poppins", and "Up". I became interested in other films Sally talked about like "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" and "The Secret of Roan Inish". I'm sure you'll find some "new" movies to interest you when reading the diary.

Overall, this is a great book, and makes for a fun read -- especially if you're interested in getting the scoop on the magic of the cinema.

So happy to have been a beta reader for this book!

Sally's Movie Diary is now available on Amazon.com as an e-book, which can be read on a Kindle, computer, iPad, etc. *Currently available for FREE!

Book Review: Promise Me This

Promise Me This

written by Cathy Gohlke

416 pages
published in 2012
adult fiction

This novel has such depth, that I was genuinely amazed at each new twist introduced throughout the chapters.

The plot begins in 1912, with two sides of the story. There is Michael, an Irish boy in England, having to deal with an uncle who mistreats him severely. Finding a need to escape from his gutter-rat life, he becomes a stowaway in hopes of finding a new life in America. On the other side of the story, there are the Hargraves, a well-to-do family consisting of a scheming, depraved aunt, and her niece and nephew. Her nephew Owen, now becoming a young man, feels the desire to leave and start a safe life for himself and his sister before it's too late to depart from his aunt's house.

Owen and Michael both find refuge and a place to stash their dreams... on the R.M.S. Titanic. With hopes of creating something better for themselves, each is sailing to America. After the unforeseen, historically epic shipwreck shatters everything they had planned, the hopeful dreams dissolve into the ocean. But a promise is made.

One thing I really enjoy about this book is that it spans across a series of years. The story doesn't end when Titanic does, but it goes on, stretching into World War I. Annie, Owen's sister, takes up an important role in the war effort, becoming a nurse. The vivid descriptions of nurses, and the scenes they had to face every single day throughout that entire war---just horrid. Yet they pushed forward and became stronger women for it. I also enjoyed learning about gardens, roses, and landscaping, as these subjects becoming a recurring theme in the novel. It provided life in the center of a war where no life remained.

In the midst of all the years, a new love blooms, reaching from one side of the ocean to the other. It happens so tenderly, in a way almost imperceptible, but without this romance, much would be lost from the overall story.

The Christian themes running throughout were also quite pleasurable. Just the simple act of hearing the characters pray to God or offer their thanks to Him added extra emotion that can really tug on your heartstrings. Sometimes it is only with God that a person's true feelings emerge.

I personally savored this book, and it was well worth the read! I'm looking forward to reading more by Cathy Gohlke.



~*~I'm linking up to Book Review Wednesdays on Cym Lowell's blog!

Win 'Dangerous Waters, An Adventure on Titanic'

It was brought to my attention by Miss J.G. that Titanic-Titanic.com is giving away a copy of a book that I personally enjoyed last year.

Win a copy of Dangerous Waters, An Adventure on Titanic by Gregory Mone.

Click here to enter the contest!
(Entry deadline is March 29th)

You just have to answer the Titanic trivia question that is asked on the entry page. (Psssttt... You can easily find the answer in my Titanic posts from last year if you need to.)

Book Review: Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

written by Kathleen Kovach & Paula Moldenhauer

260 pages
published in 2012

In April 2012, Ember Keaton-Jones's life is interrupted by the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking. She is a real estate agent in Portland, with the climax of success just on the horizon. Suddenly, a family mystery concerning the Titanic breezes in. She has the choice to leave her sublime life behind to take an offhand chance at the fortune that the secret from the Titanic might be able to give her, or simply discard and ignore this untrodden revelation which is a century old. {I was immediately engaged in the basic plot of this book, if you can imagine.}

In addition to the modern events taking place in Ember's life, the story is also revealed from the point of view of Olive Stanford, a (fictional) First Class passenger aboard the Titanic. She took a riveting secret with her to the grave, which affected not just her own self, but also a family she didn't even know. Olive did leave one pathway open for someone to find out her personal story---specifically about the impulsive decision that she made in the middle of the ocean. A decision that would ultimately define at least 100 years of discord.

We both knew I would get what I wanted, no matter how unconventional. An incredulous flicker passed through Mr. Williams’s controlled features. The slightest rise of my left eyebrow squelched his resistance. With a deposit of cash, a signature, and a shake of the lawyer’s hand, the deed was done.

I left his office leaning hard upon my favorite cane, the one topped with the silver bird whose wings stretch forth.

I, too, make ready for flight.
— Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

The writing style intrigues me. Every word, whether of dialogue or describing a scene, means something. The history embedded into the story is wholly accurate and well-researched. I don't think there is any plot spoiler here, in saying that the Titanic's story is told in full detail---and I felt that I should mention that the part chronicling the actual sinking is written considerably well. It turned out to be my favorite part of the book, even if I've read about that one pivotal moment from so many other tellings.

"Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal" is written and recommended for adults. There is a bit of romance intertwined into the plot. One thing I don't care for is the strain that is vividly shown between Ember's character and her mother's. Aside from than that, I found the book to be quite agreeable.

The book is written by 2 authors living in Colorado: Kathleen Kovach and Paula Moldenhauer. Both are Christian women, and Mrs. Moldenhauer is a homeschool mom, which I found rather interesting. Together, in addition to writing this book, they also maintain a website, where I have enjoyed reading all the Titanic tidbits and such! www.titaniclegacyofbetrayal.com

If I may say just one more thing about the book in its entirety, it is that looking in retrospect, I found the plot to be altogether set up in twists, so that I never even anticipated the culminating conclusion until it played out in the final chapters. Overall, a positively appealing read! Especially recommended for Titanic enthusiasts.

We entered the Titanic by the Grand Staircase. The large glass domes built over it allowed a bath of natural light. The glow of sunshine danced upon the gilt bronze garlands and illuminated the intricate carvings in the polished oak. I brushed a hand across the leg of a cherub on the middle railing. The stairs were aptly named. Grand indeed.
— Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

Paperback or e-book?
The paperback version of this book is available from both Amazon and CreateSpace. Or you can get it in electronic format for B&N Nook or Amazon Kindle.

Book Review: Eva and Little Kitty on the Titanic

Eva and Little Kitty on the Titanic
Based on Eva Hart's account

written & illustrated by Sidsel Carnahan
published in 2012
38 pages

I was so pleased when author Sidsel Carnahan asked me to review her newly released children's book about the Titanic! The story is partially based on the account of Titanic survivor, Eva Hart. (Who was, in real life, a Second Class passenger, only 7 years old in 1912. Her young age made her a fitting passenger to choose for a book written for 6 to 9 year-olds.)

The story is perfect for young readers & little students who are learning about the events of the Titanic. You'll get to discover the Ship of Dreams through the eyes of young Eva Hart. In this story, Eva is traveling to America with her parents, and she obscurely takes her little white kitten aboard with her (although her mom and dad are quite unaware of this fact). The girl's main concern is to keep this secret safe for 7 whole days while riding across the ocean. With her kitten tagging along, Eva meets other people on the ship, like Captain Smith, Margaret Brown, and even making friends with the Navratil Orphans (Michel and Edmond). Incorporating these characters into the plot was a cute way to introduce other passengers to curious, developing minds.

Overall, I found the story to be quite educational and factual, so that young readers are learning realistic details about the tragedy. My favorite part of the story was the description of the ship sinking. The main events of that fateful night are all touched upon---the panic, the lifeboats, the rescue, the aftermath. This is a book I'd definitely recommend!

Sidsel wrote this book and illustrated it herself too. I thought her drawings were adorable, colorful, and quite fitting. The 22 hand-drawn pictures clearly depict accurate views of the Titanic. She did a wonderful job on both the illustrations and the writing.

Currently, Eva and Little Kitty on the Titanic is available in e-book format only. You can download it from Amazon.com & also be sure to stop by the author's Facebook page.

After reading this story of Eva Hart, I am quite eager to peruse Eva's true personal account that she wrote decades after the disaster, in 1994.

List of all 2012 Titanic posts

If anyone is interested in reading through all of my Titanic posts from 2012, here is a list of all of them, from the beginning of the ship's story, to afterwards. Feel free to start with the first and go through the list. Comments on these posts will always be open and welcome, now and in the future. Enjoy!

Where was the Titanic 100 years ago?

Anticipating the Titanic's first move.

Leaving Belfast, the birthplace of the Titanic.

Why was the Titanic so different?

Greetings, England.

The Three Sisters: Olympic, Titanic, Britannic

R.M.S. Titanic: 4 days until cast off.

Titanic Booklist (#1)

R.M.S. Titanic: 2 days until cast off.

Postcards & tickets from the Titanic's passengers.

The Titanic's journey is underway.

The majestic interior of the R.M.S. Titanic.

A few fun facts about the Titanic.

A closer look at Captain Edward J. Smith.

The sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic (Part 1)

The sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic (Part 2)

The sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic (Part 3)

More thoughts about a fatal night.

The Carpathia's arrival in New York.

Titanic Booklist (#2)

3 Notable Women on the Titanic.

Arthur Conan Doyle vs. George Bernard Shaw

Discovering the Titanic's wreck---73 years later.

The Titanic's aftermath and legacy.

The Titanic's aftermath and legacy.

Today marks the end of my "expedition" to Titanic. It has been thrilling for me to blog about such a fascinating subject. I hope my writings will be informational both now and in the future to anyone who wishes to read my posts. I just have a few last words on the subject....

After the Titanic sunk, thorough investigations began on both sides of the "pond". The tragedy affected America and several countries in the Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom. It was a dreadful loss for the entire world.

One of my favorite direct quotes from the interrogative proceedings of the court sessions, is the following:

Senator Smith: "Did you leave the ship?"

Second Officer Lightoller: "No, sir."

Senator Smith: "Did it leave you?"

Second Officer Lightoller: "Yes, sir."

Lightoller never did leave the Titanic, yet he survived. He was one of the men who stayed on through the entire sinking, until he was finally swept overboard as the ship sank beneath the waves. One of the lifeboats picked him up and he was able to live through that frigid night on April 14, 1912.

Both the King of England & the President of the United States made efforts towards the tragedy. President Taft made a heartfelt exertion by sending out a fast scout cruiser to meet the Carpathia, when the survivors were still on their way to New York.
King George V was reigning in England at the time. He sent the following message to the White Star Line:

"The Queen and I are horrified at the appalling disaster which has happened to the Titanic, and at the terrible loss of life. We deeply sympathise with the bereaved relations, and feel for them in their great sorrow with all our hearts."

The Titanic stands as one of the largest maritime disasters. For 1,517 people it was a voyage to eternity. For the 705 who survived, it was the most horrific experience of the century, which will follow after them and their families forever.

To quote from one of the newspapers in 1912:

It is a question of navigation, and, unfortunately, navigation must to some extent be a question of luck. It is the worst possible luck that the Titanic should have made her debut during a month in which ice dangers have been far in excess, so far as the Atlantic is concerned, of the Aprils of some former years. It is worse still that this magnificent ship should have been the first to come to grief this ice season.

Finally, to conclude my thoughts on such a huge subject, I found some parting words written by historian, Stephen Hines:

"...some mysteries concerning the events of that 'night to remember' will always remain mysteries, not because the real truth can't be told, but because the real truth can't be known."

('Titanic: One Newspaper, Seven Days, and the Truth That Shocked the World')

Discovering the Titanic's wreck---73 years later.

For 73 years, the Titanic sat at the bottom of the ocean. Decaying, rusting, home to all sorts of ocean life, unseen by humans.

Numerous attempts had been tried throughout the passing decades to find the Titanic---all failures. Scientists, men with highest knowledge of shipwrecks, could not find the lost ship. It had to be somewhere at the bottom of the ocean in the area of the Titanic's last known location, and it was bound to be located one day. That day was September 1, 1984.

Dr. Robert Ballard had been given 2 weeks to use special equipment that he would need to find the Titanic's location. It was an impossible task, comparing how other people had gone to sea for months at a time, looking for the Titanic, and always came back without her. Only the warmest parts of the year could be used for searching the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean, so it was a once-a-year effort for anyone who wanted to attempt at it. Expeditions had been led several different years. But September 1, 1985 was the day that the Titanic was meant to be found.


The once-elite ship now rests 2.5 miles below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. With her are the graves of over 1,500 people.


The bow & stern sections of the ship (front & back) are separated from each other, with half a mile of seabed laying in between them. The ship is in two halves, and everything that was inside is now laying in the muddy ocean bottom. Since 1985, there have been dozens of expeditions to the Titanic, now that the world knows where she sits. Some people are spectators, only wanting to see the condition of the splendorous ship, now that she has been there for 100 years. Other people have taken objects from the wreckage to sell them---a highly disapproved of trade. Regardless, it has brought several items up to the surface, so that we can see those objects which have been buried all this time. Some of these artifacts are so well preserved, to have been in seawater for decades! Most of the items are now in public exhibitions or museums.



There are still so many random objects strewn across the ocean floor. The entire wreckage spans 15 square miles!


Of the various pocketwatches and clocks that have been located on the Titanic's wreck, there is to be found something of great importance. These timepieces were not waterproof, of course, so the very instant that the water engulfed an object like a clock, its hands stopped moving. The hour hand and the minute hand were then permanately fixated on that exact time. 2:20am. For different watches and clocks, the time is perhaps a few minutes off, depending on when the water arrived at the ascending decks of the ship. It's an odd fact to think that time literally stopped while the Titanic was sinking, as the people aboard were dying.


The Titanic is quite literally a time capsule of the Edwardian era, buried at the bottom of the ocean.

Arthur Conan Doyle vs. George Bernard Shaw

Does the name Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ring a bell with you? And what associates him with the Titanic? Ah! When I discovered this hidden piece of history, I couldn't imagine the wonderfulness I had stumbled upon!

At the time of the Titanic's wreck, Doyle was 52 years old. He was already well into his writing career (Sherlock Holmes) at the time and quite popular in the United Kingdom through his success. No, Doyle was not on the Titanic---thankfully he didn't have to live through that experience, but he was well-read on the subject through the newspapers. So, when one of his own fellow friends (also an author) wrote an argumentive letter to the editor of a popular newspaper, Doyle responded.

George Bernard Shaw was the friend spoken of, who started this debate in the newspaper exactly 1 month after the Titanic's sinking, in May 1912. His piece began by stating:

"Why is it that the effect of a sensational catastrophe on a modern nation is to cast it into transports, not of weeping, not of prayer, not of sympathy with the bereaved nor congratulation of the rescued, not of poetic expression of the soul purified by pity and terror, but of a wild defiance of inexorable Fate and undeniable Fact by an explosion of outrageous romantic lying?"

He believed that frivolous, poetic-sounding lying had been used, and true British morals hadn't been observed, by illustrating how in one of the lifeboats in particular, there was "One woman for every five men", which contradicted the "women and children first" rule. George Bernard Shaw went into how Captain Smith "paid the penalty" for steaming through the icefields at high speeds, with his life. He had other thoughts on certain other people who were aboard the Titanic, and dealt with them roughly. He ended this letter by saying:

"I ask, what is the use of all this ghastly, blasphemous, inhuman, braggartly lying?"

Here is where our favored Arthur Conan Doyle enters the scene! It was 4 days later, when he published a reply in the newspaper to Shaw's arguement.

"How a man could write with such looseness and levity of such an event at such a time passes all comprehension."

From the start, Doyle knows what he is writing about. He points out that although Shaw mentioned a lifeboat which contained 2 women and 10 men, the very next lifeboat contained 65 women out of 70 occupants. Doyle then counters Shaw's belittling talk of Captain Smith. He builds up the officers and the men of the orchestra which George Bernard Shaw had attacked. Arthur Conan Doyle's ended his letter by writing:

"But surely it is a pitiful sight to see a man of undoubted genius using his gifts in order to misrepresent and decry his own people, regardless of the fact that his words must add to the grief of those who have already had more than enough to bear."

The letters went on for anothor round, each man penning another reply and publishing it publicly in the newspaper. Reading the entire set of letters is quite fulfilling. You can read the complete letters online.

I don't know about you, but after finding these letters, and seeing where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stood on such a subject, I am very much more enthralled with his valor and opinions than before.

What do you think about this particular episode that is tucked away in history?


{Note: My last 2 posts on the Titanic are coming on Monday & Tuesday. Check back on each of those days!}

3 Notable Women on the Titanic

My thoughts about the Titanic are coming to an end soon. After finding out so much about this grand ship, I'm glad to have a place to jot down key points that I have come across, share the main facts about the sinking, and enjoy reading your comments about it.

Today I wanted to share about 3 women who were on the Titanic, whose stories I find to be rather fascinating.

Violet Jessop worked on several ocean liners during her lifetime as a stewardess and nurse. The thrilling fact was that she served on all 3 of White Star Line's Olympic-class ships... and more specifically, she was on each one when it wrecked. She survived each incident! Violet Jessop was on the Olympic, the first of the 3 sister ships, on September 20, 1911, when it collided with a cruiser called the HMS Hawke. I should also mention that Captain Smith was commanding this ocean liner at the time. The Olympic did not sink due to the wreck, but was badly damaged. The ship was able to return to England to be repaired. Violet Jessop was on the Titanic when it struck the iceberg on April 14, 1912. She survived the Titanic, only to continue on with her service with White Star Line's next big vessel. Violet Jessop was on the Britannic when it wrecked and sunk on November 21, 1916. Again, she survived. She didn't die until 1971, when she was 83 years old. I found her story to be immensely interesting!

Margaret Brown, a wealthy socialite and activist, was famously known after her death as The Unsinkable Molly Brown. At the time of the Titanic's sinking, she was 45 years old. She was one of the brave women who took charge in the lifeboats. It is said that she rowed for 7 1/2 hours. She organized the chaos in Lifeboat 6 and requested that they turn the boat around to find any survivors who might have still been alive in the icy waters. Once on the rescue ship, Carpathia, she raised $10,000 before they even arrived in New York, and Margaret Brown also became the president of the Titanic Survivors' Committee. When reporters asked Margaret Brown how she survived the Titanic, she replied with: "Typical Brown luck. We're unsinkable." Thus, the nickname was born.

Millvina Dean is another noteworthy passenger---she was the last remaining Titanic survivor. She died not long ago in 2009. After her death, there was no one left in the world who had been on the Titanic. She was born in February 1912---2 months before the once-in-a-lifetime voyage. Her family was embarking on the Titanic as 3rd Class Passengers, with plans to go to Wichita, Kansas. Being a young baby, Millvina Dean never had a remembrance of the great ship, of the tragedies and sorrows. Yet, she was there and survived it, unknowingly. Because of the knowledge of her being there, she later became quite interested in the Titanic. At the age of 97, the last person who had seen the Titanic and experienced it, died in May 2009.

Check back tomorrow for another unbelievable story I have come across. Can't wait to share it with you!

Titanic Booklist (#2)

To continue on with the first Titanic booklist I posted a few days ago, here are a few more titles which I have immensely been enjoying...

Have you read any Titanic books this April?


882 1/2 Amazing Answers to Your Questions About the Titanic by Hugh Brewster.
Just like the title says, this book is filled with amazing answers about the Titanic! I've enjoyed reading several non-fiction books on the Titanic lately and found this simple, childlike book to be equally informational. Almost any question you have about the Titanic is answered in this book. Adults & kids alike will take pleasure in reading through all the Q&A... all 882 1/2 of them.
(Non-fiction)

No Moon by Irene N. Watts.
Louisa is a young London girl who acquires a job as a nursery maid for a rich family, the Miltons. Although its a dream, it comes with its hard challenges. The worst is that Lady Milton has requested Louisa to join the family on the Titanic's maiden voyage. But Louisa has a fear of water---after a fatal childhood experience. Other intrigue is stirred up as the story takes course, and soon you are entangled in a highly interesting plot. I found both the fictional & historical accounts quite enjoyable.
(Young Adult Fiction)

Sherlock Holmes and the Titanic Tragedy by William Seil.
Holmes and Watson are sailing on the Titanic.... Do I really need to say anything else? When I happened across this book, which combined 2 of my favorite interests, I had to read it immediately! Overall, it was an interesting book, although parts of the storyline did seem a bit far-fetched. It didn't feel authentically like Holmes, but that is to be expected from another author. And as for some of the passengers aboard the ship, the feeling I got from Captain Smith and others like Lightoller were okay, but I don't think those men would have been how this story portrays them. Regardless, I still enjoyed the book!
(Fiction)

Titanic: One Newspaper, Seven Days, and the Truth That Shocked the World by Stephen Hines.
I whole-heartedly recommend this one to historical Titanic buffs. It leads you through the prominent newspapers during the days following the Titanic's wreck. The headlines and stories varied from each other, contradicting each other when no truth was yet known. Stephen Hines has craftily pieced togher the running theme of the newspapers that week in April 1912. I especially enjoyed seeing what reporters in New York were saying in contrast with London. I learned so much in this book!
(Non-fiction)

P.S. I'm a part of the Titanic 2012 reading challenge which I am joining in as a First Class Passenger! Anyone else who is reading some Titanic books may want to join in!!

~*~I'm also linking up to Book Review Wednesdays at Cym Lowell's blog!

The Carpathia's arrival in New York.

This map above shows the Titanic's complete journey, starting in Southampton, England, plus her stops in France and Ireland. You can see that the Titanic was more than halfway across the Atlantic Ocean before the iceberg struck. The ship had wrecked on the night of April 14, 1912, and within 3 hours had sunk to bottom of the ocean. On the early morning of April 15th, the Carpathia found the passengers in the lifeboats floating around Titanic's last known location.



This photo shows a small group of the women who were rescued from Titanic, and were now safely aboard the Carpathia. This one-funnel steamer was headed to New York to deliver the 705 Titanic survivors it held.

It was 3 and a half days after the wreck when the Carpathia finally pulled into the docks in New York. By this time, the newspapers had reported every imagineable story that they could think of about the Titanic. If it sounded like an interesting story, they published it for the attention, regardless of the authenticity of the facts. Every day that week had passed with false rumors being written about the Titanic---nobody on land knew the true story yet.

At 9:00pm on the night of the 18th, when the Carpathia came in, at least 40,000 people New Yorkers were waiting for it. Some were family members and friends, hoping against hope that they would be reunited with the people they knew. Others were the reporters, hungry for any detail they would be able to get from the passengers as they disembarked.

Deadline-driven reporters were panicked by the thought that they might miss the scoop of their lives and left no survivor uninterrupted in his or her grief. The sinking of the Titanic was the greatest story of the new century, and it would be a crime not to make one's mark by getting the best stories possible at the scene of the docking. It was a time of the very creative storytelling by reporters overwhelmed by the dramatic possibilities of this once-in-a-lifetime moment.

('Titanic: One Newspaper, Seven Days, and the Truth That Shocked the World')

There is another ship which I have not mentioned yet that is involved in the Titanic's tragedy. It plays an extremely large part in the disaster, and the story is somewhat like this: Many of the Titanic's passengers could visibly see the lights of this other ship nearby. It was the Californian, which was supposedly about 7-20 miles away. As people climbed into lifeboats, the light of this ship was shining. On the open sea, with nothing being blocked from view on such a wide horizon, lights from a ship would clearly stand out in the blackness of night. Captain Lord was in charge of that mysterious ship. He and his men could see the Titanic too, although they didn't know it was the Titanic. The men on the Californian saw all 8 of the distress rockets that were fired. Among themselves, they conversed about this ship firing rockets in the middle of the ocean. As the Titanic reached her final moments and was sinking, these men on the Californian could see her lights disappearing, but apparently only thought that the ship was moving away and growing smaller from view. Not once did Captain Lord and the men on board with him venture towards the Titanic, nor did they make radio contact... but they were there, watching, as the Titanic sunk.

If only this ship which was much closer than the Carpathia could have tried to see what was wrong with the Titanic, many more lives could have been saved in time. Many historians have never quite been able to put together the puzzle of why the crew of the Californian, who could actually see the Titanic, did nothing in reaction to the distress rockets. I guess it will just be one of the several mysteries that the Titanic left behind that night of her first, and only, voyage.

The aftermath of the Titanic's wake continues in tomorrow's post.

More thoughts about a fatal night.

I've so enjoyed sharing with you facts and the important dates from the Titanic's small lifespan. She was a wonderful ship, built to last for years, and it's only a horrible shame that the ship had to founder on her first voyage, by random coincidences.

After the Carpathia picked up the 700+ survivors of the Titanic, and steamed on to New York, the wireless operators on board were kept busy by sending on all the names of the passengers they had saved. This created so much work to do that Harold Bride, the Titanic's junior wireless officer, who did survive the sinking, was called upon to help send the messages to New York. His feet were frostbitten, and he was in pain, but he was helped into the wireless room and took over sending on the survivor lists and personal messages, so that the Carpathia's wireless operator could rest. Once received in New York, the lists were made public so that people on the street could look at them and try to find their loved ones' names. However, these lists were not always correct, so some people walked away from these lists thinking that their family members had died, only to find out later that they were still alive, and vice versa.

The newspapers in New York were going crazy with the story. The Carpathia wouldn't give out any other information on the Titanic's sinking, other than the survivor messages, so reporters were left to fabricate their own version of the story. Most got it all wrong, by claiming that 1800 had died (300 more deaths than the truth), or the other extreme of saying that all were saved. Waking up in the morning to this news was unbearable for people in America and people all over Europe. However, the newspapers did get at least one thing right---based on the names of the survivors, they figured out that more women and children had been saved, put first before the lives of the men. A newspaper in London published this article:

Following the shock of horror.... came the realisation of the devoted heroism of the crew of the vessel, shown in the facts that so many women and children were got away in the lifeboats and subsequently rescued. That eloquent detail, standing out among the few meagre facts which we have been able to learn as yet of this appalling catastrophe, means that officers and men unflinchingly maintained the noblest tradition of the British mercantile service.

The rule that directs the saving of "the women and children first" has cost the lives of unnumerable gallant seamen in the past. It has been reserved for our time to provide the most splendid proof yet shown of this dauntless spirit of self-sacrifice in the cause of the weak. It is believed that from 500 to 600 of the crew have perished with the ship, from which they aided nearly 700 passengers, mostly women and children, to escape.

('The Daily Telegraph' newspaper)

Although women and children only were supposed to board the lifeboats, some of the men were occasionally allowed too. Many of the men decidedly and heroically stayed on the ship though, even if they knew they would drown. They simply wanted the women and children to escape. However, some women balked at the idea of leaving their husbands behind. For one example, Ida Straus was the wife of Isador Straus, owner of Macy's. Ida is best remembered for saying to her husband: "We have lived together for many years. Where you go, I go." (The Strauses stayed aboard the ship and soon became two more victims in the ocean's grasp.) Later on, in New York, 40,000 people attended their memorial service.

Another heroic and notable feat performed that night of the shipwreck was done by the orchestra, which played music to the very end. The 8 men played their instruments at various locations on the ship, moving from place to place. They played light and cheerful tunes to calm the passengers. With the music playing, and the electric lights on, nothing really seemed to be amiss on the giant ocean liner. Nearer My God to Thee is a hymn that some of the survivors recall hearing during those last moments. For the passengers that were still left standing on the Titanic after the lifeboats had been depleted, perhaps the orchestra gave them a sense of calm in their last moments of life. With that being said, those 8 men performed their service well, and went under as the ship foundered.

The Guarantee Group was another set of courageous men, willing to go down, instead of of fighting for a spot in the last lifeboats. In total, there were 9 in this group, but only 8 were making the voyage. All of them knew the Titanic thoroughly. Indeed, they had built the Titanic from her infancy, and they are known for going down with her in great pride of their acheivement, regardless.

Aside from all this, the man that became most popular and cherished by the public was The Millionaire's Captain. Everyone admired Captain E.J. Smith's bravery as he took a true sailor's death, even though this was his last professional voyage before retiring. I'm sure he had plans of what he intended to do in life after returning to Southampton for his retirement. But he gave that up in a pivotal, life-altering moment in order to save all the lives he could and die with the Titanic. And for that, he was always England's best-loved sea captain. As the author Stephen Hines says:

Captain E.J. Smith was exonerated of any wrongdoing: he had gone down with his ship in a blaze of Anglo-Saxon glory so important to the spirit of the age.

('Titanic: One Newspaper, Seven Days, and the Truth That Shocked the World')

In contrast to Smith's legacy, another man, J. Bruce Ismay was deeply cut and criticized for surviving the tragedy. Many other men survived, so why did people feel angry at his actions? Bruce Ismay was the managing director of the White Star Line's steamships. Because he was an important high-ranking man in the company, practically owning the ship himself, the public believed that Ismay should have had the grace to go down with the ship as the captain did. For the rest of his life, Ismay had to defend himself. He had only jumped in a lifeboat because no other women or children appeared to be getting in at the time. From then on, his life turned downhill, losing his position within the company, and becoming a recluse to keep out of the public eye, away from the ridicule.

Who would have known that an iceberg, a simple, but majestic, piece of nature could ruin so many lives in just a few seconds? That iceberg in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean promptly ended several people's lives. For others who may have survived the night, that iceberg was a landmark in their lives, which slowly drained away everything that they knew, so that they never again had what they once did before. To decide which scenario is the worse fate is indeed a tough choice.

The sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic (Part 3)

April 15, 1912 (continued)

This post will explain about the Titanic's final moments. If you haven't already, you may want to read about the events leading up to this moment, for April 14th and April 15th. This post continues through the early morning hours of the 15th.



To explain how the R.M.S. Titanic finally sunk, I will have to take a few paragraphs straight from one of my favorite factual books on the subject, 'A Night to Remember'. It explains the scenario in the most vivid & straightforward way that I can imagine. For the sake of keeping this shorter though, I have omitted a few sections here and there, though I wholly recommend reading the entire episode from the book, as it truly depicts the scene clearly from where the survivors watched in the small boats. The bow (the front of the ship) was leaning more into the ocean as every minute passed.

The slant of the deck grew so steep that people could no longer stand. So they fell, and Abelseth watched them slide down into the water right on the deck.

The lights went out, flashed on again, went out for good. A single kerosene lantern still flickered high in the after mast. The muffled thuds and tinkle of breaking glass grew louder. A steady roar thundered across the water as everything movable broke loose.

There has never been a mixture like it---29 boilers... huge anchor chains (each link weighed 175 pounds)... tons of coal... dozens of potted palms... 5 grand pianos... And still it grew---tumbling trellises, ivy pots and wicker chairs in the Cafe Parisien... shuffleboard sticks... the 50-phone switchboard, the remarkable ice-making machine on G Deck...

As the tilt grew steeper, the forward funnel toppled over. It struck the water on the starboard side with a shower of sparks and a crash heard above the general uproar.

The Titanic was now absolutely perpendicular. From the third funnel aft, she stuck straight up in the air, her three dripping propellers glistening even in the darkness. To Lady Duff Gordon she seemed a black finger pointing to the sky. To Harold Bride she looked like a duck that goes for a dive.

Out in the boats, they could hardly believe their eyes. For over two hours they had watched, hoping against hope, as the Titanic sank lower and lower. When the water reached her red and green running lights, they knew the end was near... but nobody dreamed it would be like this---the unearthly din, the black hull hanging at 90 degrees, the Christmas card backdrop of brilliant stars. Some didn't watch. In Boat 1, C.E. Henry Stengel turned his back: "I cannot look any longer."

Two minutes passed, the noise finally stopped, and the Titanic settled back slightly at the stern. Then slowly she began sliding under, moving at a steep slant. As she glided down, she seemed to pick up speed. When the sea closed over the flagstaff on her stern, she was moving fast enough to cause a slight gulp.

"She's gone; that's the last of her," someone sighed to Lookout Lee in Boat 13. "It's gone," Mrs. Ada Clark vaguely heard somebody say in No. 4. But she was so cold she didn't pay much attention. Most of the other women were the same---they just sat, dazed, dumbfounded, without showing any emotion. In No. 5, Third Officer Pitman looked at his watch and announced, "It is 2:20."

('A Night to Remember' by Walter Lord, selections from pages 99-103)

The ship had severed itself into two pieces, breaking off from each other as the Titanic went below into the depths of the sea. Both the bow and stern sections hurdled down to the murky bottom of the ocean, going at a rate of approximately 30 miles per hour, hitting bottom only 2.5 miles below.

Over the Titanic's grave hung a thin, smoky vapor, soiling the clear night. The glassy sea was littered with crates, deck chairs, planking, pilasters, and corklike rubbish that kept bobbing to the surface from somewhere now far below. Hundreds of swimmers thrashed the water, clinging to the wreckage and each other.

The temperature of the water was 28 degrees---well below freezing. To Second Officer Lightoller it felt like "a thousand knives" driven into his body. In water like this, lifebelts did no good.

('A Night to Remember' by Walter Lord, page 115)

Cries and screams pierced through the air that night. Some were from people in the water, drowning. The heart-rending noises also came women and men safely on the lifeboats, calling out for their family members, hoping to find them either in the water or in another lifeboat. A small handful of the 1500 people that were floating in the water had enough stamina to make it to the boats, but the water was so cold, most could barely move. The minutes ticked by, and the cries were quieting down. Hypothermia was settling in, and within just 20 minutes, several of the people who were immersed in the freezing water had died. By the time 40 minutes passed after the Titanic disappeared, all was quiet.

Now, as the passengers sat in the lifeboats, they could do nothing except wait, pray, and console each other. They passed around any extra blankets, handkerchiefs, or napkins that could cover someone's ears or hands. So, they waited, hoping to expect a ship to rescue them, but they couldn't be sure if one would come.

The minutes ticked by, but each minute was like an eternity. A little over an hour after the Titanic's sinking at 2:20am, some of the people saw a light streak across the sky, and a few of them realized it was a rocket fired from a nearby ship. It was coming to their rescue! But still they had to wait another half hour for the Carpathia, to arrive in the vicinity of the lifeboats at 4:00am. The people aboard the lifeboats had been rowing towards the new ship when they first sighted it approaching, but still the lifeboats were spread out over a range of 4 miles. The Carpathia had only 1 smokestack, which tells you how its size compared to that of the Titanic's, which had 4 smokestacks. Regardless, there was still plenty of room to take on the 700 survivors scattered across the sea. Some of the Carpathia's own passengers were even kind enough to give up their rooms to create a more comfortable place for the freezing people who were coming aboard. Hot drinks and foods were served to the survivors, names were collected, and families were reunited. Wives waited at the rails, hoping their husbands would be on the next lifeboat that would be pulled in next. Many of these men never appeared.

Captain Rostron (of the Carpathia) searched the waters for more remaining survivors, but found none. Before the ship left the area of the Titanic's grave, with the 1500 souls that had been lost there, he held a memorial service in honor of them. Finally, when nothing else could be done in the middle of the ocean, the Carpathia was directed back to New York.

This ends my 3-part post about that night between April 14-15, 1912. Overall, this sinking itself took place in 2 hours & 40 minutes, from first impact with the iceberg, to becoming a wreck at the bottom of the sea. More hours were added to the tragedy as the people in the lifeboats waited for their rescue, and even after they did get on the Carpathia, the story doesn't end there. More is still to be told about the Titanic. Details coming tomorrow on my blog.

Soon, the entire world would hear the news that The Floating Palace was no longer afloat.