2024 READING CHALLENGE

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2024 Reading Challenge
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Saturday, April 14, 2012

REVIEW for Shadow of the Titanic


Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me a copy of this book.


TITLE:      Shadow of the Titanic

AUTHOR: Andrew Wilson

GENRE:    Non fiction


RATING:  4 Stars



I have always been fascinated by the Titanic, although I am not quite certain why.  

April 14,  2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking which means that a variety of new books are being written and published on the subject and I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Shadow of the Titanic.


Most of the Titanic books I have read have focused greatly on the ship itself and on basically what ‘could’ have happened that night.

While this book does, of course, go back into time to study the ship and that dreadful night, it also focuses on the survivors and more specifically what became of them after the tragedy.  I thought this was a great idea, as I have often wondered how you can actually go ‘on’ after suffering such a scary and sad event.

Author Andrew Wilson does a wonderful job of sourcing out a number of survivors, each experiencing very different life stories (on and off the ship).  Wilson starts off with each survivor’s very own experience on that dreadful night and how they came to escape the ship.  Some of the descriptions are absolutely chilling – making it very clear that your chances of surviving on that faithful night could be altered by a single moment in time.

The description of the time spent ‘living’ after this experience, however, is what really set this book apart.  The author takes us on an intimate look at just how these people dealt with their lives.  Making it clear that there was now a new premise – before Titanic and after Titanic.

The stories are, in many cases, heart wrenching.  Losing husbands and children and being expected to ‘carry on’ while living with the shadow of the Titanic for your entire life.  It quickly became apparent that, in many cases, ‘happily ever after’ would never come to be.

I also loved the secondary thread in this book, about ‘the’ oldest survivor of Titanic and how they came to represent, to an entirely new generation the face of Titanic.

The writing is touching, respectful and intriguing.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

3 comments:

bermudaonion said...

That does sound great! There were so many survivors that we never heard anything about.

Laura at Library of Clean Reads said...

What a great review! I am also intrigued by the Titanic, especially after my husband and I saw the exhibition in Las Vegas. It was very sobering and fascinating. I have also wondered how the survivors carried on after that night of tragedy.

An said...

I also don't know why I'm fascinated by the Titanic. This sounds very interesting, would like to read it.

 
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