Walter Lord

Final hours of the titanic

A Night to Remember

Really well written account of the Titanic. It's old enough for the author to have interviewed survivors, but still incredibly readable. Teared up a bit at the passenger list at the end - as Walter Lord points out several times, people from steerage had the greatest number of casualties - First Class lost just one child, whereas Third lost 52.

This is an incredibly well-written book which gives historical insight on so many things; not only regarding the Titanic, but the sociological environment of the 20th century western civilization. Lord’s style of writing is what truly differentiates this book from other historical novels. Everything is precisely described with no emotion whatsoever; and then morally critiqued. Its factuality is what separates it from what you’ll find in the rest of the library and yet, in no way is it dry.

Iuno <3

Jeni Enjaian

This was a fascinating book. Before I could give it such a high rating I had to find out when it was published. I had a feeling that it had been published a fair amount of time in the past, specifically because the author referenced survivor testimony as having been given recently, a feat which would be impossible to accomplish today.

The night is so well known now thanks to the epic blockbuster of 1998. That does not change its intrinsically tragic nature. This historical narrative reads much more like fiction than non-fiction which was the wont of popular historians of that particular era. Some "facts" included (and portrayed as such) in this book would have been incredibly difficult to verify even at the time. Lord does not clarify this fact while in the midst of the narrative. (He does however include a few caveats at the end of the book.) This is a must-read narrative of that tragic night. 

The one negative thing I would say has to do with the summary at the end. It's completely unnecessary and repetitive.

I definitely recommend this book.

A Night to Remember Final hours of the titanic

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