The tragedy of the Titanic has been captured in fiction, non-fiction, music, poetry, cartoons, official judicial inquiry, survivors' recollections, still photography, television shows, and film; all of the above are covered to some extent in this good and popular book. But few Titanic books match the paintings by Ken Marschall, a specialist on the subject whose work can be found in other books by the ship's discoverer, Robert Ballard, who wrote the introduction here. The photos are notable--including shots of the red-paint-stained iceberg that may have caused the sinking, the pristine ship, the sunken wreck, the people involved in the case--but Marschall's dozens of large-scale paintings really do help to dramatize and explicate moments no camera glimpsed and few eyewitnesses agree upon.
There is much to recommend the text, too. You could make a film just about Second Officer Charles Lightoller, who helped accelerate the lifeboat-launching process, saving lives; stepped off the ship's bridge into the Atlantic; was sucked down into a ventilator taking in water, vainly swimming against its suction; and then got expelled by a blast of air, like a human cannonball in a circus, and landed next to a lifeboat that had been knocked 20 feet clear of the sinking ship's deadly whirlpool by a huge ship's funnel that crashed into the waves nearby. Lightoller was marvellously clever in his courtroom interrogation by a lawyer determined to manoeuvre him into admitting blame for the disaster. There is much more history in-between the dramatic illustrations, facts both grand and trivial--if you're bent on knowing what actually happened to the dogs aboard, the answer is in this book. Definitely one of the better titles dealing with Titanic. --Tim Appelo
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
A Titanic buff's bible As a long-time student of the Titanic tragedy I cannot recommend this book too highly. It is meticulously researched, well written and wonderfully illustrated - Ken Marschall's paintings being a highlight. I have a large collection of books dealing with the Titanic, and, were I to be reduced to one,it would have be this.
"Titanic " review As an avid Titanic "buff", this book has been a source of unlimited interest to me. The paintings of Ken Marschall are, without doubt, the most breathe-taking, tending to convey to the reader the beautification that Titanic was (even in her wrecked state). It is a comment that is backed by non-other than the man that found her in 1985, Robert Ballard, when he states that the picture that was drawn by Marschall was "not an artist's impression", but what he, Ballard, actually saw on the seabed.
An excellent read for those starting research! After owning the book for some time, I would say it is one of the best "Titanic" books around. As a keen enthuiast, I have many books which simply "tell the story" giving no fresh approach to the disaster. The book is an essential tool for historians starting out, so I would recommend that people buy and enjoy this marvellous book. It was the first "Titanic" book I ever bought and I still go back to it every time.
A fabulous volume, a Titanic lover's dream. Two books I would recommend above all others for anyone wanting to read about this most fascinating of subjects. For an indepth exploration of the disaster, its causes and the world in which it happened, 'Titanic end of a dream'. For pictures and paintings this lovely volume. Amazing paintings and foldouts by Ken Marschall, giving you a 'you are there' sensation. The text by Don Lynch is elegant and informative, with intriguing little known information and controversies in 'boxes' scattered about the text... more info
