Remembering the Titanic

Late at night on April 14, 1912, the passenger liner RMS Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage. The sinking claimed the lives of over 1500 passengers and crew members, and has gone down in history as the deadliest peacetime martime sinking.

The sinking captivated the public at the time, and has continued to fascinate today, with many movies, books, and more continuing to explore the story of the Titanic. Read on for some titles that remember those that lost their lives, ask questions, and examine what went wrong on that fateful day.

The Sinking of the Titanic
by Jay Henry Mowbray
Edited by Stephen Haddelsey

Greenhill Books

First published in 1912, Jay Henry Mowbray’s Sinking of the Titanic was hugely influential in the aftermath of the maritime disaster, recording the harrowing, first-hand accounts of the survivors. The swiftness of the publication of Mowbray’s text, the sheer number of first-hand witness accounts therein and the intensity of the chaos and fear that their accounts convey makes for a unique compilation which, together with new notes, maps, images and expert introductory material in this new, updated edition, will fascinate, educate and deeply move contemporary readers as much today as the original publication would have back in 1912.

The Titanic and the City of Widows it Left Behind
by Julie Cook
Pen and Sword History

When Titanic foundered in April 1912, the world’s focus was on the tragedy of the passengers who lost their lives. Ever since, in films, dramatizations, adaptations and books, the focus has mostly continued to be on the ones who died. The Titanic and the City of Widows it Left Behind focuses on another group of people – the widows and children of the crew who perished on board. Using original archive sources and with accounts from descendants of crew who also lost their lives, the book asks how these women survived through abject poverty and grief – and why their voices have been silent for so long.

Titanic: ‘Iceberg Ahead’
by James W Bancroft
Frontline Books

Much has been written about the Titanic disaster, and it has been the subject matter for several films. The author is well-known for his depth of research and his attention to detail, and in a new style of format, he has selected fifty people involved in the disaster, and by using their specific eyewitness accounts he has managed to make the confusing situation much clearer, making it possible for the reader to experience the dreadful events as they unfolded. The book also includes biographical tributes to the fifty people, who came from all walks of life and geographical regions, telling who they were, their experiences during the disaster, and what happened to those who were fortunate enough to survive.

See all of our titles about the Titanic below!