Titanic Books

[NurseNell]

OK, I'm on my 3rd Titanic novel in a week. So I want to do a Titanic summer of reading. I like novels, survivor stories, and non-fiction. I remember someone here considers herself a Titanic expert/nerd. She posted when we were discussing in the Doug the Tool's Titanic thread. So can she or anyone recommend some good books to me? Thanks!

[Glass Cowcatcher]

"A night to remember" is classic.

[canela]

I'll admit I've read my share of Titanic books. I always seem to come back to A NIght to Remember and The Night Lives On by Walter Lord. ANTR is the first non-fiction book about Titanic I read, and it seriously hooked me. They are pretty smooth reading (I like Lord's style) and are chock full of info. A lot of other books I've read have used these two almost as primary sources.

I have two other favorites, but I think both may be out of print. I don't use electronic versions of books, so I never know what's available. Anyway, one is Judith Geller's Titanic: Women and Children First. Truthfully, some of the information in this book is inaccurate but my main interest in it is the photos. The other is Senan Molony's The Irish Aboard Titanic. This is a meticulously researched account of many of the passengers aboard.

I think a great online resource is encyclopedia-titanica.org. Some of the people who post there are really knowledgeable. there is also a section devoted to books and you can probably find many recommendations there.

Once again, I start talking about a subject which interests me and I go on and on (Ha-ha! Celine has nothing on me!)

Edited because I just checked the website and found out that Molony's book has actually been reprinted in a second edition.

[RandomTrivia]

What about good books or videos for grade-school kids?? My son's kindergarten class did a Titanic day for the anniversary, and he's still on a massive Titanic kick. I think we've cleaned out the library's selection, but they're very good at ILLing books they don't have. (No ILL for other media though, but they do take purchase suggestions.)

I'm branching him out to other shipwrecks, and Dr Ballard's other discoveries, but I'll take suggestions. I wonder if Dr B answers fan mail.

[NurseNell]

I'll admit I've read my share of Titanic books. I always seem to come back to A NIght to Remember and The Night Lives On by Walter Lord. ANTR is the first non-fiction book about Titanic I read, and it seriously hooked me. They are pretty smooth reading (I like Lord's style) and are chock full of info.

I am reading A Night to Remember now, then I will read The Night Lives On. Hopefully I can get the other books you mentioned at the library.

[NurseNell]

I'm branching him out to other shipwrecks, and Dr Ballard's other discoveries, but I'll take suggestions. I wonder if Dr B answers fan mail.

It doesn't hurt to ask. I think he'd be impressed that a 5 y.o. had this interest.

[canela]

Truthfully, I've never read any children's books about Titanic. The closest I've come was a book in the Sunfire Romance series when I was in middle school (long out of publication I'm sure and doubtfully of any interest to a young boy!) I was browsing the children's book section of the website I mentioned above. This particular thread doesn't seem to have been updated for a while, but I'll just list some of the suggestions that have been posted there. I don't know publication dates, etc, but I sincerely hope some of the info may be useful to you.

Polar the Titanic Bear by Daisy Corning Stone Spedden, Laurie McGaw (Illustrator), Laurie McGaw (Illustrator)*

Inside The Titanic by Hugh Brewster and Ken Marschall*

Story of the Titanic by Steve Noon

On Board the Titanic: What it was Like When the Great Liner Sank by Shelley Tanaka (I think this may be for older children)

Titanic: Ghosts of the Abyss by Mireille Major (in 3D, based on a James Cameron film, I believe)

Ghost Liners: Exploring The World's Greatest Lost Ships by Robert Ballard & Rick Archbold, illustrated by Ken Marschall.

*These two two seem to be the most highly recommended on that board.

I have the utmost respect for Dr. Ballard. I think it would be very worthwhile to write him. I agree with Nurse Nell that he might be impressed by a such a young fan.

(edited because I'm a dork who can't even cut and paste properly)