The Ship of Dreams: The Sinking of the Titanic and the End of the Edwardian Era

The Ship of Dreams is a lovingly written and researched volume that centers on the sinking of the Titanic, but also encompasses the history of the society that invented her.

Gareth Russell focuses on just a few of the passengers, and lets us look into their lives and family histories. The author delved into these surrounding histories with a completeness that I must admit surprised me. It wasn't at all the book I was expecting.

One of the passengers Russell introduces us to is The Countess of Rothes, or Lucy-Noelle Martha Leslie, who was traveling with a companion and her maid. Her life history was educational for its depiction of the aristocracy in England during the Edwardian Era. She was also remarkably kind and generous, the type of person I would expect to be lauded in a history such as this.

Russell also illustrates the story of Ida and Isidor Straus, an older American couple who did not survive. As the lifeboats filled with women and children first, Ida and Isidor refused to be separated, and decided to go down with the ship, together. He was the co-owner of Macy's department store and had also served as a member of US House of Representatives. He came from a family of Jewish immigrants, and had known hardship and prejudice.

Thomas Andrews, managing director of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, also went down with the ship, while gallantly trying to save as many passengers and crew as possible. There are few people like him.

There was also teenaged Jack Thayer, son of John B. Thayer, second vice present of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who, after seeing his mother off on one of the lifeboats, jumped into the ocean just before the ship went down, and miraculously made it through the freezing night. He lost his father and was forever haunted; decades later, he would be one of the ten survivors to end his own life.

And then there was Dorothy Gibson, and actress, who in contrast, comes across as extremely shallow. Her life continued to be--interesting.

J. Bruce Ismay, a man who found a place in one of the lifeboats, was tormented forever afterwards with public disgrace, perceived as a coward for not giving up his space for another. He wasn't the only man shamed in this manner, an attitude that seems shocking, now.

There were only about 713 survivors, out of about 2229 on board The Titanic, and on that tragic night, some people were subjected to a test of character few ever have to face. There were enough lifeboats to save just a third of the the humans suffering that night, a situation that never should have happened. The Titanic's legacy is improved safety, and a mandatory lifeboat drill before every cruise. These days, everyone knows where to find a life vest, and everyone knows where to report, in the event of a disaster.

The bottom line is, the Titanic's sinking was caused by excessive speed. More caution should have been taken while navigating icebergs. And sadly, when catastrophe struck, no one was prepared--not the crew, who did not realize how much time was needed to deploy the lifeboats, or the passengers, who did not know where their life vests were, or where to report.

This was the first history I've read about The Titanic. I found it fascinating and would recommend it highly.

Thank you, Atria Books and Netgalley for an experience I otherwise would not have had!