Titanic: A Night Remembered

The sinking of the Titanic is a well documented tragedy. Since I was a child, I have been intrigued by this terrible accident. I have wondered what it was like to be doomed on that ship, as well as what it was like to survive the catastrophe.

“Titanic: A Night Remembered” by Stephanie Barczewski is a good book for those interested in the history of the Titanic. The author spends a lot of time asking “What makes a hero?” She tells of how the men who survived were plagued with taunts of not being gentlemen. And how the only heroes recognized were men who gave their own lives for others.

I had mixed feelings, reading about how the male survivors were treated. It is understandable that able-bodied people should stand aside to help people with less strength before saving themselves. What bothers me about this account, is that these boats were not nearly full. If I were a man, and the boat was being lowered with 1/3 capacity, I would want to save my own life. I don’t see why people thought it was cowardly to want to live.

I was hoping for more first person survivor accounts in this book, but overall I enjoyed it.