Titanic

Apr 11, 2012 Kelly Maybedog Hawkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: what-non-fiction, what-ya-and-children

This is an excellent resource for young adults to learn about the sinking of the Titanic. It is very complete while being succinct. The text covers the entire voyage from the day it left dry dock, through the short journey up the coast to when it set off across the Atlantic, the disaster and the aftermath, including impact on the world immediately after that and finally a little about the discovery of the wreck. I found just the right amount of information, not too much, not too little. The coup...more This is an excellent resource for young adults to learn about the sinking of the Titanic. It is very complete while being succinct. The text covers the entire voyage from the day it left dry dock, through the short journey up the coast to when it set off across the Atlantic, the disaster and the aftermath, including impact on the world immediately after that and finally a little about the discovery of the wreck. I found just the right amount of information, not too much, not too little. The couple of questions I had left were really not appropriate for a book aimed at young people or were ones for which there are probably no certain answers. There are several tables of data at the end for anyone wanting to learn more intricate details and I found myself referring back to them as I read the text.

Illustrating the stories were amazing photographs taken by a young priest who was told to disembark in Ireland by the church even though a rich couple had offered to pay his way to the US. It was disturbing to think about the fact that most of the people in the photos only had days to live. Other photos that have been alleged to be from the Titanic are clarified to be from its sister ship the Olympic. Drawings from newspapers and diagrams round out the illustrations. My only complaint is that the ship's diagram points out all sorts of sections but practically none of the areas mentioned in the accounts. For example, I wanted to know which decks were which such as the Promenade and the third class deck. I wanted to be able to picture exactly where people were, where each lifeboat was, etc., but it's just nitpicking considering the wealth of information in 280 pages.

But the true beauty of the book is that the story is told from the perspectives of some of the survivors gleaned from interviews after they returned to port and during the inquiries. They paint full pictures of real people, the true heroism of most of the passengers along with the very few less than admirable acts. I've seen the movie and read bits here and there but this painted a real picture for me of what happened and what it must have been like (as far as anyone who wasn't there could imagine). I was really impressed with how nonjudgmental the text tried to be, even when talking about the company owner's rush to save himself at the expense of others and the attitudes of the haughty first class passengers in a near-empty boat when asked if they considered going back for survivors. The author let the interviews speak for themselves.

Finally, the book directs readers to a number of appropriate and specific online resources to find more information and encourages readers to become researchers themselves. Even though the book is geared towards young adults and greatly interested my teen, it was exactly right for my own level of interest in the subject as well. (less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Barb Middleton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, good-read-aloud, nonfiction-narrative

I grew up in the Land of 10,000 Frozen Lakes. In Minnesota, it oozes cold. I thought I KNEW cold. But I found out I didn't when I decided to jump off a sailboat into Lake Superior. Whooee, I was so unprepared for air whooshing out of my lungs when I hit the water. Imagine a big block of ice being dropped onto your chest. The water temperature was in the 50's and my teeth were chattering and blue within a short amount of time. Thank goodness I had a life jacket on. The coldness was paralyzing. Th...more I grew up in the Land of 10,000 Frozen Lakes. In Minnesota, it oozes cold. I thought I KNEW cold. But I found out I didn't when I decided to jump off a sailboat into Lake Superior. Whooee, I was so unprepared for air whooshing out of my lungs when I hit the water. Imagine a big block of ice being dropped onto your chest. The water temperature was in the 50's and my teeth were chattering and blue within a short amount of time. Thank goodness I had a life jacket on. The coldness was paralyzing. That is why I cannot imagine being submerged in 28 degree water for HOURS and surviving with no limbs amputated from exposure. Yet unbelievably, many survivors of the Titanic did just that in this page-turning nonfiction account of the sinking of the Titanic. Their voices are powerful and dramatic in this description of the lucky few who survived this disaster.

When I first started this book I thought... argh... I'm never going to be able to keep track of all these people. Don't let this trip you into not reading it. You don't really need to keep track of everyone. Think of it as one collective voice that moves the storyline forward. So many people from the stewards to the passengers are heroes in this tragedy. The story is a powerful comment on the culture and class structure of that time, not to mention the overconfidence of those in charge of the ship, and lack of understanding of the seriousness of the accident after they hit the iceberg. Many crew members and staff sacrificed their lives in order to save others and even though some were responsible for the errors they were noble in their efforts to save the ship and others in the end. It just made the fate of those on board even more tragic. So many good people. So many collective mistakes.

The author doesn't dramatize the text with her voice; instead, she presents the facts in such a way that they speak for themselves. She also uses a variety of people on the ship which gives different viewpoints of the event. That's why you can't worry about all the different characters in the story. This variety of peoples' perspectives shows how the disaster impacted people in different ways. For instance, in first class people couldn't tell that there was an accident; in second class, they felt a bump but it wasn't violent enough to toss a person on the floor; and in third class, a noise was heard and water was rapidly seeping into the cabins so people knew it was serious. The different viewpoints makes for a unique and rich narrative that allows the reader an omniscient view of unfolding events.

The book not only has firsthand accounts, but gives interesting details and primary documents that are inserted throughout chapters. Some inserts are original letters that use the language of the time while others are original photos; all add to a historical feel that help draw the reader into the story. In addition, there are blurbs that give the historical context as to why there weren't enough lifeboats or the reason the special watertight doors failed or the testimonies of different survivors. The design and chronological layout of the book is brilliant with answers to questions I had not even thought about; plus, the appendices and facts about discovering the Titanic in 1985, and the price one can get today for a Titanic relic such as a life belt make for good stuff.

I was amazed reading about the firsthand accounts of how many men went down with the ship so that the women and children could be saved. What is truly incredible is that they didn't storm the lifeboats but insisted that the women go. They knew there weren't enough boats but did not panic. It is quite a comment on society at that time as to what actions were considered noble and honorable. For me, it was heroic and sacrificial adding to the poignancy of tragic loss. Approximately 1500 people died, and 80% of them were men. Seventy-five percent of the women and 55% of the children were saved. The biggest loss was with third class passengers and there were several reasons for this such as not knowing English, not knowing how to get to the deck and the steward running out of time as he scurried people out of the ship's bowels, and passengers staying in their cabins waiting for instructions that never came when they should have evacuated.

There were so many things that went wrong on the Titanic from the Captain driving too fast and not paying attention to iceberg warnings, to the wireless operators not knowing the seriousness of the situation, to the disorganization of people evacuating on lifeboats, to a nearby ship (10-20 miles away) not responding to the rocket distress signals launched by the Titanic, to the lifeboat operators not going back for survivors fast enough and passengers heedlessly drowning from hypothermia. The list of mishaps is so unbelievable it is like pushing a small snowball down a hill and watching it build into a giganto ball that mows down everything in its path.

I was a little confused at first with the voice of Frank Browne because he is 17-years-old and boards the Titanic at Belfast. He is actually studying to be a Jesuit Priest and it would have been helpful if this had been stated right away. I'm thinking he's a high school kid who is living at home with his parents and not at a seminary school. The Titanic sailed from Belfast to South Hampton and Frank is only sailing this portion. He meets an American couple who offer to pay his passage to New York. He wires the priests asking for permission to go and they say, "No." So he doesn't. He is in the book because he took a bunch of awesome photos and because he is a symbol of fate or luck. He was so close to sailing on that fateful ship. It seems that many people who did survive were lucky like Frank and the author hammers this point home with the different voices explaining their experiences.

I remembering skipping 6 blocks to elementary school in January with partially wet hair that would freeze into icicles and clink together like wind chimes. Kind of cool and weird. I know. This book makes me think of my icicle wind chimes. I bought this book because it has been showing up on Newbery 2013 lists on Goodreads. I can see why. A ringer, for sure.

Reading Level 7.6(less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Liza Wiemer added it

Shelves: post-about-the-book-on-my-blog

This is an outstanding non-fiction book filled with first-person accounts and records from the sinking of the Titanic. It follows a number of people including first, second, and third class individuals and staff through a chronological order of events. Some of those people are young adults and it's refreshing to hear their point-of-view. The book has numerous documents including a menu, photos, launch information, letters, facts and figures, and information on the Carpathia, the ship that came t...more

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May 03, 2013 Georgia Wood rated it 5 of 5 stars

Before now I never really understood the pain Titanic survivors had to go through. Deborah Hopkinson’s book Titanic; Voices from the Disaster showed me their perspective and what really happened. Many people say ya I know a large ship sunk but really that’s not everything. People lost everything they had due to a collision with water.
At times in this book I thought of putting it down but once I thought it was just an other Titanic book I heard from the survivors what happened. What made it diff...more Before now I never really understood the pain Titanic survivors had to go through. Deborah Hopkinson’s book Titanic; Voices from the Disaster showed me their perspective and what really happened. Many people say ya I know a large ship sunk but really that’s not everything. People lost everything they had due to a collision with water.
At times in this book I thought of putting it down but once I thought it was just an other Titanic book I heard from the survivors what happened. What made it different than all the other Titanic books was that it wasn’t just stating facts but it also told stories. For every event that happened there was a thrilling or disastrous story of a real survivor.
It shows a true timeline of what happened that night and how it all happened so fast. 11:40 to 2:20 decided that fate of over 2,000 passengers and crew. It showed how one decision to jump to the left not right saved Jack Thayer’s life.
Everybody on board or if you heard about the Titanic you new it was unsinkable. That all changed on April 14, 1912. Many of you already know the story of the Titanic. The luxurious ship sinked with no warning. Its ironic nickname the unsinkable ship lead people off especially. But not many have heard what this book tells you. It takes you inside the minds of the survivors. Real quotes from the survivor’s help you understand more and something statistics can show; emotions. This book also tells the stories of survivors and how a split second decision between someone who ended up in the water or in a lifeboat.
When I first heard about the Titanic I was five and had just gotten a new picture book about it. It gave me what happened but only that the boat sink nothing about the people. I also thought that this happened so long ago, over 100 years, and it doesn’t matter anymore. I also thought that know one remembered either but that opinion changed as soon as I searched a survivor and got so many results. I couldn’t believe people actually knew who he was and there were full websites just about him. This book completely changed everything I thought I knew about the Titanic because it gave the survivors voices.
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Apr 29, 2013 Megan Pando rated it 4 of 5 stars

Titanic: Voices From the disaster get the reader thinking about not only the sinking of the ship but about the people who were there on that fateful night. The author's writing allows the reader to feel great empathy for all the people aboard the ship while it was sinking. Some of the very few survivors are introduced in this book and the courage that they displayed is remarkable. But it also gets the reader thinking about the people who practically disappeared after the sinking and will never...more Titanic: Voices From the disaster get the reader thinking about not only the sinking of the ship but about the people who were there on that fateful night. The author's writing allows the reader to feel great empathy for all the people aboard the ship while it was sinking. Some of the very few survivors are introduced in this book and the courage that they displayed is remarkable. But it also gets the reader thinking about the people who practically disappeared after the sinking and will never have their stories told. Everyone on that ship deserved to have their story told, but that is not how it is.
All of the facts given throughout the book about the building of the ship are fascinating yet somber, because we already know about its fate. With every turn of the page all of the blood, sweat and tears that were put into the building of the most luxurious ship is apparent. But what the book most importantly makes evident is the negligence of the crew that caused the ship to sink, which in turn caused many to loose their families or their lives. The author mentions the captain and crew ignored the telegrams that warned them about the icy waters all day long.+ Unfortunately, arrogance on part of the captian and crew led to the sinking of the ship. One of the most tragic facts mentioned in the book is that the Californian, who was radioing warnings to the titanic earlier that night was only about twenty miles away from the Titanic when it was sinking. Frustratingly, the Californian's operator turned off their wireless apparatus and went to bed, after the Titanic's operator told him to stop bothering him; shortly after the ship hit ice and there was no way to contact the Californian.
Many fascinating photographs fill the pages of this book which allows the reader to put a face to the historical figures.
I really enjoyed this book because I was able to learn many new facts about the Titanic and about the aftermath of its sinking. I was certainly impressed with the author because she did a lot of research before the writing of the book to makes sure readers are getting the most accurate information possible. The quotes and letters from actual passengers held my attention in the story and also allowed me to understand the loss they suffered. The book is filled with many visuals such as, boarding passes, pictures of the ship,newspaper articles and even a somber diagram which shows the figures of the survivors and the fatalities that were totaled after the sinking. People are always curious to learn about disasters, but as the book points out,there are people who are impacted by these unfortunate incidents and it is important to keep them in mind. (less)

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Apr 28, 2013 Neil Mudde rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you think you have heard, read everything about the sinking of the Titanic, think again, this book will give you a real sense of being there. The author passes on thoughts of persons who survived this horrendous epic in boating history, the arrogance of not having sufficient lifeboats, the fact that all day the telegraph office of the Titanic received telegrams telling of the Icebergs in their shipping lane, the arrogance of Capt Smith, to make sure he beat the shipping record of this ready m...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-booktalks

This book takes one of the most tragic disasters in history and gives it new life, through the people who survived – and those who didn’t. Filled with actual photographs of the inside of the ship – many taken by a passenger who was about to become a priest but was denied permission to travel by his Order – these photographs are unlike anything you’ve seen in the movies.
We see the gymnasium (including people using the equipment – equipment we’d find humorous today, including a contraption that mi...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Eric rated it 4 of 5 stars

I chose to read this book as sort of a continuation of learning about the Titanic. Having just read "The watch that ends the night", this served as an adequate follow-up. I couldn't help but compare and contrast the two books while reading. "Voices from the disaster" serves as more of a primary source for information of the Titanic as actual Titanic survivors and witnesses take part. Although "the watch that ends the night" provides factual information of the Titanic, some of the book is fiction...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ls-583

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster
Name: Danielle Autumn Shur
Hopkinson, D. (2012). Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Genre: Informational
Award: YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award
Format: Print Book
Selection Process: YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award list
Review:
Say the word ‘Titanic’ and most everyone will know what you are referring to. Just over 100 years ago, the most famous maritime disasters occurred. Books have been writte...more Titanic: Voices from the Disaster
Name: Danielle Autumn Shur
Hopkinson, D. (2012). Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Genre: Informational
Award: YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award
Format: Print Book
Selection Process: YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award list
Review:
Say the word ‘Titanic’ and most everyone will know what you are referring to. Just over 100 years ago, the most famous maritime disasters occurred. Books have been written, movies have been filmed, and stories have been told, each differing in point of view but with the same result. The Titanic, the world’s largest passenger ship and one that was said to be unsinkable, hit an iceberg and sunk just a few hours later in the early morning hours on April 15, 1912. This book tells the story of what happened.
Titanic: Voices from the Disaster steps into the world of the survivors with photos and interviews that have been collected over the past century. Each chapter details a certain point of the Titanic’s timeline of events ranging from the boarding of passengers to the arrival of the survivors in New York. The book contains additional information on the people mentioned throughout the telling. When one is reading, they are transported into this world, seeing the beauty of the new ship, hearing the laughter of joy, and feeling the steady sway of the ship. But on that night, all changed. With only enough lifeboats for about half, women and children were loaded and soon became widows and orphans. Seeing the great ship sinking, hearing the cries for help, and feeling the icy waters of the north Atlantic; the glory was gone.
The book raises the question of whether or not something could have been done to prevent this tragedy. The ship was going full speed in an area known to have ice. Would slowing down have made it easier to move its direction in time? Could the person steering have hit the iceberg head on rather than scraping the side and in turn giving the ship more time for rescue? Many have asked the question ‘what if?’ but there is nothing to be done about it now, we have learned and because of this event maritime law has been updated to prevent a tragedy like this from occurring again.
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
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Mar 26, 2013 Sunday rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 6-8-nonfiction-read-aloud

“Don’t you know what happens in the end?” My husband could not understand why I wanted to leave the dinner table early to finish this book. Yes, of course, I know the ending, but Hopkinson’s writing had me in its grip – one of the reasons this book was awarded a Sibert Honor Award for Nonfiction 2012. I hesitated in reading this book because I thought it would be primarily biographical and narrative in nature. Turns out – this is very much a blended text with a great deal of non-narrative inform...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, young-adult

Almost 100 years after the disastrous sinking of the Titanic, the story of the ship's demise continues to create a fresh sense of horror. In this riveting exploration of the tragedy, acclaimed historical non-fiction author Deborah Hopkinson brings history alive by following the stories of several of the Titanic's passengers from setting sail to shipwreck.

I quickly discovered that an impressive amount of research went into this book, as revealed by the comprehensive appendices. If it wasn't for t...more Almost 100 years after the disastrous sinking of the Titanic, the story of the ship's demise continues to create a fresh sense of horror. In this riveting exploration of the tragedy, acclaimed historical non-fiction author Deborah Hopkinson brings history alive by following the stories of several of the Titanic's passengers from setting sail to shipwreck.

I quickly discovered that an impressive amount of research went into this book, as revealed by the comprehensive appendices. If it wasn't for this extensive documentation, it would have been easy to forget that I was reading non-fiction in the way that Hopkinson weaves several spell-binding narratives of select passengers. Chapter One begins by introducing an amateur photographer, Frank Browne, who is thrilled to find himself aboard the Titanic for a two day cruise at the outset of the doomed ship's passage. The initial chapter also introduces famed figures such as J. Bruce Ismay, the managing director of the ship's company, as well as Captain Edward Smith and stewardess Violet Jessop. Frank Browne fortuitously disembarked in Cork, Ireland. The others were not so lucky.

What stands out about this book is how Hopkinson puts a human face to the tragedy that claimed the lives of 1,496 people so long ago. In the place of the 1997 blockbuster film with Leonardo Di Caprio, I now have a more chilling understanding of the human arrogance that caused the disaster, as well as the dreams and families that were lost on that cold, calm and starry night. Rather than imagining fictitious characters, I now imagine the real heroism of Second Officer Charles Lightoller who loaded lifeboats until he literally sank into the Atlantic (and miraculously survived) and the shocking decision of J. Bruce Ismay who chose to save himself while his passengers drowned.

This book is a history of loss and survival, as well as courage and cowardice. Both intermediate and senior students will be hooked, especially reluctant readers who will likely already know something about the sinking of the Titanic and who often find more meaning in real life contexts. This book undoubtedly deserves a place on your library's bookshelves.(less)

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Dec 19, 2012 Staci rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: yalsa-award-lists-2012

I have a confession to make...the story of the Titanic never was one that fascinated me. Of course, I know the major details of the story and learned about it in history classes but I am a huge history nerd (one of my majors in college) and there were always other aspects of history that captured my attention more. Also, I am NOT a fan of the movie starring Leo and Kate and besides Mythbusters proved they both could have fit on the door (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/mythb...), just saying!

So...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Halle B. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster
By: Deborah Hopkinson
222 pages
Historical
(Non-fiction)

We've all heard of the titanic, but do we really know a lot about the people who boarded the ship, or about the ship itself? Titanic: Voices from the Disaster is a collection of actual stories from the titanic. The book explains the amazing people who boarded the ship, and it explains different areas of the ship and their purposes. Ever wonder what the sinking of the titanic would look like or feel like? This...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Kidsmomo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review from Nancy, intended for young readers:

Almost everyone has heard of the Titanic — but if you’re a history buff like me, you’ll want to pick up Deborah Hopkinson’s new book, Titanic: Voices from the Disaster.

The book is, of course, nonfiction — but as I was reading it, I found myself sucked into 1912. I kept hoping it was a tragic made-up story — only to remember that this actually happened. Warning: this book will probably make you cry. So many people perished, but many people were really...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Marjorie Ingall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade-to-ya, young-adult, kids-9-12, grownups

A suspense-crammed nail-biter. You forget YOU KNOW HOW THIS ENDS. It's obvious why this story has had so much resonance over the years -- the hubris of calling a ship unsinkable, the fabulousness of some of the passengers compared to the working-guyness of others, the acts of heroism and cowardice in the middle of the night in the freezing cold water. As a feat of reporting, synthesis and editing (it rat-a-tats back and forth between different characters) it's just spectacular. It reminds me of...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Rachael Stein rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mock-newbery-2013

I don't have any particular interest in the Titanic disaster, but I found this book riveting. It reminds me of last year's Amelia Lost, in that you know perfectly well how it's going to end, but you're still on the edge of your seat. I really, really wanted them to find more lifeboats, you know?

Hopkinson achieves this effect through her masterful use of primary sources. As the title indicates, much of the text consists of eyewitness accounts from aboard the ill-fated ship. The structure is mainl...more I don't have any particular interest in the Titanic disaster, but I found this book riveting. It reminds me of last year's Amelia Lost, in that you know perfectly well how it's going to end, but you're still on the edge of your seat. I really, really wanted them to find more lifeboats, you know?

Hopkinson achieves this effect through her masterful use of primary sources. As the title indicates, much of the text consists of eyewitness accounts from aboard the ill-fated ship. The structure is mainly chronological, with a short detour in the second chapter to describe the physical layout of the Titanic. At each phase of the journey, we follow the viewpoints of a set of passengers and crew members that includes emigrant families, socialites, children, officers, a stewardess, and a radio operator. As the mishaps and poor decisions start to mount, the reader observes their effects from every angle. At the moment of impact, we are privy to both the lighthearted joking in the first class smoking room and the panic of third class passengers as seawater begins to seep into their cabins. All of this is presented in crisp, clear third-person prose that never turns melodramatic or maudlin.

Well-placed photographs enhance the reading experience, as do telegrams, maps, and ephemera such as a first class dining menu. Sidebars are also judicially placed, adding depth to the account without interrupting the flow of the text. The back matter is truly impressive, comprising everything from a compendium of survivor letters to a table that reexamines the lifeboat launch sequence.

I have only one real complaint. The book's great strength is also its weakness: with so many characters, I kept forgetting who was who and having to flip back to the first couple of chapters. Their individual fates are recounted in a "People in this Book" section in the back, but a brief list of dramatis personae near the table of contents would have been handy.

Where does it fall in terms of Newbery criteria? In the area of presentation of information, it beats anything I've read this year, though I haven't read widely in nonfiction. I think it also excels in plot and character, and possibly style too. Another excellent 2012 title to add to the pile!

(Cross-posted from For Those About to Mock.)
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Aug 05, 2012 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 4 of 5 stars

100 years ago tonight, well technically tomorrow morning, at 2:20am the RMS Titanic sunk. In 100 years it has not lost it's fascination, mystery and thrall on the public. Which is amazing if you think about it, it was hardly the first nor the last boating disaster, nor the biggest disaster in the remaining years. But the luxury, the seeming unlikelyhood of the whole thing, coupled with the many incredibly brave actions of so many (not to mention the many mysteries that still surround the sinking...more 100 years ago tonight, well technically tomorrow morning, at 2:20am the RMS Titanic sunk. In 100 years it has not lost it's fascination, mystery and thrall on the public. Which is amazing if you think about it, it was hardly the first nor the last boating disaster, nor the biggest disaster in the remaining years. But the luxury, the seeming unlikelyhood of the whole thing, coupled with the many incredibly brave actions of so many (not to mention the many mysteries that still surround the sinking) all make it's story one that still told to children, still researched, and still wildly popular.

I have personal ties to the story. My great-grandmother immigrated from Norway at the tender age of 18, and her original booking was on the Titanic. Lucky for my family, she was bumped (as many third class ticket holders were), and ended up on a different ocean liner to New York. Up until the 1980's the Titanic ticket was still floating around my great-grandfathers home when, as family lore has it, he got disgusted with all the "junk" and threw it out. I likely don't have to tell you how many family members still mourn that particular load of trash.

I vividly remember when they found the Titanic in 1985, and the TV special where they aired the first pictures from the sea bed, and where they brought up certain articfacts and had a 1-800 number to call if it belonged to a realtive of yours. So you can imagine I've been fascinated since a young age. I read anything I come across about it, and went to the exhibit when it was in Toronto a couple of years ago. And still, after all these years, I'm riveted by the stories and images.

So when Titanic:Voices from the Disaster poped through my mail slot I knew it would be hard holding out until April to read it.

Deborah has written a wonderful account of the ship and those who were on it for that fateful trip. Instead of telling it by lists and facts (which are intriguing in their own right) she uses the memories of various survivors to build the story of the voyage and sinking. Sprinkled in are the lists, and various astounding facts, but the glue that holds this particular story together is the voices of the survivors. Although I've heard some of them before, many I hadn't, and it lent the book a very personal tone I hadn't come across before.

I especially liked that she covered a broad range of classes, from crew (male and female), immigrants from third class, second class travellers, and of course the wealthier first class travellers. It gave variety to the telling, which so often focuses on the glamour for the first class travellers experience on the boat. Stories, like Frank Goldsmith's, who was 9 year old third class passenger, shows how awe inspiring a trip it was across the boat.

The book has been beautifully put together, with many, many pictures and illustrations to help give the reader the sense of the Titanic, a feat difficult for most who've never taken a cruise before. It makes the story an experience I can really see a huge variety of ages being engrossed in.

The icing on the cake for me was the appendixes, where Deborah talks about how although the Titanic has been researched for many years by a great number of people there is still much to learn. She then goes on to encourage the reader to become a historical sleuth and gives them lists of sites where to start. I would have adored that sort of thing when I was younger, hey, I adore it now! What a fabulous way to encourage kids to be interested in history.

A great book, both a lovely commeoration and a fantastic tool to get all ages interested in the all the history out there. I can't wait to share it with a fledgling historian!
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Jun 06, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Over the past year there has been a plethora of Titanic books, both fiction and nonfiction, so I wasn't quite in the mood for yet another one. If you feel the same way, please pick up this title even if you don't want to, because it is excellent.

So many of the books concern themselves with the minutiae of the disaster, as does this book, but what I enjoyed most were the Father Brown pictures of details of the ship and life on the ship before it sank. Pictures of the exercise room, descriptions o...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Ms. Yockey marked it as to-read

Shelves: titanic-2012

School Library Journal (February 1, 2012)
Gr 6 Up-As the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic approaches, there is a whole new output of books reexamining and updating the information about the tragedy. This one weaves together the memories and writing of the survivors, and what makes it stand out is the intimacy readers feel for the crew and passengers. The story itself hasn't changed, but through Hopkinson's work, young people get to know and care deeply about the people involved. Ch...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Books about the Titanic, whether fiction or non-fiction, invariably follow the same course, that is chronological, from describing the grandeur of the ship, through to what it was like to stay on it, down the it's last minutes. And inevitably, the same thing always happens to me when I read such books; I get sucked up into how fantastic the ship was that I almost forget what happens in the end. The same ending always comes and I'm left heartbroken.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster, is a middle-g...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Amie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am not a big non-fiction reader, though I do make the occasional exception, especially if the topic happens to be of some interest to me. Ever since I saw 1997’s Titanic by James Cameron, I have been curious about what really happened to the ship. I know that movies embellish a great deal for dramatic effect and I wanted to understand the truth about the sinking of Titanic. It has been several years since I read anything regarding the Titanic, so I was pleased to receive a request to review th...more I am not a big non-fiction reader, though I do make the occasional exception, especially if the topic happens to be of some interest to me. Ever since I saw 1997’s Titanic by James Cameron, I have been curious about what really happened to the ship. I know that movies embellish a great deal for dramatic effect and I wanted to understand the truth about the sinking of Titanic. It has been several years since I read anything regarding the Titanic, so I was pleased to receive a request to review this book. With the one hundred year anniversary of the sinking being commemorated this week, I was more than happy to oblige.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster is published by Scholastic, Inc. It is geared toward younger readers, approximately sixth grade and up; though it would make a good reference for students of any age that are researching the Titanic. It is chock full of good information, statistics and first-hand recollections. Perhaps my favorite part of this book was those stories from the survivors that are intermingled throughout the entire book. Frankie Goldsmith’s stories of exploring, Violet Jessop’s stories of working for the White Star line, along with many others, brings a human side to the story that is not always experienced in other books. Hopkinson uses letters, photographs and documented first-hand accounts to bring those experiences to the reader. I definitely enjoyed that personal touch.

Hopkinson fills her book with a lot of useful information, but she doesn’t overload her readers with unnecessary statistics that no one cares about. I liked how she included sections dedicated to explaining why the watertight doors didn’t work and why there were not enough lifeboats on board. I also appreciated Hopkinson including a section about the Carpathia and the bravery of not only its captain, but the outpouring of love and kindness of its crew and passengers. There are a lot of great facts included in this book: what happened before, what happened during and even what happened after the sinking of the great ship. Hopkinson also includes a section encouraging readers to be a “Titanic researcher” and gives them questions and resources for beginning that research.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster is a well-written book that I would recommend to anyone interested in finding out more about the sinking of the Titanic. This book should be read by the age group that has received most of their information about the Titanic from the movie of the same name. I will be recommending it to our school librarian and anyone who wants to learn more about the infamous ship. (less)

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Apr 09, 2012 Meredith rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book blew me away. Even though it's nonfiction and you in a sense "know what the ending will be," it's such a page turner and so utterly fascinating! There is so so so much that I thought I knew about the Titanic that I didn't know. It was completely stunning. And the fact that over a century later we're still so drawn to this catastrophic even is also pretty remarkable. There are still movies, museums, and books being written about The Titanic and the human interest for the event is still...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, yalsa-best-of-the-best-2013, work-reviews, paper-books

I am not a Titanic person. It was a ship. It sank. There's the story. Never saw the movie. Never wanted to. So, this was the non-fiction book I was least looking forward to reading.

Color me surprised. I enjoyed it. Hopkinson's style is incredibly readable. The pictures-both the photos and the drawings-added much to my own enjoyment.

I did a few times find it difficult to keep track of all of the players. Some of the families just ran together in my mind. But that didn't detract for me.

I like all...more

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May 14, 2012 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-blogged, 2012-favorites, 2012-middle-grade, children-history, childrens-geography, juvenile-nonfiction, great-teaching-books

This book is also very well done. Hopkinson does a great job of merging the experiences of some of the survivors. The addition of historical photographs and documents adds to the reading experience, makes it seem more immediate. I appreciated how she blended explanations with actual quotes. The text is quite readable and would make a great nonfiction read-a-loud. Books like this help children see that history doesn't have to be dry and boring. The real stories of survivors are heartbreaking in t...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Anna added it

Titanic By: Deborah Hopkinson
Non-Fiction
214

The book Titanic by Deborah Hopkinson was a good but not great book. It was filled with amazing facts but it wasn't to interesting for a person who already knows so much about the titanic. I learned many more facts about it but I didn't learn any new facts that really popped out at me. The disaster of the titanic was an awful story. Many many people lost their lives that day. Many people may of not died but they sure were scared for life for actually be...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Brandi Rees rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

“Titanic:Voices From the Disaster," by Deborah Hopkinson is an extremely powerful non-fiction read for anyone, especially young readers. The story immediately delves in to the story of the ship, from before it left dock, until the aftermath of the sinking itself. The imagery and details used in this story make you feel as though you can see the ship itself. The quotes used in this story were absolutely bone-chilling to me. Having been an avid Titanic junky, reading some quotes from the perspecti...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Betsy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, audiobook, history, ya

This was a really interesting perspective of the Titanic tragedy. Put together as a series of short stories of the survivors' accounts, a lot of them were very touching. Some stories left me in shock, such as the ritzy survivors wanting monetary compensation for the jewelry and clothing that sunk with the ship.

Stories of families torn apart were sad. Many families lost fathers, some lost both parents, and some families lost children. There were a lot of "wow" stories, such as the first account...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Sandra "Jeanz" rated it 5 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW

I have always felt strangely drawn to the Titanic, as well as its many mysteries and stories of courage & bravery. I feel it should be taught as part of our history curriculum in schools. I have to say, I seriously enjoyed this book. I was sent an ARC of Titanic: Voices From The Disaster by the publishers whom I had approached and explained about my blog feature etc. The ARC I received was paperback, where as the actual book will be hardback. Also the final book will have detailed d...more MY REVIEW

I have always felt strangely drawn to the Titanic, as well as its many mysteries and stories of courage & bravery. I feel it should be taught as part of our history curriculum in schools. I have to say, I seriously enjoyed this book. I was sent an ARC of Titanic: Voices From The Disaster by the publishers whom I had approached and explained about my blog feature etc. The ARC I received was paperback, where as the actual book will be hardback. Also the final book will have detailed diagrams of the Titanic so you can literally see where things happened on the ship. (My ARC just had two blank pages where the diagrams will be). I think the diagrams will add so much to the book, as you will be able to read where certain things happen and then see on the diagram where those places actually were. as well as being able to see the routes people would have needed to negotiate to escape the flooding waters and to get to the life boats that were available. I will definitely calling in a store or two looking for this book to check out the diagrams. (I may even end up treating myself to a copy with the diagrams in!). The book also has sections with lots of facts and figures in them. Deborah Hopkinson wrote about what happened so well and has clearly done lots of research on this subject.
I loved the sections where Deborah used the individual survivors and their tales. The one about Violet Jessop was really interesting. How on earth did she ever agree to go back on a ship, let alone continue to work on the sister ships to titanic until her retirement?
In my opinion, this is the sort of realistic, history book our children should be taught from in schools. It is so sad to read the stories of those that did not survive, thinking of the families they left behind, the lives they could have lived, literally swept away from them. The illustrations are brilliant, to actually see the type of lifejackets (also known as life savers or preservers) worn at that time. However, the descriptions that Deborah used are extremely good and help you visualise the opulence of that great ship.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the section concerning the wreck of the Titanic. The photographs taken so far under the ocean are interesting. I also liked the descriptions of the items that have been recovered from the Titanic.
As for one of the questions most people seem to ask when talking about the Titanic. Should the Titanic be raised? I feel I have mixed feeling on this. On one hand, I truly believe it should be left under the ocean as a memorial to all those that lost their lives. On the other hand, wouldn't it be fascinating to view what is left of the Titanic after so long under the sea?
So did I enjoy this book? YES Would I read more on the Titanic? YES! Of course. Would I read more my Deborah Hopkinson? YES I intend to do so, she has covered many other historical events and tragedies etc. I think I have found an author who writes historical books that totally suit the type I love to read.(less)

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May 01, 2013 Sue Heraper rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, history, yalsa-challenge-2013

What makes this absorbing account of the Titanic disaster stand out is the empathy readers feel for the crew and passengers. The author encourages readers to thinks like historians and wonder what it would have been like to travel on the ill-fated ship. She uses the recollections of the survivors as her source material, giving the story a dramatic feel, especially when each “character” realizes the ship is beginning to sink. Chapters dealing with the scramble for lifeboats and the waiting for re...more

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May 12, 2013 Magda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-yalsa-s-the-hub-reading-challe

Deborah Hopkinson NAILED it with this book. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, so I can't really compare how her non-fiction writing compares to others. What I can say is that I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed her usage of the different personal accounts of the survivors to create such a gripping, emotional and factual retelling of the events of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. It was a beautifully outlined story written in a way that anyone who reads it can understand the magnitude of what to...more

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