Mainers on the Titanic

by Mac Smith

Mainers on the Titanic traces the stories of passengers on that fateful ship who had ties to Maine. Many of them were wealthy summer visitors to Bar Harbor, but there were other residents of state aboard as well. Their tales are retold, along with what was occurring in the state at the time. Meticulously researched, this book reveals the agonizing day-to-day wait of Mainers for news of what really happened and tells the stories of Maine passengers from their boarding to the sinking and rescue, and, for those who survived, of their final coming ashore in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It's a unique and fascinating addition to the Titanic story.

210 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2014

About the author

I love documenting Maine history that is being lost to time, and presenting those stories in a way that is interesting, thought-provoking, and containing 100% first-hand information and quotes, all based on deep research. Please give one of my books a try!

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting read. I’ve never read first hand accounts of what happened on the titanic before. It’s a little slow to start, but the accounts about the sinking were thrilling. It’s not an aptly named book. It’s really about rich New Yorkers who happen to have summer homes in Maine, but I enjoyed it.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mac Smith's MAINERS ON THE TITANIC is an interesting read ... but if you already know quite a bit about the Titanic, don't expect to learn a lot more. And despite the title, most of the people covered in Smith's book were "from away" - wealthy residents of Bar Harbor during the summer months. (Yes, there are a couple of exceptions. But only a couple.) Understanding all that, I did learn some interesting details about the disaster. For example, early in the understanding of the tragedy it was planned to bring survivors to Portland, and many relatives headed that way. I'd known John Jacob Astor IV died on the Titanic .. I didn't realize his wife (who was saved) was 18 years old, pregnant, and the center of what was then considered a scandal. A lot of research went into this book. If you're looking for stories of Titanic passengers, check this book out. If you're a fan of Bar Harbor's history - this is for you. If you're looking for stories of Mainers .. not so much.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but would really be better titled: "Mrs. John Jacob Astor and other summer residents of Maine on the Titanic."

[Paul Bolduc II · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot about the Astors. That's ok. Not exactly what I was expecting. I am glad I read it though.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's obvious a great amount of research was done to tie all of the stories together beautifully. It provided the more human aspect and experience to the tragedy, which we don't often hear about.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I typically love books about the titanic, but this one just didn't hit the mark. It was OK... but hard to finish and hard to get into.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review to follow.