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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
This was such a fantastic book! A very quick and interesting read for anyone wanting to not only understand more about what happened, but also interesting to read as so much of what we commonly understand about the Titanic came from this book.
emotional
informative
sad
In his book A Night to Remember, Walter Lord presented the Titanic disaster from the passengers and crew's viewpoints.
Written in 1955 and partially based on interviews with survivors and families of the deceased, the book contradicts the standard narrative formed by the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Captain's suicide and the main heroine floating on the door, a vengeful husband and steerage passengers who craved to sneak into the first class - all were added for the dramatic effect.
Those who read more or less about the disaster will find nothing ground-shakingly new in the book except for the single stories of individual passengers. Yet, as one of the earliest records, A Night to Remember is a brilliant example of ground-level research. The author managed to convey the sharp contrast between the initial calm - after all, Titanic was deemed unsinkable - and the panic when the realization of the danger struck people. Particular details stand out in their horror, like the vessel California being so near yet doing nothing to investigate what was going on with Titanic; or the restaurant's personnel, who, not officially belonging to the White Star Line crew, were left out for themselves.
Perhaps, I became cynical after reading a lot on history, mainly about what one human being can do to another, but this book didn't touch me emotionally. I remember crying over the 'Titanic movie and the long, arduous book that covered excessively the first days after the disaster (the last third of that book was dedicated to the White Star Line's handling of the incomplete information and media coverage). Perhaps, I got lost in the vastness of personal stories where names merged into one: I'll remember the details but not the people. Or the audio version didn't play out well for me. Thus, A Night to Remember gets three stars from me as a classic.
Maybe, I'll change my mind later.
Written in 1955 and partially based on interviews with survivors and families of the deceased, the book contradicts the standard narrative formed by the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Captain's suicide and the main heroine floating on the door, a vengeful husband and steerage passengers who craved to sneak into the first class - all were added for the dramatic effect.
Those who read more or less about the disaster will find nothing ground-shakingly new in the book except for the single stories of individual passengers. Yet, as one of the earliest records, A Night to Remember is a brilliant example of ground-level research. The author managed to convey the sharp contrast between the initial calm - after all, Titanic was deemed unsinkable - and the panic when the realization of the danger struck people. Particular details stand out in their horror, like the vessel California being so near yet doing nothing to investigate what was going on with Titanic; or the restaurant's personnel, who, not officially belonging to the White Star Line crew, were left out for themselves.
Perhaps, I became cynical after reading a lot on history, mainly about what one human being can do to another, but this book didn't touch me emotionally. I remember crying over the 'Titanic movie and the long, arduous book that covered excessively the first days after the disaster (the last third of that book was dedicated to the White Star Line's handling of the incomplete information and media coverage). Perhaps, I got lost in the vastness of personal stories where names merged into one: I'll remember the details but not the people. Or the audio version didn't play out well for me. Thus, A Night to Remember gets three stars from me as a classic.
Maybe, I'll change my mind later.
Very short and readable. A large part of the back is a roster of people who were on the ship when it sank. This book is the source for several of the Titanic movies and you will recognize the scenes.
I didn't feel any connection to the characters. I think it would have been more effective to focus on a smaller number of people. Maybe I was hoping for something like Titanic (1997 movie). Otherwise, this was just meh for me.
I thought this might be boring but it was anything but. I thought it might be full of death and heartbreak, but it was written in a very detached, matter-of-fact way--just telling the stories of the survivors of the Titanic. Extremely fascinating read! The loss of life and what what if's from that sinking are overwhelming, though.
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
39/102 - 1955 - A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
Look, I was 12 years old when the movie Titanic came out, and I was obsessed. Not only did I watch the movie over and over, but I also loved reading about the ship and the tragedy. With all of that in mind, I’m not sure how I made it this far in life without reading this book.
Walter Lord’s account is excellent. He interviewed over 60 survivors, and he really captures the night of the sinking from so many different angles. I especially loved reading about the Carpathia’s journey to rescue survivors (an account I had not read before).
I don’t know what it is about the Titanic that still fascinates me to this day, but I couldn’t put this down and now want to read even more. I’m so glad I finally read this!
Look, I was 12 years old when the movie Titanic came out, and I was obsessed. Not only did I watch the movie over and over, but I also loved reading about the ship and the tragedy. With all of that in mind, I’m not sure how I made it this far in life without reading this book.
Walter Lord’s account is excellent. He interviewed over 60 survivors, and he really captures the night of the sinking from so many different angles. I especially loved reading about the Carpathia’s journey to rescue survivors (an account I had not read before).
I don’t know what it is about the Titanic that still fascinates me to this day, but I couldn’t put this down and now want to read even more. I’m so glad I finally read this!
informative
reflective
fast-paced