Titanic: The Official Story April 14-15, 1912 [Box set] [Misc. Supplies]

The Public Record Office in London (Compiler), Leonard de Selva/Corbis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 1997

Ever since the "unsinkable" Titanic went to its grave over eighty years ago, hundreds of books, movies, and even a Broadway musical have tried to re-create the tragic night, sometimes with little regard for the historical record.

Now, with the publication of Titanic: The Official Story, the voice of history at last speak to us from across the decades.  This unusual box contains reproductions  of eighteen documents that look and feel remarkably like the originals in London's famed Public Records Office.  It includes a copy of the original deck plans from the archives of the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff; the Titanic's final, desperate telegrams; an eyewitness account by one of the survivors; certificates issued by the Board of Trade prior to the ship's maiden voyage; findings of the Parliament and Senate investigations; and thirteen other remarkable records that will make history unfold in your hands.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Titanic, that enormous luxury ship that sank on her maiden voyage in April 1912, has for many decades fascinated people all over the world. Now, as movies and musicals are telling new stories about the vessel, curiosity about the Titanic is piquing again. This unusual collection of documents is not a "book" in the classic sense, but a set of facsimiles of papers related to the disaster that have been lovingly reproduced from the archives of the public record office in London. You will find the deck plans to the ship, a passenger's account of his escape, a certificate written a month before the disaster stating that there were only enough lifeboats to save a third of the passengers, the Titanic's final telegram, and commentary and editorials written shortly after the ship's sinking. All are made to look as much like the originals as possible. Titanic: The Official Story provides a unique view into an important event of the 20th century; as you thumb through the papers in this box, you'll feel a chapter of history coming to life in your hands.

From the Inside Flap

Ever since the "unsinkable" Titanic went to its grave over eighty years ago, hundreds of books, movies, and even a Broadway musical have tried to re-create the tragic night, sometimes with little regard for the historical record.

Now, with the publication of Titanic: The Official Story, the voice of history at last speak to us from across the decades.  This unusual box contains reproductions  of eighteen documents that look and feel remarkably like the originals in London's famed Public Records Office.  It includes a copy of the original deck plans from the archives of the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff; the Titanic's final, desperate telegrams; an eyewitness account by one of the survivors; certificates issued by the Board of Trade prior to the ship's maiden voyage; findings of the Parliament and Senate investigations; and thirteen other remarkable records that will make history unfold in your hands.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Misc. Supplies: 18 pages
• Publisher: Random House, Inc. (December 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375501150
• ISBN-13: 978-0375501159
• Product Dimensions: 13.8 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,245,913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice, July 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Titanic: The Official Story April 14-15, 1912 (Misc. Supplies)

I thought this or these documents told plenty of true facts about the EXCELLENT TITANIC

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent primary source historical information., June 29, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Needham, MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Titanic: The Official Story April 14-15, 1912 (Misc. Supplies)

If what you like are action, adventure, and dramatic illistrations, this is not for you. If you want a contemporary view, to hold history in your hand and be brought back to 1912, this is most definately for you. Yet there is a certain emotion in examening Titanic's registration, her survey report, the port by port clearance papers of newly embarked passengers, and the other narratives and reports. The Harland and Wolff plans are the best I have yet found, while the 74 page report of the British Court of Investigation is fascinating, if somewhat dry, reading, from both a technical and human perspective. This is a must, not only for serious Titanic people, but for anyone interested in the history of the era.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Historical Collection of Great Documents, August 28, 2011

By 

Elessar - See all my reviews

This review is from: Titanic: The Official Story April 14-15, 1912 (Misc. Supplies)

I received this item as a gift many years ago, and I have preserved it since. It is truly a collectors item for its wealth of information pertaining to the Titanic disaster. There are 18 documents (don't let the number fool you into thinking that is minimal) of full reproductions of all the pertinent information concerning the tragedy.

What you can hope to get in this box set:

A full introductory bulletin spanning 15 pages which beautifully illustrates the box contents. In addition to a brief summary of the maiden voyage, there is information on "further reading", a little blurb on each item in the box set, and an appendix of "Particulars of Ships Built By Harland and Wolff-Entries for the Olympic and Titanic."

The Box Contents
1. Transcript of Register for Transmission to Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen.
2. Report of Survey of an Emigrant Ship
3. Certificates of Clearance of an Emigrant Ship
4. Deck Plans of the Titanic
5. Report of the British Commission of Inquiry into the loss of the Titanic
6. Telegrams sent to the SS Birma by the SS Titanic as she sank
7. Correspondence from the White Star Line to the Board of Trade concerning the loss of the Titanic
8. The Response of the popular press- "The Titanic Crime"- editorial in the New York Evening Journal
9. The response of the union leader- letter from the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Worker's Union
10. The politician's response- notice of a Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade
11. Sample of returns of passengers drowned - First, Second and Third class
12. Alfred Omont's account of his escape from the Titanic
13. Digest of Testimony given at the hearing into the loss of the Titanic before the Sub-committee of the Committee on Commerce of the United States Senate
14. Report on the Senate Committee inquiry report into the loss of the Titanic
15. Copy of a letter from Stanley Lord, Captain of the SS Californian, to the Board of Trade
16. Statement of Claim and Verdict in the case of Ryan v. the Oceanic Steam Navigation Co. Ltd
17. Letter to the Board of Trade from the General Manager of the White Star Line concerning films on the sinking of the SS Titanic
18. Photograph of survivor from the Titanic

All in all, this is an excellent compendium of information concerning Titanic which should be of interest to any enthusiast or history buff. It may be slightly dry reading at times, but the information gathered here is invaluable and should definitely be collected.

The box is slightly flimsy and will bend and contort with age, but the documents remain intact if obvious care is taken with them.

Get it! You won't regret it!