Customer Reviews

Titanic: Sinking the Myths

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Throw away all your other Titanic theory books. TITANIC: SINKING THE MYTHS is the only book I have ever read on the subject that actually explains why people behaved the way they did before and during the TITANIC disaster. Sorry, there are no 'conspiracies' here; Ms. Bristow, an ex-stewardess and friend of many sea captains, enumerates the instances of arrogance, stupidity, and shortsightedness that led to the unnecessary loss of 1522 lives. For the fact is, everyone on the ship could have been saved. By looking at the people's behaviour IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR TIME Ms. Brisow explains what seem (to a 1990's reader) inexplicable actions. A long-forgotten shipwreck (to us, but not to the particpants in the TITANIC drama) influenced the behaviour of the radio men and probably of the ship's owner, Bruce Ismay, during the disaster. The famous Mystery Ships (two of them) were never a mystery at all; their names come straight from the records of the British Inquiry into the disaster and have been 'hid in plain sight' for 85 years. Ms. Bristow's analysis of company policy for steamships of that era and of the skulduggery behind the formation of the Marconi Company (one of the VILLAINS of the piece!) make fascinating reading. Her arguments are extremely convincing. The author's weaknesses include a tendency to repeat herself, and a noticeable resentment toward the "Titanic Establishment", whatever that is; they apparently don't countenance her arguments in any way. Still, they make sense, which is more than some other TITANIC-theory books do. The causes of the disaster are firmly rooted in the customs and historical trends of the time. Sadly, these influences are not unique to that period and the reader of this book will certainly be able to recognize more modern examples of petrified bureauocracy and inefficient planning. They say that generals are always preparing for the last war. TITANIC: SINKING THE MYTHS proves that you cannot plan for the last shipwreck.

This is not your run of the mill book about the Titanic. It offers new insights as to why the ship sank so quickly and why ships close by did not go to the the aid of the sinking Titanic. Excellent research and documentation. Every Titanic buff must get this book. I have read over 14 books on the Titanic and this is one of the top two or three.