The Last Days of the Titanic: Photographs and Mementos of the Tragic Maiden Voyage (Hardcover)

by Edward Eugene O'Donnell (Author), E. E. O'Donnell (Author), Frank Browne (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
On the cover of The Last Days of the Titanic, Captain Smith peers at a lifeboat far below with a portentously worry-furrowed expression (there's a blow-up of the photo inside). The photo, which captures the man's soul, was taken at the start of the Titanic's trip by Francis Browne, a priest who got a ticket for the first couple days' voyage--before the Atlantic crossing--as a present from his uncle. Browne was no dumb shutterbug; he beat his classmate James Joyce on his honours exams (and Joyce put him in Finnegans Wake as "Mr. Browne, the Jesuit"). Browne studied the great masters in Florence, and his educated eye is evident in his compositions. He published Father Browne's Ireland and many other books, and the head of Kodak Great Britain took one look at Browne's work and gave him free film for life.

This book boasts several photos of unique interest, including the only known clear shot of the part of the ship that remains almost intact today, the forecastle, which hit bottom first. It's also got some human interest: Browne, who died in 1960, almost missed the chance to win the Croix de Guerre for war heroism, save souls, and make art all his life, because of the kindness of an American millionaire couple he met at dinner on the Titanic. They liked Browne so much they offered to pay his way to New York. He wired his Jesuit superior, who wired back, "GET OFF THAT SHIP."

It was, Browne noted, "the only time holy obedience saved a man's life!" And his pictures give a genuine sense of life aboard the doomed boat. --Tim Appelo

Product Details

• Hardcover: 120 pages
• Publisher: Roberts Rinehart Publishers; 5th Printing edition (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570982015
• ISBN-13: 978-1570982019
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 11.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,033,034 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars decent, March 11, 1998

By	Pen Name (Fairbanks, Alaska) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

For the price, I wouldn't really reccomend this book. If you're an avid Titanic fan and have read everything els,e it's a decent buy seeing as how most of the photographs that you see of the Titanic came from this man, but the pictures aren't very dramatic and it's not a good place to look if you want a good summary of the Titanic and what happened. I'd suggest "Illustrated History of the Titanic" for that. This is mainly just a collection of photos of some of the people on board. Rather dull.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of The Best..., June 6, 1998

By	[e-mail] (USA) - See all my reviews

The 10 for this book goes alot to Father Francis Browne who compiled his wonderful and unique collection of pictures,notes,and letters which he aquired during and after the Titanic tragedy,as a passenger on the Titanic.As Father Browne disembarked at Queenstown,Ireland,he was saved however had several friends aboard the ship and liked to take alot of pictures which he arranged in an album,writing his thoughts about each as he went along.There are a few pictures of other ships but this book is about the first 2 days aboard Titanic as a passenger and the aftermath.To be found in someone's attic,the photo album is a true Titanic treasure.The information is good, however not a wealth of technology as far as the construstion of the ship;this is rather personal which can tend to give one goosebumps....

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "last days" is intriguing!, March 31, 1998

By	Elayne Trepel "catparade" (Tinley Park. Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Found the numerous photos and accompanying text fascinating. Shows life on the Titanic as well as other ships,big and small. Hard to believe these were taken so very long ago. Brings the Titanic incident to life as you cruise through the book. What luck that the photographer departed the "T" in Ireland and missed the catastrophe.