"A Night to Remember" Book Review

March 21, 2013

Title: "A Night to Remember"

Author: Walter Lord

Genre: Nonfiction 

Date Published: 1955

Howdy y'all! So last night, I finished up "A Night to Remember". I am giving this nonfiction novel... drum roll please... A WHOPPIN' 5 STARS. Daaaaaang! Yes folks, that's right. If you know me personally, then you are aware of the fact that I am a GINORMOUS Titanic fan!!! I am obsessed with James Cameron's film adaptation of the tragedy and the historical event! So you can imagine how darn excited I become when I get my wee paws on Titanic-themed books... it's like I hunger for this stuff!

...yep... and "A Night to Remember" sure was delicious! The account was written by Walter Lord in 1955, who interviewed numerous Titanic survivors to collect info concerning the ship's final hours.  The story begins on April 14, 1912 at about 11:40 when lookout Frederick Fleet spots a looming shape while on watch in the crow's nest.  This shape would turn out to be the iceberg that caused the magnificent Titanic to founder and the loss of 1,502 lives.  Walter Lord then proceeds to give insight into the experiences of a diverse multitude of passengers from first, second, and third class as well as crew-members from the time the collision occurred to the arrival of the Carpathia in New York carrying about 706 Titanic survivors.  A few people in particular described in the book stood out to me.  My "favorite" Titanic passengers are the Astors: John Jacob Astor IV; his seventeen-year-old pregnant wife, Madeleine; and their doggy named Kitty.

Mr. Astor has always fascinated me because he was the wealthiest  man aboard and yet, he refused to get into a lifeboat before other women and children were saved.  His last words to Madeleine, as she tentatively boarded Lifeboat 4 were, "The ladies have to go first... get in the lifeboat to please me. Goodbye dearie. I'll see you later." SPOILER ALERT! Mr. Astor never got a chance to see his wife again, or his unborn child, because he perished that night. I really admire Mr. Astor's character. He was an immensely brave man... unlike J. Bruce Ismay *grits teeth* GRRRRR. Okay, I won't express my feelings about Ismay at the present time because I may mutilate my keyboard to death if I have to type out my fury. 

ANYWAYS.

Back to le review...

Just as there are passengers I esteem, there are ones that really put me in a huff. Like, Lady Duff Gordon for instance.

There she is. Lady Duff Stinky.  So basically, she was married to this uber rich dude named Cosmo, and they got to flee the sinking ship on Lifeboat 1... with it only half-filled... with mostly crewmen... and her secretaries.  There's been talk that the crew- member in charge of Lifeboat 1 was paid off by the Gordon's, so they they didn't have to share their lifeboat with other passengers.  'Cause that's just how they roll.

To be quite frank, I did already know a lot of the information contained in the book, being the Titanic junkie that I am.  However, there were several interesting tales/facts that I learned from this account.  I LOVED the list of passengers included at the end.  It really gives you a better idea of the magnitude of the sinking tragedy.  I'm aware that there is a film adaptation of "A Night to Remember" and it's in black and white...  *fangirl attack*.

I will be sure to view the film in the near future and post yet another enlightening review... once I get to that much-anticipated "The Exorcist" movie review.  

And now, 'tis time to end this conflict!  

Thank you to all who took the time to read this post.  I hope I convinced you to read "A Night to Remember"!

Stay in school, be a Potterhead, respect the nature, and above all... be your magickal self! 

Blessed be!

~The Black Rose Librarian 

aka Sam :D