Titanic: Voices From The Disaster Read Free Books and Download eBooks
Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson pieces together the harrowing, tragic story of the TITANIC in this Sibert Honor volume. Now in paperback!In this award-winning book, critically acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson weaves together the voices and stories of real TITANIC survivors and witnesses to the disaster -- from the stewardess Violet Jessop to Captain Arthur Rostron of the CARPATHIA, who came to the rescue of the sinking ship. Packed with heartstopping action, devastating drama, fascinating historical details, loads of archival photographs on almost every page, quotes from primary sources, and painstaking back matter, this gripping story, which follows the TITANIC and its passengers from the ship's celebrated launch at Belfast to her cataclysmic icy end, is sure to thrill and move readers.
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; Reprint edition (January 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545116759
ISBN-13: 978-0545116756
Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.5 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #60,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #38 in Books > Children's Books > Cars, Trains & Things That Go > Boats & Ships #504 in Books > Children's Books > Education & Reference > History
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
I was over halfway through this book when I realized it was meant for a younger audience. I saw it on display with other Titanic books at the library, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the sinking, and thought it looked like a good book. But even if it is geared towards a younger crowd, even an adult Titanic buff can appreciate it. So many people were on board, and there are still so many angles to the ship's construction, the early days before it sailed from Queenstown into the Atlantic, the people who were on board, the sinking, the rescue of the survivors, the aftermath, and the ship's discovery decades later. There's always a new way to approach the material and provide new insights and unearthed facts. People who claim that there are "too many" books about the Titanic (or any other popular era or topic in history, like World War II) either aren't reading enough variety on the subject, or don't realize it's not "the same old story told a hundred ways."I loved all the pictures in this book, particularly from future priest Frank Brown, a shutterbug who got a first-class ticket for the ship's two-day maiden voyage as a present from an uncle. These pictures are such priceless artifacts, documenting the ship in ways we might never have known merely from written descriptions. Also nice were the inclusion of materials like telegrams, tickets, menus, and witness testimonies. They add so much to the historical narrative. I also like how there was some information on the building of the ship, the White Star line, the Harland and Wolff shipbuilding company, and what led up to building such a gigantic luxury ship. It's always good to have some backstory, since events don't happen overnight or in a vacuum. There can't really be a full understanding or appreciation of Titanic history if all one knows about is the sinking. There was so much more to this story than the famous tragedy.By focusing on a few passengers in particular (such as young Frankie Goldsmith, stewardess Violet Jessop, Norwegian immigrant Ole Abelseth, science teacher Joseph Beesley, and high school boy Jack Thayer, all of whom survived), it helps to personalize the tragedy. It doesn't mean much to quote figures of how many lived and how many died if one doesn't know who some of the survivors and victims were. Each person had a story that was unique, in spite of the common tragedy they experienced.
This and more questions are answered in this fascinating book that reveals intimate details through the voices of the passengers' and crew's last days and moments before the horrific and haunting accident that was the Titanic. Posing captains, working crewmembers, exercising, dancing or relaxing passengers are brought to life in the photos, logbooks, letters, headlines and telegrams that occupy nearly half the book. Hopkinson has recreated a scrapbook-like diary of the life and death of the Titanic that will captivate all readers 3rd grade and up.
This is an outstanding non-fiction book filled with first-person accounts and records from the sinking of the Titanic. It follows a number of people including first, second, and third class individuals and staff through a chronological order of events. Some of those people are young adults and it's refreshing to hear their point-of-view. The book has numerous documents including a menu, photos, launch information, letters, facts and figures, and information on the Carpathia, the ship that came to rescue the Titanic. It seems well researched, documented, and thorough in its account and easy to read. I learned a lot of new information from this book. Though I would hardly say I'm an expert on the Titanic, I certainly have read other books and enjoyed seeing some documentaries. This book definitely adds new information to what's already out there. I believe this is an outstanding book to include in libraries and schools and for Titanic history buffs. Definitely recommend!
This book is an introduction to the disaster and to just a few of the people who survived, about their background, how they reacted during the sinking and after being rescued, and how the disaster affected their life. I was impressed with the remarks about "the people in this book" which mentioned the most well-known facts of the survivors e.g. On the movie set of "A Night to Remember" (1958), Lawrence Beesley (2nd class passenger) attempted to enter the action and "go down with the ship" but was stopped by the director; J. Bruce Ismay (the managing director of White Star Line) at the time of the Titanic's sinking, he famously jumped into Collapsible C, for which he was widely criticized at the time; Ida and Isidor Straus were 1st class passengers who became famous for their devotion to each other and their decision to stay together when the Titanic sank...This book is as much for people who know a lot about the Titanic disaster as it is for those who know very little about it. It is informative yet easy to read. Highly recommended!
I am very pleased with the text but a bit disappointed by the lack of photographs. I purchased this book for a friend as a gift and am very glad that I purchased two other volumes which were mainly photographic in nature to accompany this volume. I will say that since I purchased the other two books, it wasn't quite the disappointment it would have been if I had only purchased this one book. Great for reading but if you want photographs, look elsewhere.
I love all Titanic! This was wonderful and my kids are reading it on. After we will watch the movie and go to the Titanic exhibit. I never knew a ship was only 20 miles away but wasn't checking their messages. So sad!
I would say this is definitely light reading. There was nothing new here, and it could have used more depth in developing the characters. If you have never read anything about the Titanic and her passengers, this is a good place to start. If you have read other books on this subject, skip this one.
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