Shadows of the Titanic

Shadow of the Titanic: The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived by author & journalist Andrew Wilson. Its one of many in a mass amount of new and reprinted books published for the 100 year anniversary of Titanic’s sinking, however this book takes a slightly different turn than most others we’ve seen before. Most of us have heard the name Titanic, we know the stories of what happened that fateful night, we’ve seen the movies and heard the facts. But the always unanswered question: “What happened to the survivors after Titanic?”, finally has its answer now.

Wilson takes their stories beyond that fateful night, using years of archived research, survivor accounts, interviews with family members, friends, and a handful of survivors themselves, to beautifully weave together the lives of Titanic’s survivors after her sinking. He also provides a treasure of information as to their lives before the Titanic (and of course references to their accounts during the sinking) as well. While some survivors used the Titanic as their express ticket to the limelight, some found love afterwards and used the Titanic experience as their motivation for strength and appreciation for life. Others shunned the memories, had their reputations destroyed, spent their lives in a mental institution, committed suicide later on, or spent the rest of their lives grieving and never able to forget the disaster of the century, living in its shadow. 

Wilson tells all these stories in ways we’ve never heard them. Each story is gripping in its own way, and the connection to these people is felt much deeper than ever before. Wilson delves into the questioning of their morality and the decisions made that night that for some, would haunt them forever. Wilson also psychologically analyzes some of their behavior before and after the sinking, as we believe today a lot of them suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. While for the most part these psychoanalyses hit it spot on, there are a handful that start out right but at points might stretch the analysis a little too far in storytelling. 

The only disappointment with the book, was the lack of story concerning the crew. While he provided information on some of the female crew, a great deal on the first class passengers, a good amount from second class and a here and there reference to a third class, there was hardly any reference to any of the male crew and their lives afterwards. 

That being my only real concern with the book, I can safely say this book is an amazing and must have read for anyone interested in the Titanic and her passengers. Wilson masterfully tells their stories. Readers will also appreciate occasional references to the surviving family members of passengers and how the ordeal affected and still affects their lives today. Shadow of the Titanic is a perfect centennial gift to the memory of Titanic and all those who sailed on her.

(Source: 1912rmstitanic)