Join us on a literary world trip!
Add this book to bookshelf
Grey
Write a new comment Default profile 50px
Grey
Subscribe to read the full book or read the first pages for free!
All characters reduced
How to Survive the Titanic - Or the Sinking of J Bruce Ismay - cover

How to Survive the Titanic - Or the Sinking of J Bruce Ismay

Frances Wilson

Publisher: Harper

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Summary

A brilliantly original and gripping new look at the sinking of the Titanic through the prism of the life and lost honor of J. Bruce Ismay, the ship’s ownerBooks have been written and films have been made, we have raised the Titanic and watched her go down again on numerous occasions, but out of the wreckage Frances Wilson spins a new epic: when the ship hit the iceberg on April 14, 1912, and one thousand men, lighting their last cigarettes, prepared to die, J. Bruce Ismay, the ship’s owner and inheritor of the White Star fortune, jumped into a lifeboat filled with women and children and rowed away to safety.Accused of cowardice and of dictating the Titanic’s excessive speed, Ismay became, according to one headline, “The Most Talked-of Man in the World.” The first victim of a press hate campaign, he never recovered from the damage to his reputation, and while the other survivors pieced together their accounts of the night, Ismay never spoke of his beloved ship again.In the Titanic’s mail room was a manuscript by that great narrator of the sea, Joseph Conrad, the story of a man who impulsively betrays a code of honor and lives on under the strain of intolerable guilt. But it was Conrad’s great novel Lord Jim, in which a sailor abandons a sinking ship, leaving behind hundreds of passengers in his charge, that uncannily predicted Ismay’s fate. Conrad, the only major novelist to write about the Titanic, knew more than anyone what ships do to men, and it is with the help of his wisdom that Wilson unravels the reasons behind Ismay’s jump and the afterlives of his actions.Using never-before-seen letters written by Ismay to the beautiful Marion Thayer, a first-class passenger with whom he had fallen in love during the voyage, Frances Wilson explores Ismay’s desperate need to tell his story, to make sense of the horror of it all, and to find a way of living with the consciousness of lost honor. For those who survived the Titanic, the world was never the same. But as Wilson superbly demonstrates, we all have our own Titanics, and we all need to find ways of surviving them.
Available since: 10/18/2011.
Print length: 387 pages.

Other books that might interest you

  • Two Twinks In Love - cover

    Two Twinks In Love

    Rod Mandelli

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Two naughty best friend college twinks secretly whisper what they want for Christmas into the ears of the hairy mall Santa. He decides to give them what they deserve instead – an over the knee spanking on their smooth bottoms!
    Show book
  • The Infinite Way - cover

    The Infinite Way

    Joel S. Goldsmith

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Now considered a spiritual classic, The Infinite Way was Joel Goldsmith s first book. After its publication, Joel said that he was no longer a man with a message, but a message with a man. Joel introduces The Infinite Way by saying, "In this small volume I have written the spiritual truth as I have gleaned it through over thirty years of study of the major religions and philosophies of all ages... Be assured inner peace will come as one turns to the spiritual consciousness of life, and an outer calm will follow in one's human affairs. The outer world will conform to the inner awareness of Truth. The authority for all of this revelation will be you, as you yourself experience this change within and without."
    Show book
  • Maurya Empire - The Rise of Ancient India's First Great Dynasty - cover

    Maurya Empire - The Rise of...

    Rolf Hedger

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    The Maurya Empire, one of the most significant dynasties in Indian history, emerged in the late 4th century BCE. Its foundations were laid by Chandragupta Maurya, who, with the guidance of his advisor Chanakya, overthrew the ruling Nanda dynasty and established a powerful empire. The rise of the Mauryas marked a turning point in Indian history, as they created a centralized and efficient administration that governed vast territories. 
    Before the Maurya Empire, the Indian subcontinent was fragmented into various kingdoms and republics. The dominant power during this time was the Nanda dynasty, which ruled over Magadha, a region in present-day Bihar. Though the Nandas controlled a significant portion of northern India, their rule was marked by heavy taxation and unpopular policies, which created discontent among the people and the military. This environment of dissatisfaction provided an opportunity for Chandragupta Maurya to challenge their authority. 
    Chandragupta’s rise to power is closely linked to Chanakya, a scholar and strategist who had been humiliated by the Nandas. Seeking revenge, Chanakya trained Chandragupta in statecraft, military tactics, and governance. With his mentor’s guidance, Chandragupta built an army and gradually expanded his influence. By allying with local rulers and gaining the support of disgruntled soldiers, he launched a successful campaign against the Nandas, eventually seizing control of Magadha around 321 BCE.
    Show book
  • Letters to Gil: A Luminous Memoir of Racism Life in the Care System and the Power of Discovering Music under the Mentorship of Gil Scott-Heron – with a Foreword from Lemn Sissay - cover

    Letters to Gil: A Luminous...

    Malik Al Nasir

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    ‘A searing, triumphant story. A testament to the tenacity of the human spirit as well as a beautiful ode to an iconic figure’ IRENOSEN OKOJIE 
    Exclusive content in this audio edition includes interviews between Malik and Benjamin Zephaniah, Jalal Munsur Nuriddin, and Rod Youngs as well as musical and lyrical performances from Gil and Malik.  
    Letters to Gil is Malik Al Nasir’s profound coming of age memoir – the story of surviving physical and racial abuse and discovering a new sense of self-worth under the wing of the great artist, poet and civil rights activist Gil Scott-Heron. 
    Born in Liverpool, Malik was taken into care at the age of nine after his seafaring father became paralysed. He would spend his adolescence in a system that proved violent, neglectful, exploitative, traumatising and mired in abuse. Aged eighteen, he emerged semi-literate, penniless with no connections or sense of where he was going – until a chance meeting with Gil Scott-Heron. 
    Letters to Gil will tell the story of Malik’s empowerment and awakening while mentored by Gil, from his introduction to the legacy of Black history to the development of his voice through poetry and music. Written with lyricism and power, it is a frank and moving memoir, highlighting how institutional racism can debilitate and disadvantage a child, as well as how mentoring, creativity, self-expression and solidarity helped him to uncover his potential. 
    Letters to Gil is a literary masterpiece that explores the ethnic and cultural nuances of the African American society. It is a top reading choice for those interested in social studies, policy criticism, and regional dynamics, offering a profound understanding of the public services system and its impact on individuals. 
    For fans of Daniel Rachel (I Just Can't Stop It), Rory Stewart (The Marches), David Harewood (Maybe I Don't Belong Here), Jude Rogers (The Sound of Being Human), and Kevin Cummins (While We Were Getting High).
    Show book
  • Knossos - The Palace of the Minoan Kings - cover

    Knossos - The Palace of the...

    Josie Hertz

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Knossos, often regarded as the heart of the Minoan civilization, stands as a testament to the ingenuity and cultural significance of ancient Crete. Situated near modern-day Heraklion, the site was first inhabited as early as 7000 BCE, during the Neolithic period. Over the millennia, it evolved into a sprawling palace complex that became the political, cultural, and religious epicenter of the Minoans. 
    The origins of Knossos are steeped in myth and legend, most notably tied to King Minos, the legendary ruler of Crete. According to Greek mythology, Knossos was the site of the infamous Labyrinth, a massive maze constructed by the master craftsman Daedalus to house the Minotaur, a creature that was part man and part bull. These tales, though shrouded in myth, highlight the profound influence that the site has had on storytelling and culture throughout history. 
    Archaeological evidence suggests that the site began to flourish around 1900 BCE, marking the start of the Protopalatial period. This era saw the construction of the first palace, which was later rebuilt and expanded following a series of natural disasters, including earthquakes and volcanic activity. By the Neopalatial period (1700–1450 BCE), Knossos had reached its zenith, with an intricate layout of halls, courtyards, and storage rooms that reflected its role as a hub of administrative and ceremonial activity.
    Show book
  • The Bradbury Chronicles - The Life of Ray Bradbury - cover

    The Bradbury Chronicles - The...

    Sam Weller

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Accomplished journalist Sam Weller met the Ray Bradbury while writing a cover story for the Chicago Tribune Magazine and spent hundreds of hours interviewing Bradbury, his editors, family members, and longtime friends. With unprecedented access to private archives, he uncovered never–before–published letters, documents, and photographs that help tell the story of this literary genius and his remarkable creative journey. The result is a richly textured, detailed biography that illuminates the origins and accomplishments of Bradbury's fascinating mind.
    Show book