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-Book Review-
by Shirley Ellis
Titanic, A Night Remembered
By Stephanie Barczewski (2004)
Published by Hambledon and London
ISBN: 1-85285-434-0
As my dear old Granny used to say to me, "If you cannot say anything good,
then do not say anything at all". Since this is a book review then I suppose I
need to say something good about this particular publication. OK, here goes.
Appendix 1 gives the reader a listing of the lifeboats, who the occupants were,
the time launched and from what side of the Titanic. One would usually have to
go on line/contact a Titanic society to get this information, but having it at
hand is nice.
Now as to the rest of this book; in my opinion, I feel that the author being the
Acting Chair of the Clemson History Department at Clemson University, for her
own "political well being" needed to "publish or perish" as is the
phrase around academia. In my opinion, this book is the result of that need. I
am a graduate of a University in the U.S.A. and I am very aware of the pressure
put upon the professors and even educators at other levels, to "publish or
perish". In some states where teaching licenses need to be renewed every few
years, extra points are awarded for "publishing".
The author of this book leaves me puzzled about just where her loyalties are, be
it with the British, the Irish, the Scottish or with her country of residence,
the United States (also her country of citizenship)? I really don't know and it
is not obvious to the reader. (If anything, I originally thought she was a bitter
British citizen). After reading her book I had to double check the dust cover to
see just where she calls home. I was equally perplexed when in the Introduction
Ms. Barczewski referred to James Cameron as a "Hollywood juggernaut"; in my
opinion, if she had been the "efficient scholar" she called
herself on Page "X" of the Acknowledgements, she would have known that he is a
Canadian from Chippewa, in the Niagara Falls area of Ontario, Canada.
In this book, the author chose to use a few of what I consider to be "50-cent
words"; such as, insouciantly: meaning nonchalant, indifferent,
blasé, detached, unconcerned; fallaciously: meaning unreliably,
erratically, capriciously, undependably; vituperative: meaning
insulting and harshly abusive criticism, malicious, slanderous, offensive;
vicissitude: meaning change, variation, mutability, uncertainty;
culpable/culpability: meaning guilt/guilty, responsible, accountable,
at fault; hagiographic: meaning a reverent, admiring, worshipful,
idealizing obsequious, biography; triumvirate: - meaning an
association or group of three (3) people also known as a troika. Was this
necessary or merely the author showing off her extensive vocabulary? Good
question and one only the author can answer. (Maybe we should ask her?) In my
opinion, using plain, clear, understandable, comprehensible, unmistakable,
obvious, unequivocal, explicit and instantly recognizable English is the best!
(Did I make my point here?) After all, in my opinion, a reader is interested in
getting information, the facts, accurate facts that is, from the book not
expanding their vocabulary otherwise the reader would be reading an unabridged
dictionary or a Thesaurus, not this book!
There are many historical inaccuracies in the book; for example, the date given
for the sale of the White Star Line to J. P. Morgan, which was actually done in
1902 but the author, on one page gave the date of 1905 and 1902 on another page. She also gave the date
of the discovery of the wreck as 1984 when in fact it was 1985. The author also
says that all the anchors weighed fifteen tons each, which is not correct. She
states that "Andrews" compromised when he did not extend the
watertight doors beyond "D" Deck but it was the bulkheads not the watertight
doors. Amidships the bulkheads only went as far as "E" deck. (which was one deck
lower than "D"!)
These are but a few examples of the inaccuracies in this book that was written
by a "professional historian" and an "efficient scholar"
as she calls herself in the Acknowledgements and Introduction. Now, as to
whether it was worth my time to read, I would have to say yes, even though it is
not historically accurate and does have many conspicuous mistakes. Time
spent reading is never wasted, in my opinion. Do I recommend this book? I need
to qualify my answer. It will depend on your feelings about the Titanic. If you
are not that interested, then this book, in my opinion, would not be one you
would want in your library, however, if you are a Titanic fanatic, aficionado,
fan, activist enthusiast, then I would suggest you add it to your collection
and/or library, if for no other reason but as a comparison of strong and weak
writing styles demonstrating good and bad historical information. But that, is
strictly my opinion. You would need to read it yourself and come to your own
conclusions.
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