100 years ago this weekend, the great new White Star Liner "Titanic" collided with an ice berg on her way to New York on her maiden voyage. Just over 700 passengers and crew survived, 1500 others perished in the freezing waters of the Atlantic. And a century later the tragedy has lost little of its grip on our popular culture. Movies, TV shows, broadway musicals, books and articles all continue to keep the story alive. Really amazing when you consider the events that have transpired since that night.
As a member of the Titanic Historical Society, I date my interest in the Titanic to my first reading of Walter Lord's seminal book "A Night to Remember" as a kid. The book marked the beginning of modern Titanic scholarship and hasn't been out of print since it was published in 1955.
Many of us "know" some of the stories from that night: that a man got into a life boat dressed as a woman, that the orchestra played "Nearer My God To Thee" in the moments before she went down, that Captain Smith was trying to set a record for the fastest crossing ever. The problem is, two of those stories are absolutely false, while the third is probably sentimental tripe.
Even so, the verifiable stories of that night: Mr. and Mrs. Strauss, Captain Rostran of the Carpathia, the gross dereliction of Captain Stanley Lord of the "Californian," and his clumsy efforts to cover up his negligence, the heroism of the musicians who played on, despite facing certain death, and many others continue to inspire and in some cases generate controversy. There is one story about a steward who gave his lifebelt to a third class passenger that I cannot tell or think about without choking up,
The disaster has been used repeatedly as a metaphor for something or other. Goebbels underwrote an expensive film project based on the Titanic demonstrating Teutonic "virtues" and English failings.
I just want to take notice of this event, even if no one else cares. Forgive this indulgence.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/295870/ititanici-presumption-allen-c-guelzo
As a member of the Titanic Historical Society, I date my interest in the Titanic to my first reading of Walter Lord's seminal book "A Night to Remember" as a kid. The book marked the beginning of modern Titanic scholarship and hasn't been out of print since it was published in 1955.
Many of us "know" some of the stories from that night: that a man got into a life boat dressed as a woman, that the orchestra played "Nearer My God To Thee" in the moments before she went down, that Captain Smith was trying to set a record for the fastest crossing ever. The problem is, two of those stories are absolutely false, while the third is probably sentimental tripe.
Even so, the verifiable stories of that night: Mr. and Mrs. Strauss, Captain Rostran of the Carpathia, the gross dereliction of Captain Stanley Lord of the "Californian," and his clumsy efforts to cover up his negligence, the heroism of the musicians who played on, despite facing certain death, and many others continue to inspire and in some cases generate controversy. There is one story about a steward who gave his lifebelt to a third class passenger that I cannot tell or think about without choking up,
The disaster has been used repeatedly as a metaphor for something or other. Goebbels underwrote an expensive film project based on the Titanic demonstrating Teutonic "virtues" and English failings.
I just want to take notice of this event, even if no one else cares. Forgive this indulgence.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/295870/ititanici-presumption-allen-c-guelzo
The Great Lakes can gin up some of the most ferocious weather most of us have ever seen. And don't forget the occasional killer seiche.
