Why the Titanic Was Doomed. Bryan Jackson. 2022. [June] 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence from the preface: It is an understatement to say that much has been written about one of the world's most famous ships, Titanic.
First sentence from the introduction: Ask someone what caused the Titanic to sink and they will tell you, 'It hit an iceberg.'
Premise/plot: Bryan Jackson argues in his book that the Titanic was doomed before it ever left the shipyard. He organizes his book around fourteen main circumstances. But within each "main" circumstance, there seemed to be more additional circumstances that would reasonably lead to trouble or "doom" for the Titanic. For example, the first circumstance is "A Delayed Maiden Voyage," the third circumstance is, "Telegrams That Could Have Changed History," and the twelfth circumstance, "The Coal Strike that Increased the Death Toll."
The first hundred pages (give or take) are sharing all the reasons--or circumstances--why the Titanic was doomed. The last hundred pages (give or take) are sharing about the aftermath of the Titanic. The book goes into great detail--before, during, and after. And it brings in related subjects. Like other ships--the Olympic, the Britannic, the Carpathia, the Californian.
My thoughts: I LOVED this one. It was packed with facts and details. While I had definitely heard some of these facts before, there were plenty new-to-me facts that kept me turning pages. Reading all these facts--the way he compiles these together--it is easy to form a big picture. It is easy to conclude alongside the author that yes, the Titanic was doomed.
I loved both sections. I found the first half fascinating and engaging. I couldn't stop reading. Yes, I knew what happened and what was coming. But I was learning. And what wasn't "new" information was being put into context in a better way. Instead of being "scattered" or completely random tidbits, I was putting everything together into a whole picture. The second half might be considered side tangents--in some ways--but I found it still to be of interest.
© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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