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| 9781638081128
| 1638081123
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| 60,387
| Mar 19, 2021
| Nov 01, 2021
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really liked it
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I never cry while reading books, but this one almost got me. Yes, I am still sailing on the Titanic. I am floating aimlessly in the vast ocean with no
I never cry while reading books, but this one almost got me. Yes, I am still sailing on the Titanic. I am floating aimlessly in the vast ocean with no I was enchanted by Gill Paul's Titanic Love Stories: The True Stories of 13 Honeymoon Couples Who Sailed on the Titanic. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Madeleine and John Jacob. So I did some half-assed detective work and found this gem. Book deities smiled upon me. The Second Mrs. Astor was inspired by the real-life tragic romance between Madeleine Talmage Force and Colonel John Jacob Astor IV. John Jacob's nickname was Jack, but I'll refer to him by his full name. [image] I won’t begin with our ending, which everyone in the world knows anyway. Our beginning, however, belonged only to us. *Spoilers* Madeleine Talmage Force was a daydreamer with a love of theatre and horses. John Jacob Astor IV was one of the wealthiest men in the world. He owned The Astoria Hotel and co-owned The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel; he was an inventor, science fiction author, and war hero. Madeleine was seventeen. John Jacob was a divorcee 29 years her senior. The two struck up an unlikely friendship. John Jacob was smitten with Madeleine's personality and wit; Madeleine was captivated by John Jacob's charm and gallantry. They eventually began courting. Photographers shadowed their every move. Madeleine couldn't escape comparisons to John Jacob's first wife, Ava, who was renowned for her beauty and elegance. Madeleine was upper class; John Jacob belonged to one of America's greatest dynasties. As the saying goes, there's levels to this shit. It's not just that Madeleine was much younger; she wasn't American royalty. The unlikely couple paid no heed to gossip. New York's elite was scandalized. Madeleine and John Jacob couldn't care less. They were married on September 9, 1911. He was forty-seven years old, and she was eighteen. Madeleine and JJ were shunned by The Four Hundred - a term used for the crème de la crème of New York's high society. Ironically, the group's leader was John Jacob's mother, the late Caroline 'Lina' Schermerhorn Astor, the queen bee of New York society. The colonel smiled. “Like no woman I’ve ever known before. Your mind is a mystery to me.” “Oh,” I said, “sometimes it is to me, as well! But I’m not really very mysterious, I’m afraid.” He leaned back his head and laughed. I felt the sudden spark of the power of that, of making a man like John Jacob Astor laugh in genuine amusement. Of making him react. It rushed like lightning through my veins, hellish and bright. I think, from that instant, we were both doomed. Madeleine had to learn how to navigate the treacherous waters of high society. Vincent Astor, John Jacob's son from his first marriage, did not like his father's young bride. (He did not like their son either. But that's a story for another time). Reporters shadowed second Mrs. Astor's every move. Privacy became a distant memory. Not all was bleak, however. Madeleine had John Jacob. She had Kitty, their beloved Airedale Terrier. She had the support of her parents, sister, and Margaret Brown, aka the Unsinkable Molly Brown (played in the movie by Kathy Bates). Her fierceness and non-judgemental attitude endeared her to Madeleine. Mrs. Brown befriended the famous couple and traveled with them to Egypt. The trio would meet again on Titanic's fateful voyage. I loved the dynamic between Madeleine and her sister Katherine. In this house we support females supporting females. Madeleine linked their arms again, leaning against her sister’s side as the wind brushed by, and the fish smell came and went, and the Noma sliced towards the future. After a while, she whispered, “I wish I were as brave as you.” Katherine was leaning back; they’d found their careful balance. “Isn’t that queer? I’ve always wished to be as strong as you.” The ocean slid past. The moon beamed down, scattered white fireflies across the water. “Perhaps I’ll become a mermaid instead of all that other nonsense,” Madeleine said to the view. Katherine glanced at her. “Mermaids still get to wear pearls, so that part’s fine. And they live forever, or very nearly forever, don’t they? Enchanted lives that go on and on. No curly piles of hair, however. I’ll wear it down, with a crown of sea flowers.” [image] ...more |
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| 0446671746
| 9780446671743
| 0446671746
| 4.29
| 1,923
| 1987
| Oct 1995
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it was amazing
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What is the mystique of the Titanic? Is it the sheer immensity of the disaster – the largest ship in the world, proclaimed unsinkable, going down on
What is the mystique of the Titanic? Is it the sheer immensity of the disaster – the largest ship in the world, proclaimed unsinkable, going down on her maiden voyage with appalling loss of life? Is it the element of Greek tragedy that runs through the story – if only she had heeded the warnings; if only there had been enough lifeboats; if only… if only. Is it the built-in sermon, the irresistible reminder that 'pride goeth before a fall?' Or is it because she so eloquently symbolizes the end of the Edwardian era, a final nostalgic glimpse of a whole way of life? [image] Would purchasing this t-shirt make me an asshole? I mean, they're not wrong. She WAS fine when she left Belfast. At this point, I should make a new bookshelf titled 'Shipwrecks.' I have become an expert on all things Titanic. (not really) The Discovery of the Titanic is a certified banger. I was mesmerized by Dr. Ballard's writing. This book made me want to explore the seas and make an important scientific discovery. World's largest and most luxurious ship sank in the early hours of April 15th, 1912. She didn't go gentle into that good night. The unsinkable ship broke in two, emitting bone-chilling noises. Her architect and captain both perished in the North Atlantic's icy-cold waters. Tragic, yes, but also ironic. More than 1,500 people lost their lives in the dark Atlantic. Fast-forward 73 years. Explorers, scientists, historians, and Indiana Jones wannabes tried and failed to find the fabled Titanic. None were successful. Was Titanic destined to remain hidden for all eternity? Not if Dr. Robert Ballard had anything to say about it. Dr. Robert Ballard has quite an impressive resume - a Navy officer, professor of oceanography, geologist, and maritime archaeologist. He worked at Woods Hole, America's premier research institution. Dr. Ballard conducted several secret missions for the U.S. Navy. He located sunken submarines belonging to the Navy, which, in turn, funded his search for the Titanic. It gets even better. He discovered The Titanic during a secret mission to find sunken nuclear submarines. Damn it feels good to be a gangsta by Geto Boys comes to mind immediately. The Titanic was near impossible to locate. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Achieving that goal would require state-of-the-art equipment, intelligence, determination, and luck. Ballard had already tried and failed to locate the Titanic. He couldn't afford to fail again. He joined forces with the French National Institute of Oceanography. The mission was co-led by a talented French engineer and oceanographer named Jean-Louis Michel. Then, without any warning, I found myself looking into the eyes of a small, white smiling face. For a split second I thought a corpse had actually materialized - and it scared the hell out of me. Then I realized I was seeing a ceramic doll's head. My initial shock changed to sadness as the poignancy of the image sank in. Who had owned this toy? Had the girl been one of the survivors? Or had she clutched it tightly as she sank in the icy waters? [image] A feathery sea pen juts from a dangling chandelier [image] Robot Jason Jr. looks in the windows of the gymnasium Weeks went by. Morale dropped. Dr. Ballard wasn't one to give up easily, but his optimism was waning with only four days left before the deadline. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Dejected, Ballard retreated to his cabin. Then it happened. A crew member burst into his room. Argo, the deep-towed undersea video camera sled, named after the Argonauts' mythological ship, passed over a massive boiler. More pieces of wreckage came into view. The Titanic was somewhere close. Everyone was ecstatic. Then a crew member glanced at the clock and saw it was 2:00 a.m. The Titanic sank at 2:20 am. The mood shifted from celebratory to somber. It would be a year until Dr. Ballard could visit the Titanic in person. The ship of dreams lay submerged nearly 4,000 meters (12,500 feet) beneath the cold Atlantic. It was quite the experience. The ghost-like bow, the eerie-looking empty lifeboat davits, a woman's shoe, a doll's head, a crystal chandelier still hanging decades later. The picture of the doll's head gave me goosebumps. It was like something out of a horror movie. Neither historians nor the investigators believed the ship broke in half. Eyewitness accounts were deemed unreliable. The so-called experts were adamant in their belief that the ship sank intact. Ballard's discovery showed the undeniable truth: Titanic snapped in two pieces. Technology has come a long way since 1985/1986. Titanic director James Cameron has made more than thirty expeditions to the wreck. He discovered leaded glass windows, a brass bed, Turkish Baths, and Isidor and Ida Straus's luxurious stateroom (which served as inspiration for Rose's suite). Amazingly, the clock is still sitting upright on the fireplace mantel. [image] Our second view of the Titanic was breathtaking. As we glided soundlessly across the bottom on our single ski, out of the darkness loomed the razor's edge of the bow - the great ship towered above us and suddenly it seemed to be coming right at us. Then, as we rose in slow motion up the ghostly wall of the port bow, our running lights reflected off the broken glass of portholes in a way that made me think of cats' eyes gleaming in the dark. In places, the rust about them formed eyelashes; sometimes tears, as though the Titanic were weeping over her fate. The wrecksite is both a memorial and a warning. The Titanic received seven ice warnings that day. Seven. Complacency kills. The R.M.S. Titanic site was explored with her dignity in mind at all times, Jean-Louis Michel said at the press conference. Not everyone shared that sentiment. Many artifacts were taken from the wreck site, which angered survivors. (looking at you RMS Titanic Inc. and IFREMER). Robert Ballard has criticized Titanic salvage efforts. 'They've basically taken the jewels off of the old lady in her grave,' said Ballard. 'But the old lady is still down there.' Thirty-eight years have passed since Robert Ballard's fateful discovery. Titanic has been lying in her watery grave for 110 years. How much longer does the ship of dreams have before her whole structure succumbs to nature? How many secrets does the wreckage hold? The mystery didn't end with Dr. Ballard's discovery. It only deepened the fascination. Here we are, still talking about the legendary ship. In a way, she truly is unsinkable. The book was originally published in 1987. I recommend getting the 1995 or 1998 edition with the extended epilogue. It's a must-read for lovers of oceanography, exploration, engineering, and shipwrecks. I will always picture her as I see her now in my mind's eye, upright on the bottom, dignified despite the decay and desecration and, finally, at rest. [image] ...more |
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| 0062119389
| 9780062119384
| 0062119389
| 4.37
| 4,863
| 1997
| Mar 06, 2012
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it was amazing
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“I heard a graphic account of how the Titanic up-ended herself and remained poised like some colossal nightmare of a fish, her tail high in the air,
“I heard a graphic account of how the Titanic up-ended herself and remained poised like some colossal nightmare of a fish, her tail high in the air, her nose deep in the water, until she dived finally from human sight.” -Arthur Rostron, Captain of the rescue ship Carpathia [image] Once upon a time, there were three sister ships: RMS Olympic, RMS Titanic, and HMHS Britannic. Popular culture remembers them as 'the cursed sisters.' The second oldest, RMS Titanic, was named after the mythological Titans. The 46,328-ton beauty was the most luxurious ship ever built. Greatness awaited Titanic. She would own the seas for decades to come. Or at least, that was the plan until fate intervened in the form of an iceberg. But who was really to blame, the iceberg or human hubris? I'd forgotten how good this movie was. I recently rewatched it after a long time, and it still holds up. I didn't think it would. I thought I'd outgrown over-the-top epics, doomed romances, and Leonardo Dicaprio. James Cameron got me in my feelings again. Damn him. I cried like an angry toddler over a fictional love story and a ship that sank over 110 years ago. Is this normal? I can no longer deny the epicness of Jack Dawson. He is quite simply the best fictional male character ever created. I'm sorry, but he might be better than Aragorn. He died for the woman he loved. He sacrificed everything for her. James Cameron, you can't write this ending and expect me to be ok. [image] I do have some criticisms, though. Some of Titanic's biggest heroes didn't get their proper due. The heroism of Titanic's engineers is often overlooked. These brave men refused to abandon their posts and sacrificed their lives by keeping the power and lights on as long as possible. Wireless operators Phillips and Bride worked until the last possible moment. Then there's First Officer William Murdoch. As much as I liked Ewan Stewart as Murdoch, his portrayal wasn't historically accurate. James Cameron later confessed that he regretted filming the scene where Murdoch shoots Tommy before turning the gun on himself. Murdoch was one of the most heroic figures of the Titanic. He saved many lives that night. The scenes with the musicians were accurate. The band, led by the English violinist Wallace Hartley, played until the very end. Ida Straus's words to her husband inspired the famous 'if you jump, I jump' line. Isidor was offered a seat on a lifeboat but refused as there were still women and children onboard. Ida refused to leave Isidor, telling him, 'We have lived together for many years. Where you go, I go.' They were last seen together on deck holding hands. Over 1,500 people died in the sinking of the Titanic. 123 first-class passengers. 173 second-class passengers. 536 third-class passengers. 700 crew members. 53 children. Only 337 bodies were recovered. There were thirteen newlyweds on the Titanic. Seven grooms and three brides perished on the ship. They served as inspiration for Jack and Rose's doomed love story. More than a century later, people still talk about the beautiful, 'unsinkable' Titan and its unlucky passengers. Twenty-six years later, we still watch the movie and applaud its enthralling cinematography and brilliant acting. The ending of the movie has been the subject of discussion for decades. Was Rose dreaming, or did she die? I can't believe some people think Rose was only dreaming. My interpretation of the ending has always been that Rose died and was reunited with Jack in the afterlife. "You're gonna die an old lady," Jack tells her before he dies, "warm in her bed." After the dinner scene in the first-class dining saloon, Jack hands Rose a note that says, 'Make it count. Meet me at the clock.' Rose dies eighty-four years later, warm in her bed. She fulfilled her promise to Jack by living her life to the fullest. She made it 'count.' She meets him at the clock. The clock on the staircase reads 2.20 am. The time the real-life Titanic sank. [image] The most prominent character is the Titanic herself. The Queen of the Ocean lies at the bottom of the Atlantic. There she rests, both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Her remains are shrouded in darkness; the eerie calm is interrupted only by the slow movements of passing deep-sea fish. She continues to fascinate scientists and the regular public alike. The Titanic was a tragedy, but she was not a failure. She was as beautiful and as safe as her designers and builders could make her. No ship of her time could have survived the circumstances of April 14, 1912. Thanks to her many safety features and the heroic work of her crew, she actually stayed afloat longer than she was supposed to and saved many lives. – Greg DiNapoli ...more |
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| 9781907332784
| 1907332782
| 4.15
| 942
| Jan 01, 2011
| 2011
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really liked it
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Not me avoiding my TBR shelf (and real-life problems) by only reading Titanic-related literature. This ship has occupied my last remaining brain cells
Not me avoiding my TBR shelf (and real-life problems) by only reading Titanic-related literature. This ship has occupied my last remaining brain cells. A book based on the 13 honeymoon couples who sailed on the Titanic? Take my money. *SPOILERS.* Gill Paul described Titanic as a floating hotel whose guests were unable to leave. The ship of dreams had a swimming pool, a Turkish bath, a gym, a dining saloon, a reception room, an à la carte restaurant, a lounge, a reading and writing room, a smoking room, elevators, a Grand staircase, and a domed glass skylight. They lie hidden in the darkness of the Atlantic Ocean. 1,500+ souls perished on that cold April night. Only 337 bodies were recovered. Chief Officer Henry Wilde posted a letter to his sister from Queenstown that read, “I don’t like this ship. I have a queer feeling about it.” Are you ready for the drama? And by 'drama' I mean relationship drama. 1st class: [image] Let's begin with the most controversial couple on the Titanic: John Jacob Astor IV and Madeleine Talmage Force Astor. John and Madeleine's relationship was scandalous even by early 20th-century standards. There's a scene in the movie where Rose says, 'That's John Jacob Astor, the richest man on the ship. His little wifey there, Madeline, is my age and in a delicate condition.' John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest man aboard the Titanic. JJ was quite the Renaissance man. He created The Astoria Hotel, co-created The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, invented a bicycle brake, a turbine engine, and the machine that could produce gas from peat moss, wrote a science-fiction novel, and served as a colonel in the 1898 Spanish–American war. John Jacob's first marriage was an unhappy one. Rumors swirled regarding his wife's infidelity. The legitimacy of their daughter came into question. He divorced Ava in 1909. The drama didn't end there. Two years later, Astor announced his engagement to Madeleine Talmage Force. John Jacob was forty-seven years old, and Madeleine was just eighteen. Handsome, erudite, considerate, and charming, he was by far the nicest, most fascinating man she had met. He charmed her with flowers and books that he thought she might like, and she quickly fell in love. The high society was scandalized. The media went into a frenzy. John Jacob and Madeleine were married on September 9, 1911. Witnesses described the ceremony as 'very romantic.' Despite their sizeable age difference, JJ and Madeleine had many things in common. The newlyweds sailed to Europe onboard the Olympic, Titanic's sister ship. After spending two and a half months in Europe, Madeleine became homesick. JJ booked passage on the newly-built Titanic. The Astors and their beloved dog Kitty boarded the ship in Cherbourg, France. Madeleine was in awe of Titanic's elegance but hurt by the behavior of the other first-class passengers. Madeleine couldn't escape comparisons to John Jacob's first wife, Ava, who was renowned for her beauty and elegance. Madeleine later complained to friends that she had overheard women – many of whom were Ava's friends - mocking her dress and hairstyle. Her trip to New York would have been much less enjoyable had it not been for the company of Maggie Brown, also known as The Unsinkable Molly Brown. The fiery Mrs. Brown scoffed at the gossipers and encouraged Madeleine to ignore them. Then came the fateful April night when the Titanic struck an iceberg. John Jacob and Madeleine waited in the ship's gymnasium. “Can’t I stay here with you?” Madeleine pleaded. John Jacob had to tell her the hard truth. “The captain has said that the men must get on boats later. That’s the way it is.” JJ did his best to soothe Madeleine. He used his penknife to split open an extra lifejacket, showing her the cork that would help them stay afloat. “Not that any of us is going in the water, of course,” he added. Minutes ticked by. Optimism waned. Despite Madeleine’s protests, John helped her over the rail into the lifeboat. “Might I join my wife?” he asked. “She’s in a delicate condition. ” Madeleine was five months pregnant. Second Officer Lightoller refused. John Jacob didn't argue. He helped put several women into a lifeboat, then waved goodbye to Madeleine. Madeleine looked back and thought she could see Kitty on the deck. “John must have gone to get her,” she thought. “I do hope she will be rescued as well.” Madeleine didn’t know about the shortage of lifeboats. She held out hope that the ship wouldn't sink. The realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. She helped with the rowing, despite her condition. John Jacob Astor's body was recovered on April 22. Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic. Kitty was not among them. Most of the lifeboats were half-empty. Only two came back after the ship sank to look for survivors. Madeleine gave birth to a boy whom she called John Jacob. She remarried two more times. Both marriages ended in divorce. [image] Helen Bishop was told by a fortune-teller that she would survive a shipwreck and an earthquake, but meet her demise in a car crash. Nineteen-year-old Helen married Dickinson Bishop, a wealthy twenty-tree-year-old widower. They were wed in November 1911 and spent their honeymoon in Algiers, Egypt, Italy, and France. Dickinson showered his new bride with love and gifts. Helen soon became pregnant. The happy couple decided to end their honeymoon on the Titanic. They boarded the ship at Cherbourg. Helen and Dickinson were one of the few first-class passengers who didn't ostracize the Astors. Helen formed a friendship with Madeleine, who was a year younger than her. Then the collision happened. “What about Frou-Frou?” Helen asked, clutching her little pet. “Can I bring her with us?” Dickinson comforted his wife. “It’s only a precaution. Your darling Frou-Frou will still be here when we get back.” Helen kissed Frou-Frou, then placed her on a couch. An officer took Helen by the arm, guiding her toward a lifeboat. “Be very quiet,” he said, “and get in the boat immediately.” Helen was the first passenger to enter a lifeboat. Dickinson claimed that, as he helped his wife board the lifeboat, a hand pushed him from behind, and he stumbled into the boat. Do we believe him? Be that as it may, the first lifeboat had a capacity of 65 but left with 28 people. Helen tried to comfort the other passengers by revealing her secret. “We have to be rescued in order for the rest of my prophecy to be true.” Helen and Dickinson welcomed a son, but the infant died just two days later. In the spring of 1913, the Bishops were caught in an earthquake. Helen was convinced the prophecy was real. Dickinson reassured her. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s all mumbo-jumbo.” In November 1914, while traveling home from a dance, Helen's car spun out of control and crashed into a tree. She survived the crash despite receiving life-threatening injuries as a result. She had a steel plate inserted in her head. As is the case with head injuries, Helen became increasingly moody and aggressive. Helen and Dickinson divorced in January 1916. Two months later, Helen slipped on a rug and hit her head near the steel plate. She died a few days later. The prophecy came true. Dickinson remarried and moved to Ottawa. The questions surrounding him and his survival have never subsided. [image] Albert Dick had a weakness for poker and women. He was thirty-one when he married sixteen-year-old Vera Gillespie. (There seems to be confusion over Vera's birth date. Her death certificate and grave list her birth year as 1894, but an Ontario birth record lists her date of birth as 1891. In my opinion, she was born in 1894. That's the date on her grave) Vera and Albert married in Calgary in May 1911. One month later, Vera turned seventeen. Vera was thrilled to sail on the great Titanic. She took pleasure in exploring the luxurious rooms and conversing with glamorous passengers. JOHN JACOB ASTOR WAS CONDEMNED, BUT EVERYONE WAS FINE WITH ALBERT MARRYING A LITERAL 16-YEAR-OLD. DID I SAY JJ AND MADELEINE WERE THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL COUPLE ON THE TITANIC? I WAS WRONG. The couple met Thomas Andrews, the ship's architect. “Is she everything they say?” Bert asked Andrews. “There’s been a lot of talk in the media about her.” “She is as nearly perfect as human brains can make her,” Andrews replied. Vera engaged in a friendly conversation with Reginald Jones, a handsome twenty-year-old steward from Southampton. Albert berated her for her flirtatiousness and told her it was unseemly for a woman in her position to fraternize with the staff. Vera ignored her husband and continued to speak to Reginald Jones whenever he came to clear their plates. I LOVE HER. Albert and Vera were in the middle of yet another heated argument when they heard a strange noise. Then there was a knock at the door. It was Reginald Jones. He informed them of the collision. Reginald helped Vera into a lifeboat. First Officer Murdoch called for more women to board the lifeboats, but none would get in, so he pushed Albert toward his wife. Despite his surprise, he did as instructed. Vera and Albert comforted each other as they watched the mighty Titanic sink. Reginald Jones sadly died. Vera credits him with saving their lives. Albert was criticized for escaping the Titanic on a lifeboat. Vera went on to study singing at the prestigious Toronto Conservatory of Music. Titanic's tragedy forever changed Albert. Previously I thought of nothing but money,” he said. “The Titanic cured me of that. Since then I have been happier than I ever was before.” [image] Henry & Clara Frauenthal married on March 26, 1912. Henry was a brilliant surgeon. He was forty-eight years old when he began to court Clara. Clara was a forty-two divorcee with a young daughter. Neither of them expected to find love. With antisemitism on the rise, many prominent hotels refused to accept Jewish guests. That was not the case with the Titanic. Henry and his brother were allowed to board a lifeboat with Clara. Henry described the sinking as “It seemed as if all the devils of hell had been let loose.” The tragedy took a mental toll on both Henry and Clara. In 1927, Henry jumped from the seventh floor of his hospital, dying instantly. Clara was committed to a sanitarium in Connecticut, where she died in 1943. Henry and Clara’s trauma and mental health problems inspired Clara’s daughter to study medicine at Cornell University in New York. [image] Daniel Marvin and Mary Farquharson's story is both romantic and tragic. They were only seventeen when they fell in love. Their parents forbade them to get married - they were much too young. The couple eloped and married in a secret ceremony on January 8, 1912. They kept the marriage a secret until Mary could no longer hide her morning sickness. Mary's parents, fearing a scandal, organized a public ceremony. Daniel and the three-and-a-half-month-pregnant Mary boarded the Titanic at Southampton on April 10. The couple often spent time on deck, filming each other with Daniel's wooden Pathé camera. The Titanic was beautiful, they were madly in love, and the future was bright. Until it wasn't. The Titanic started sinking, and Mary panicked. Daniel calmed her by reminding her that the Titanic was the safest ship ever built. When a steward asked for women and children, Daniel urged Mary to go. “I don’t want to leave you,” she said. “I’ll stay with you so we can go together.” “It’s all right, little girl,” Daniel replied. “You go. I will stay.” Daniel didn't survive. His body was never found. Mary was devastated. “He blew a kiss at me. That was the last I saw of him.” She gave birth to a daughter, Mary Margaret Elizabeth Marvin. Mary remarried and had two more children. [image] Víctor Peñasco Y Castellana and María Josefa Perez de Soto Y Vallejo (Pepita) were married on December 8, 1910. Victor and Pepita's honeymoon lasted a year and four months. The wealthy couple visited Vienna, Monte Carlo, London, Venice, and Paris. They were staying in Paris when they saw the posters advertising the Titanic. Victor's mother had a premonition and forbade them from boarding a ship. Victor and Pepita ignored her warnings and set sail anyway. They kept it a secret from their families. The young Spaniards quickly became very popular among passengers. They had no way of knowing what awaited them on the voyage. The unsinkable ship was sinking. Victor helped his wife board a lifeboat. Pepita wasn't aware only women and children were allowed to board the lifeboats. She didn't speak english. Victor deliberately vanished from her sight. He didn't want to risk her climbing out of the lifeboat. He didn't survive. Pepita remarried after six years of mourning. [image] Lucian & Eloise Smith married on February 8, 1912. They got married only a month after they first met. They met in January and were married in February. The young couple decided to end their honeymoon with a voyage on the world's largest ship. Eloise refused to board a lifeboat without Lucian. “I never expected to ask you to obey, but this is one time you must. It is only a matter of form to have women and children first.” Lucian said as he kissed her goodbye. He didn't survive. Seven months later, Eloise gave birth to Lucian Smith Junior. Eloise would go on to marry three more times. Her second marriage was to Robert Daniel, a fellow Titanic survivor. All of her marriages ended in divorce. [image] 2nd class: Sarah Elizabeth (Lizzie) Chapman was the true definition of a ride-or-die. Lizzie and John lived in a small town in central Cornwall, England. John grew up on a small farm. He wanted to make money to buy a house and start a family. His only option was emigration. He spent several years in Canada before moving to Spokane, Washington. Lizzie wrote him letters every week. Lizzie's parents were dead, so she stayed with her aunt Emma. When John returned to Cornwall, he and Lizzie were married in Liskeard on December 26, 1911. They decided to start a new life in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, and John booked a second-class ticket on the Titanic. Lizzie's dreams of a new life were coming true. John and Lizzie were impressed by the ship's luxury. They took strolls on the deck, made friends, and ate their meals in the beautiful 70-foot-long dining room. Everything was perfect until the collision. A crewman took Lizzie by the hand and helped her into a lifeboat. Lizzie then realized John wasn't allowed to board the lifeboat. “Women and children only, sir,” Second Officer Lightoller said. Unlike Murdoch, who allowed men into the boats if no women and children were around, Lightoller refused to allow male passengers to board the lifeboats. He didn't allow John Jacob Astor to accompany his pregnant wife, even though there was room on the lifeboat. Lizzie didn't falter. She turned to her friend and said: “Goodbye, Mrs. Richards. If John can’t go, I won’t go either.” She walked over to John. Officer Lightoller wasn't giving up. “Won’t you let me put you in one of the boats?” he asked. Lizzie had made up her mind. “Not on your life. We started together and, if need be, we’ll finish together.” John and Lizzie clung onto railings as the band played Nearer, my God, to Thee. John's body was found, but Lizzie's was never recovered. 3rd class: [image] John & Kate Bourke were married on January 17, 1911. Kate and her eight siblings grew up in Tawnagh, a small Irish village in County Mayo. Kate's parents died when she was only seven, and she was raised by her older sister Maria. Kate later emigrated to Rochdale and got a job in a cotton mill. When her cousin Bridget invited Kate to Chicago in 1905, she gladly accepted the offer. Kate boarded the Etruria and arrived at Ellis Island in July 1905. Upon returning to Ireland in 1910, the thirty-one-year-old Kate reconnected with a farmer named John Bourke, who was ten years her senior. They were married on January 17, 1911. Kate missed America. Her other cousin, Catherine, and her fifteen-year-old niece were sailing back to America on the newly-built Titanic. They asked Kate to join them. Attracted by the prospects of a better life, Kate and John sold their farm and bought two third-class tickets from the local White Star Line representative. They weren't the only ones. Fourteen people from the parish of Addergoole, County Mayo, sailed together on the Titanic from Queenstown. They spent their days strolling the deck, eating their meals in the dining room, and socializing in the general meeting room. There were pine wall panels, teak furniture, a piano, and a smoking room. Not bad for a third-class ticket. At 11:40 P.M. on Sunday, April 14, the Titanic struck an iceberg. Young Annie Kelly witnessed several men trying to storm a lifeboat while armed officers held them back. John and Kate reached the deck. Kate boarded a lifeboat with John's sister Mary. They realized John wasn't allowed to get in the lifeboat. “I’ll not leave my husband,” Kate said. “And I’ll not leave my brother,” said Mary. They gave their seats to Annie. Annie Kelly, Annie McGowan (Catherine's fifteen-year-old niece), and Delia McDermott were the only ones in the County Mayo group to survive. The bodies of Kate and John were never found. ...more |
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It was calm, clear and bitterly cold. There was no moon, but the cloudless sky blazed with stars. The Atlantic was like polished plate glass; people
It was calm, clear and bitterly cold. There was no moon, but the cloudless sky blazed with stars. The Atlantic was like polished plate glass; people later said they had never seen it so smooth. [image] This was the fifth night of the Titanic’s maiden voyage to New York, and it was already clear that she was not only the largest but also the most glamorous ship in the world. I'm starting a new genre - natural and man-made disasters. I want to learn more about the famous ghost of the abyss : the one and only Titanic. [image] Over 1,500 people died in the sinking of the Titanic. The 'unsinkable' ship lies 3,800 meters under the North Atlantic Ocean. A scientist from James Cameron's documentary Ghosts of the Abyss referred to the sinking as a Greek tragedy. I couldn't agree more. It is a tragedy that should never have happened. Approximately 123 of the 324 first-class passengers perished in the disaster. 173 of the 284 second-class passengers died. The crew and third-class passengers suffered the most casualties. Out of 710 third-class passengers, only 174 survived. Among the fatalities were 700 crew members. An estimated 53 children lost their lives. Only 337 bodies were recovered. J Bruce Ismay, the chairman of the White Star Line, was labeled a coward for abandoning the ship while many women and children were still on board. Some of the world's most influential people died on the Titanic. John Jacob Astor, the richest passenger on board, stayed behind after helping his pregnant wife Madeleine into a lifeboat. Thomas Andrews, the architect of the Titanic, tried to save as many women and children as possible before meeting his fate in the dark, icy waters of the North Atlantic. John Thayer, railroad executive; Benjamin Guggenheim, mining magnate; George Dennick Wick, steel magnate; Henry B. Harris, Broadway producer; Jacques Futrelle, mystery writer; Archibald Butt, presidential aide, and T. Stead, investigative journalist all perished when the ship sank. First Officer William Murdoch was one of the most heroic figures of the Titanic. He saved many lives that night. The movie didn't do him justice. Wireless operators and engineers refused to abandon their posts. The band played until the very end. The story of first-class passengers Isidor and Ida Straus touched me deeply. Isidor had an opportunity to board a lifeboat but refused. He was quoted as saying, No, I will not get on the lifeboat until I see that every woman and child has a chance to escape. When it was Ida's turn, she refused to leave her husband. Despite Isodor's urgings, Ida stayed by his side to the end. She told him, 'We have lived together for many years. Where you go, I go.' Ida instructed her maid to board the lifeboat and gave her her mink coat to keep her warm. The couple's great-great-grandson, Brett Gladstone, wrote, "Then, they walked to the opposite end of the ship. They were last seen standing on the deck, clasping each other, calmly waiting." Isidor's body was recovered, but Ida was never found. Fast forward 111 years. Titan, a submersible owned by OceanGate, imploded during its descent to the Titanic wreckage. Among the casualties was Stockton Rush, the CEO, and founder of OceanGate. His wife, Wendy, is the great-great-granddaughter of Isidor and Ida Straus. Life writes the strangest stories. Thirteen newlywed couples were on the Titanic. Many of these love stories would end in tragedy - John Jacob Astor (the richest man on board, died) and Madeleine Talmage Force Astor (survived), Daniel Marvin and Mary Farquharson Marvin (Daniel died, Mary survived), Victor Peñasco and Pepita Perezde de Soto y Vallejo Peñasco (Victor died, Pepita survived), Lucian Smith and Eloise Hughes Smith (Lucian died, Eloise survived), John Chapman and Lizzie Lawry Chapman (both died), John Bourke and Kate McHugh Bourke (both died), Neal McNamee and Eileen O’Leary McNamee (both died). It was night A starry moonless sight Out in the mid Atlantic There sailed a ship of light She was big This ship of luxury Everything was peaceful No safer place to be And she sailed Through the night On her way Down among the dead men Down among the dead men The band played She sailed the virgin She sailed the sea Down among the dead men Captain Smith The master in command A man with wealth of wisdom A fine upstanding man But the fog He didn't hear the calls The ice mountain was waiting For fifteen hundred souls And she sailed Through the night On her way Down among the dead men Down among the dead men The band played She sailed the virgin She sailed the sea Down among the dead men Down among the dead men And into history - Down Among the Dead Men by Flash and the Pan [image] Titanic had two sister ships, Olympic and Britannic. Titanic's older sister, RMS Olympic, sailed the oceans for 24 years, serving as a civilian and military transport vessel. HMHS Britannic suffered a similar fate to her older sister Titanic. Britannic, White Star Line's third and largest ship, served as a military hospital during World War I. The ill-fated vessel struck a mine and sank to the bottom of the Aegean Sea. I would like to express my utmost respect to Titanic's heroic crew – Captain Smith, officers Wilde, Murdoch, Lightoller, Pitman, Boxhall, Lowe, and Moody, chief designer Thomas Andrews, wireless operators Phillips and Bride, seamen, masters-at-arms, quartermasters, lookouts, engineers, boilermakers, firemen, coal trimmers, greasers, electricians, victuallers, and musicians. “I heard a graphic account of how the Titanic up-ended herself and remained poised like some colossal nightmare of a fish, her tail high in the air, her nose deep in the water, until she dived finally from human sight.” -Arthur Rostron Titanic continues to fascinate us 110 years later. Bill Paxton was right when he said, "I think you leave Titanic, but it never leaves you." Songs to listen to while reading A Night to Remember: Max Richter - On the Nature of Daylight Titanic - Hymn to the sea James Horner - Take Her to Sea, Mr. Murdoch Titanic ~109th Anniversary~ (Sleeping Sun) Balmorhea - Remembrance Ludovico Einaudi - Experience (slowed + reverb) ...more |
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| 9895621604
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My uncle took me fishing when I was a child. He did all the fishing while I just hung around, observing. During one such trip, I had a fishing rod in
My uncle took me fishing when I was a child. He did all the fishing while I just hung around, observing. During one such trip, I had a fishing rod in my hand but didn't want to catch anything. The thought of catching a live fish was unbearable. I was a fearful and imaginative child, prone to melodrama. And then it happened. I felt a strong tug on the rod. It was the worst experience of my life. I just stood there, frozen, unable to reel in the fish. My location felt like Amity Island, and the catch was no different from Jaws (I told you I was melodramatic). I was scared and felt sorry for the fish at the same time. Worst of all, people were staring at me. [image] It was not my destiny to be a master fisherman. I wish Captain Ahab had come to the same realization as I did. His pride ultimately led to his downfall. Moby Dick is the ultimate tale of man versus nature. What could be more formidable than a sperm whale, the ocean's largest predator? A being so powerful that not even the mighty orca, the ocean's most skillful killer, can defeat it. Who would dare hunt such a creature? Humans. [image] The name orca comes from the Latin phrase Orcinus orca, which translates as 'of the kingdom of the dead.' Great white sharks have the word 'great' as part of their name. Then there are sperm whales. Couldn't they think of something more dignified? I understand the reason behind their naming, but I still find it ridiculous. Dark humor - instead of calling them sperm whales, they could have named them waxy whales or oil lamp whales. Whaling was a highly lucrative business. Bloody and dangerous, but lucrative nonetheless. Told from the sailor Ishmael's perspective, the story follows Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, who embarks on a quest for vengeance against a giant sperm whale who maimed him. Ahab is a man who doesn't know when to quit. I would have noped out of there after the first encounter, but that's not Ahab. He's not like other girls. He wants to kill Moby Dick, no matter the cost. Despite the risks, Ahab's ego fuels his dangerous quest. He is consumed by his desire to defeat the white whale. I have mixed emotions about this novel. While I acknowledge that it's an important piece of literature, filled with metaphors and double entendres, it's not my cup of peppermint tea. Why was the whale called Dick? He's just swimming in the ocean, snacking on squid, sharks, and fish, minding his business. He sunk a few ships, but only because he was defending himself. Ahab is the 'Dick' of the story. I find the real story of Moby Dick much more fascinating than the fictional one. Moby Dick was inspired by a real-life white sperm whale named Mocha Dick, whose story is both fascinating and tragic. Is the ocean a harsh mistress, or are some people just foolish? My advice would be to check the weather forecast before going sailing, avoid hunting giant marine mammals, wear sunscreen, and listen to Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea." [image] ...more |
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Why did I care so much about these fish? Why did we all? They were always in my thoughts, even when I was sleeping, and as I’d confided to Peter, no
Why did I care so much about these fish? Why did we all? They were always in my thoughts, even when I was sleeping, and as I’d confided to Peter, not a day had gone by in the two years since I’d encountered the sharks when I didn’t think about them. After that experience I knew one thing for sure: Great white sharks are something altogether unknown in the lineup. Any description of them requires tossing aside the usual vocabulary and settling in with a six-pack of hyperbole—the most mysterious creature on Earth, the last untamed beast, the ultimate predator, the most fearsome monster imaginable, absolutely, positively, supremely adapted for its role. They’re simply different. As the legendary Australian diver and underwater cinematographer Ron Taylor once put it: “My own feeling was that there was a strong intelligent personality behind the black orb. Not evil, but more alien and sinister than that.” [image] The creature glides gracefully through its watery kingdom. There is no need to rush. Time moves differently below the surface. It is a bountiful, albeit unforgiving environment. A world divided into predators and prey. The subject of this book is at the top of the food chain, a position it shares with Orcinus orca – its mortal enemy. You don't get to the top without making some enemies. Over its long history, the creature has been known by many different names. Carcharodon carcharias. White pointer. White death. The Great White shark. *cue Jaws theme music* Our shark doesn't reside in the fictional beach town of Amity. There are no neurotic police chiefs, weathered fishermen, or villainous mayors. Our shark is not a mindless man-eater but a complex, intelligent being with a unique set of personality traits. Our shark remains wild and untamed. In David Attenborough's words, 'of all the great predators on the planet, white sharks are the only ones that cannot be caged or tamed.' Isla Guadalupe is known for its iconic great white sharks, such as Deep Blue (the toothy queen of Guadalupe and one of the largest sharks ever filmed), Lucy, Zapata, Bullet, Scarboard, Luca, and Joker. But among shark enthusiasts, there is another place that is held in equally high esteem. The Native Americans dubbed it the 'Islands of the Dead.' Ancient sailors called it 'The Devil's Teeth.' Welcome to the Farallones : home to 300,000 seabirds, thousands of Northern fur seals, Steller sea lions, California sea lions, harbor seals, Northern elephant seals, hoary bats, arboreal salamanders, and the largest concentration of great white sharks in the world. The Farallon Islands are a protected wildlife refuge located 30 miles off the coast of San Francisco. Aside from being a haven and shelter for a wide variety of wildlife, The Farallones are famous for their legends and lore. The Gulf is the site of many shipwrecks and tragedies. The islands are said to be haunted by ghosts and other odd phenomena. Exotic animals, shipwrecks, and myths. What more could one ask for? When all the impediments are taken into account, there is really only one reason to visit the Farallon Islands: because it is the spookiest, wildest place on Earth. The order of Lamniformes, also known as mackerel sharks, consists of seven living families - Alopiidae, Cetorhinidae, Lamnidae, Megachasmidae, Mitsukurinidae, Odontaspididae and Pseudocarchariidae. (Anacoracidae, Aquilolamnidae, Eoptolamnidae, Cardabiodontidae, Cretoxyrhinidae and Otodontidae have gone extinct). The stars of this book belong to the family Lamnidae. [image] The 'gentle' Whiteslash *spoilers* Our shark is called Betty. A fitting name for such a formidable creature. For those who watched the 1995 BBC documentary 'Great White Shark', you may remember the legendary female great white shark Stumpy, aka 'Queen Annihilator.' Stumpy hasn't been seen in the Gulf of the Farallones since the early 2000s. Many familiar faces return, such as Betty, Mama, and Cadillac - big females known as the Sisterhood. Then there are Spotty, T-Nose, Bitehead, and Cal Ripfin. They are smaller than the females and are affectionately called the Rat Pack. Susan Casey wasn't always a shark enthusiast. It was when she saw the 1995 BBC documentary 'Great White Shark' that everything changed. Peter Pyle (a renowned ornithologist and marine biologist), Scot Anderson (a white shark expert and researcher), Stumpy, and the almost mythical Farallon Islands made a strong impression on the young journalist. Susan was granted a special permit to visit the Farallones. It was there she met and befriended Peter and Scot. Upon arrival, Susan was immediately struck by the biodiversity and uniqueness of the islands. This book is as much about Farallones dark history, as it is about sharks. Rabbit Cave, the largest cave on Southeast Farallon, is home to one of California's spookiest mysteries: the well-preserved skeleton of a woman. The woman's identity and cause of death remain a mystery. Her bones are still in the cave. Members of the general public are not allowed to step foot on the Farallones. The only people permitted access to islands are scientists and Fish and Wildlife representatives. Boats aren't allowed within 300 feet of the island. According to Susan, 'as far as outsiders went, this place was locked down tighter than Fort Knox.' Southeast Farallon has two Victorian duplexes that sit perched on a cliff overlooking the dark waters below. These two houses, built in 1878, once served as the residences of lightkeepers and their families. One is used by the United States Coast Guard (even though they are hardly ever there), and the other by researchers and biologists. In the early 1850s, The Farallon Islands were swarming with egg pickers. Egg picking was an extremely lucrative, albeit dangerous, endeavor. Many 'eggers' never made it off the island alive. There were several accidents, murders, and mutinies. Egging continued for thirty years until a U.S. marshal and twenty-one soldiers forcibly removed every last egg picker from the island. In the 1880s, the Farallones were inhabited by four lighthouse families. The harsh conditions there often proved fatal. Two children drowned, and four succumbed to diphtheria. While sleeping in the upstairs bedrooms, biologists say they have witnessed a lot of strange activities. But it gets weirder. Ghosts and sharks aren't the scariest part of the Farallones; it's the crazed gulls that everyone fears. That's a story for another time. Great white sharks can't survive in captivity, but that hasn't stopped people from trying. Oceanariums all over the world desperately wanted to get their hands on a large, healthy great white. To say that it hasn't gone well would be a large understatement. Every single shark died over a period of a few days. There is, however, one exception. Monterey Bay Aquarium managed to succeed where so many others had failed. The world-renowned aquarium is home to a vast array of magnificent creatures, from African penguins and jellies to sharks and sea otters. The only thing missing was a great white shark - a feat previously thought impossible. So after years of preparation and millions spent on infrastructure, their wish finally came true. In 2004, a female baby great white was 'accidentally' caught in a net. She was 'rescued' by Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute scientists and transferred to a 4-million-gallon ocean pen. After three weeks of acclimatization and observation, she was transported to the aquarium and placed in their million-gallon Open Sea exhibit. Things were going surprisingly well. To everyone's relief, this feisty baby white shark seemed to be thriving. Over a period of six months, she was seen by more than a million people. Then she finally realized she was a great white shark and decided to radically change her diet. The darling of Monterey began stalking and eating her tank mates. She also began slamming into aquarium walls. On March 31, 2005, the history-making great white was released back into the ocean equipped with a tracking device. Since then, Monterey has kept (for short periods) five more great white sharks. The Farallones are the only place on the planet where scientists can study great white sharks in their natural element. Researchers are not allowed to use chum. Everything that happens, happens naturally. The work done by Peter and Scot is truly groundbreaking. And they did it from a seventeen-foot whaler (to put things in perspective, the sharks are between 15 and 20 feet long). It's impossible to talk about the islands without mentioning Ron Elliott. Ron aka 'the bravest man on earth' is the last urchin diver in the Farallones. He's been diving the Farallon Islands SOLO for over three decades! Peter and Scot were in disbelief over what they saw : the man was fearless. What does Ron think of the sharks? - In his mind they were simply doing their job, the same as him. And if to do his job, Ron occasionally had to get away from the sharks by hiding under rocks, fending them off with his urchin basket, or staring them down – well, that was just another day at the office. More people are killed each year by dogs than by sharks. Why do we love one and fear the other? Despite their protective status, great white sharks must navigate the dangers of illegal trophy hunting, entanglements in fishing nets and lines, vessel strikes, and pollution. Some sharks, like the iconic Stumpy, never make it back to the Farallones. Betty, Cal Ripfin, and the rest of the Farallon great whites are not mindless killing machines. Each of these sharks has a different personality. Some are shy, some are cautious, some are ferocious, and some are fearless. I hope they're still out there somewhere. Swimming. Lurking. Surviving in an ever-changing world. [image] An eighteen-foot shark investigates a surfboard Even to the most dedicated control freak, white sharks represent the terrible, powerful unknown. They live in a different element than we do, they’re not cute, they’re not at all cuddly, and on some level, they seem like the closest thing we’ve got to living dinosaurs. Their otherness is what both compels us and scares the pants off us. That, and their several sets of teeth. It’s a complicated relationship. The biologist Edward O. Wilson summed it up beautifully when he wrote, “In a deeply tribal way, we love our monsters.” ...more |
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