Spotlight: 100th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Titanic

On April 15th, 1912 the RMS Titanic collided with an ice berg, and went to her watery grave with 1,514 passengers and crew. This terrible tragedy has captured our imaginations for generations, and the 100th anniversary has renewed interest. We've gathered together some interesting links from around the web, as well as books and DVDs available here at Carnegie-Stout.

Of course we do have James Cameron's Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio on both DVD and blu-ray.

We also have the 1953 film Titanic starring Barbara Stanwyck in addition to three documentaries on the topic:
Secrets of the Titanic (DVD 910.45 SEC)
Titanic : how it really sank (DVD 910.91634 TIT)
Titanic : the complete story (DVD 910.91634 TIT)

There are a number of new documentaries and dramas airing on TV this month. Including a two part mini-series on ABC produced by Julian Fellowes (the man behind Downton Abbey), and a number of programs on PBS.

For those looking for a more immersive experience, a trip to Branson, Missouri might be in order. If a road trip to see Titanic Branson is not in your schedule, you still might want to check out their website, which includes video profiles of passengers and more. You may also enjoy the website of RMS Titanic, Inc, a company which has been behind seven research expeditions to the undersea wreckage and worldwide exhibitions of Titanic artifacts recovered from the wreckage. Their website includes information and photographs.

Still not enough? Mills Morgan Travel is offering a Titanic Memorial Cruise from Southampton to (hopefully) New York. Or maybe you'd prefer to stay on dry land and peruse the Library of Congress' Titanic Pathfinder, the BBC's Titanic archive, or the official Titanic Facebook page.

A selection of books on the Titanic available at Carnegie-Stout:
A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
(910.91634 LOR) Mr. Lord brought an immersive, human-centered touch to his histories. His dramatic, richly detailed, and painstakingly researched examination of the sinking of the Titanic remains a classic of narrative nonfiction more than fifty years after its original publication.

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
Seamstress Tess Collins, maid to fashion designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon, finds herself sailing on the Titanic towards her dreams of a better life. Ms. Alcott's first novel focuses on the aftermath of the disaster, and includes a bit of romance for Tess.

The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan
Grace Winter survived the sinking of an ocean liner crossing the Atlantic in 1914 and three weeks in an overcrowded lifeboat with minimal supplies. Ms. Rogan's first novel is a compelling look at human nature, self-sacrifice, and the will to survive.

Voyagers of the Titanic by R. P. T. Davenport-Hines
(910.91634) A history of the Titanic and its ill-fated voyage focuses on the passengers, crew, and builders and illuminates the heroism, sacrifice, hope and love that emerged from the tragedy.

The Band that Played On by Steve Turner
(910.91634) The story of the musicians who went down with the ship, a story that has fascinated readers since the first news reports. Who were these brave men? What was the last song they played?

Lost Voices from the Titanic by Nick Barratt
(910.91634) Mr. Barratt provides the definitive narrative of the disaster in the words of those who were involved--including the designers and naval architects at the White Star Line; first-class aristocratic passengers and the families in third class and steerage, many of whom were simply seeking a better life in America; and the boards ofinquiry, whose task it was to help change maritime law to ensure that such an event never took place again.

Building the Titanic by Rod Green
(623.82 GRE) Features a detailed account of the creation of the Titanic, telling the story of how the ship was designed and constructed and why its legend continues to fascinate.

Titanic's Last Secrets by Bradford Matsen
(910.91634) John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, of Shadow Divers fame, look into the sinking of the Titanic. Mr. Matsen tells of their investigation of the wreck of both the Titanic and her sister ship, the Britannic.

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. In her work of historical fiction, The Dressmaker, Kate Alcott weaves a fictional story with real events that took place during the ill-fated voyage and its aftermath.

Tess is a young English girl and aspiring seamstress who is fed up with her life in service (anyone who has seen Downton Abbey knows what this means.) Tess is a maid in a large English house and feels that she is treated poorly and should be paid for the wonderful dresses she makes. Somehow Tess manages to talk her way onto the Titanic as a maid for renowned fashion designer Lady Lucille "Lucy" Duff Gordon. While on board, Tess meets two very different men who treat her as more than just a maid. The first is a Chicago millionaire named Jack and the second is a younger crew member by the name of Jim. We all know what happens next; the Titanic hits an iceberg, the ship sinks, some survive and many do not. If you would like to review some facts about the Titanic, check out the website Titanic Facts.

As the ship sinks, Lucy and her husband, Cosmo, end up in Lifeboat 1 with only 12 passengers, 7 of which are crew. Tess ends up in Lifeboat 6 with none other than Margaret Brown. It just wouldn't be a Titanic story without Margaret Brown.  Anyway, while in their lifeboat, Margaret and Tess take control of the boat, both showing courage, strength and compassion. Once they are rescued and taken aboard the RMS Carpathia, Tess learns that her young sailor friend was in the same lifeboat as the Duff Gordons and that something happened in Lifeboat 1 that nobody wants to talk about.

When the Carpathia reaches New York, a spunky newspaper reporter by the name of Sarah "Pinky" Wade picks up enough information to realize that there is more to the story and the Duff Gordons are at the center of the mystery. Tess must decide where her loyalties lie, who she believes and decide if she is willing to compromise her principles so that Lucy can make all her dreams come true.

I have luke warm feelings about this novel.  I liked the historical details, such as the author never referring to Margaret Brown as "Molly".  She was never called that until after her death in 1932.  There were several inquiries on the sinking of the Titanic and Alcott is able to put her fictional characters right in the middle of the action so-to-speak.  Lucy Duff Gordon was a real passenger on the Titanic, which prompted me to do a little digging into her history (more on that later).  Finally I did enjoy the character of Sarah "Pinky" Wade.  Her tenacity and determination to uncover what really happened on Lifeboat 1 drives the plot.  I really wanted Pinky to be a real person, too. 

Now on to what I didn't like about The Dressmaker.  I found the characters to be two-dimensional.  Initially I thought this could be an adult book written for young adults, but really I think it just suffers from lack of character development and a thin plot. The love triangle was pretty boring, even though it did turn out a bit differently than I anticipated.  I just couldn't make myself care who Tess ended up with, if anyone. 

The Dressmaker is supposed to be Tess's story but the title describes Lucy's profession and Tess' desire.  I found Lucy to be the more interesting character (perhaps because she was real) so for me The Dressmaker is her story.  What I love about historical fiction is that it usually prompts me to do some additional reading about the time period, characters and events that serve as the basis for the story.  Here are a few of my favorite Lady Duff Gordon tidbits: in 1875 while returning to Jersey, after a visit to relatives in England, Lucy and her sister Elinor survived the wreck of their ship when it ran aground during a storm. Also, Lady Duff Gordon was booked on the final voyage of the RMS Lusitania but at the last minute canceled her trip due to illness. The Lusitania was destroyed by a German torpedo on May 7, 1915. This woman had some seriously bad ship karma.

Lucy's sister, Elinor Glyn, was a British novelist and scriptwriter who apparently pioneered mass-market women's erotic fiction. I'm sure by today's standards it was relatively tame, but I guess we can indirectly thank Mrs. Glyn for the popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey. CSPL has a movie that is based on Elinor Glyn's novel of the same name, Beyond the Rocks.  The movie is a silent film originally produced in 1922, restored in 2005, starring Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson. 

As for the scandal surrounding Lifeboat 1, (stop reading now if you don't want to know) Lucy's husband supposedly bribed the crew to not search for survivors. There was also a rumor that at one point, someone tried to get into the lifeboat and was pushed off with an oar. None of the rumors were substantiated although Cosmo did offer the crew members from Lifeboat 1 £5 each (about $760 today) to assist them until they found new employment.  The final report of the inquiry stated that the Duff Gordons did nothing to deter the crew from rescue attempts.

~ Amy, Adult Services

Bingeworthy TV: Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey has become the gold standard of period dramas. For many people, nothing will ever compare and though it ran for 6 series (we call them seasons on this side of the pond) and ended in 2015, Downton Abbey is still incredibly popular. Created by Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey was co-produced by Carnival Films and Masterpiece. Episodes aired on ITV in the United Kingdom first and then after a series ended it aired on PBS in America.  

Why is Downton Abbey still so popular you may ask? There are many reasons: compelling characters and storylines, amazing scenery, amazing costumes, incredible writing...the list goes on. Downton Abbey follows the Crawley family, the hereditary Earls of Grantham, and their servants from the period between 1912 and 1925.

As part of the backstory, the main character, Robert, Earl of Grantham, had married an American heiress, Cora Levinson, to resolve past financial difficulties. Her considerable dowry was contractually incorporated into the comital entail in perpetuity. Basically that means that only a male heir can inherit the title and Cora's dowry can only be passed on to said male heir. The bad news is that Robert and Cora have 3 daughters and no sons. The oldest daughter, Mary, was to marry her second-cousin Patrick, second-in-line to the title. More bad news, the series starts with the Crawley family finding out that Patrick and his father James (first-in-line to the title) perished during an ill fated ocean voyage. Maybe you've heard of it? The ship was called the RMS Titanic.

(I wonder if Rose and Patrick were acquainted?)

For six seasons the lives of all those living at Downton Abbey are affected by historical events that took place during 1912 to 1925. Starting with the sinking of the Titanic, the Crawley's also experience the First World War, the Spanish influenza pandemic, and the Irish War of Independence, to name a few. Throughout all of this, we see the rise of the working class and the decline of the British Aristocracy. The Crawleys, and their servants, struggle to cope with the changing dynamics of the world around them.

The cast is truly amazing and, in my opinion, Maggie Smith shines the brightest as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. Her acerbic wit and one-line zingers often bring some much needed levity to some of the more dour storylines. Nobody does disapproving facial expressions like the Dowager Countess of Grantham. 

If you haven't watched Downton Abbey, sit down with a cup of tea and give it a try. It is truly a masterpiece (see what I did there?). If you have a yen to travel to England, the real Downton Abbey is called Highclere Castle located in North Hampshire, and was used for exterior shots and most of the interior filming. If you are already a fan and wish to read more about Downton Abbey, here is a handy list of books you can check-out from Carnegie-Stout.  

~Amy, Adult Services

3D Blu-rays at Carnegie-Stout Public Library

3D Blu-rays are ready to check out at Carnegie-Stout Public Library, thanks to a gift from our private, non-profit Library Foundation.

For 3D effects, you will need a 3D Blu-ray player, 3D TV with glasses, and a compatible HDMI cable.

If you do not have a 3D player or TV, the same titles are available at the Library in regular Blu-ray and DVD formats.

Our 3D Blu-ray starter collection is very small. Here's what we have so far:

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

Avatar

The Avengers

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Life of Pi

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Prometheus

Thor

Titanic

Top Gun

Transformers: Dark of the Moon 

We will add more titles as they are released, so please let us know if you have any 3D Blu-ray suggestions!