Titanic at Two A.M.

Survivor testimonies make Titanic at Two A.M. a fascinating read. When you couple the stories with the pictures, drawings, and sidebars, you have an unforgettable drama. No wonder this ship has mesmerized the world for over 85 years!

Those of us who love to cruise usually love a "good book", and we also tend to be fascinated by all things related to cruises. The Titanic has been the subject of many books and movies. Who can forget the spectacular special effects in the 1997 James Cameron movie, Titanic? For me, Titanic at Two A.M. helped match those vivid movie pictures with the real story in the words of the survivors. It makes a great coffee table addition (and conversation-generator) to a cruise lovers' library.

After reading this riveting book on the ill-fated ship's first (and last) voyage, I immediately thought that a good subtitle might have been -- What if

-- the Titanic officers and passengers actually believed the ship was sinking soon after it struck the iceberg?

-- the steamer Californian had gone to the Titanic's rescue when it saw the rockets fired, or the Californian's radio operator had not gone to bed?

-- the steel used in Titanic's construction had not been so brittle?

-- the ship's owners had not wanted to have the news media report "a respectable crossing time" for its maiden voyage?

Mr. Quinn devotes the first 19 pages of the book to the Titanic's life from launch until 2:00 am on April 15, and the next 100 pages to the last 20 minutes before it slipped below the surface. As you re-live the last hours and minutes of the sinking of the Titanic, you can't help but keep thinking, "What if . . ."