Titanic Sinks! a review

Barry Denenberg. 2011. Titanic Sinks! New York: Viking.

Employing the recently recovered journal of a fictional journalist on board the Titanic, Barry Denenberg has seamlessly and expertly blended fact and fiction  to create a gripping re-telling of the Titanic's doomed voyage.  Titanic Sinks! is well-researched and documented with extensive use of period photos.  Timelines, menus, and more are also included in this large-sized picture book for older readers.

Titanic at the docks of Southampton
April 1912
Public domain photo

 As historical fiction, Titanic Sinks! is a phenomenally successful exercise in creating an exciting method of presenting history to young readers.  As nonfiction, Titanic Sinks! is a wealth of well-documented facts, quotes, photos, and timelines from one of modern history's worst and best-known disasters.  As a "unique presentation of fact and fiction," as stated on the book's jacket, I find Titanic Sinks! mildly troubling.  Barry Denenberg has done such a tremendous job of creating the fictional Modern Times magazine, complete with masthead, table of contents, an explanatory "Letter from the Publisher," and even editor's notes, that it will be difficult for readers (both young and old) to discern fact from fiction.  Granted, there is "A Word from the Author" in the book's final pages which explains the melding of fact and fiction, however, a reader might easily pass over the author's note, or be so convinced by the previous publisher's letter and editor's note that he is left confused and unsure of what is fact and what is fiction.

That being said, I would not discourage anyone from reading this compelling account of the Titanic's sinking.  In fact, I highly recommend it, but with a word of caution that some explanation may be in order.  Alternatively, it would make excellent subject matter for older students to learn the process of determining authenticity in a work of nonfiction.

Other reviews @
Kirkus
Publishers Weekly

Barry Denenberg's previous book, Lincoln Shot! is done is a similar vein. He is a prolific author of quality nonfiction and historical fiction titles.  His website offers a link to his blog Another Side, which, if you are a lover of history, you will find incredibly well-written and interesting!  It's now on my list of "must read" blogs.

It's Nonfiction Monday.  Today's roundup is at The Nonfiction Detectives.

Real Pirates

Clifford, Barry. 2008. Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship.Washington, DC: National Geographic.

(This is not a new book, but it's a great fit if your library is participating in this summer's water-themed summer reading program, Make a Splash @ Your Library.)

A thoroughly investigated re-creation of a doomed ship's final journey. From its beginnings as a slave ship plying the lucrative trade route from Europe to Africa to the New World, to its capture by famed pirate, Sam Bellamy, to its sinking along the Cape Cod coastline, Barry Clifford tells the riveting true story of The Whydah's last voyage. Reinforced with photographed artifacts from the ship, painted illustrations, and replicas of period charts and drawings, the story of The Whydah is enhanced by the secondary story of how the persistent Barry Clifford unearthed the sunken vessel's secrets.


Small print and numerous illustrations are employed to tell the story in short titled sections, "Flying the Jolly Roger," The Storm at Sea," etc. Particularly interesting is "The Articles,"

"Even though the pirates were criminals, they insisted that the Articles be strictly obeyed."

One such article from "Ye Articles of ye Gentlemen of Fortune,"

Any Man who Strikes or Abuses another of Company shall suffer such Punishement as ye Company shall deeme ffit & Just. Every Man's Quarrel to be settled a shoar with Sword & Pistol & be Adjudged Fair Fighy by ye Quarter-Master.

(from Captain Charles Johnson's A General History of the Pyrates, 1724)

Index, suggested reading, references and websites complete the book.For older readers interested in pirate lore or shipwrecks. Fascinating!

And be sure to check out the Wydah Exhibit, headed soon to St. Louis, MO.
Today's Non-Fiction Monday is at Check It Out. Check it out!
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