This book review originally published in Voyage, issue 64 [pages 229 /
230], Summer 2008, © Titanic International Society, P. O. Box 7007, Freehold, NJ
07728-7007, USA. Published by permission of the author [17, July, 2008].
Titanic; The Ship Magnificent. (Vol. 1: Design and Construction, ISBN
798-0-7524-4606-6, 638pp. plus appendix, glossary, index, 1,010 photos, plans and
drawings; Vol. 2: Interior Design and Fitting Out, ISBN 978-0-7524-4626-4, 462pp. plus
bibliography, glossary, index, 557 photos, plans and drawings, 8-page color section.) By
Bruce Beveridge, Scott Andrews, Steve Hall and Daniel Klistorner; edited by Art
Braunschweiger. Hardbound. Published by The History Press, Ltd., Cirencester Road,
Chalford, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 8PE, England. Available through Amazon.com for
$37.77 per volume, plus shipping, or through Amazon.co.uk £35 per volume: slipcase
edition of both volumes for £66 plus shipping. Full details available at http://titanic-theshipmagnificent.com
Encyclopedic, Fascinating. Illuminating. Instructive. Awesome. Essential.
Detailed. Hefty. Attempting to describe this groundbreaking work involves adjectives not
often used for Titanic book. Titanic: The Ship Magnificent
merits such words as a most significant contribution to Titanic knowledge.
Volume 1. “Design and Construction.” Contains 24 chapters, ranging
from “Structural Members,” “Watertight Bulkheads, Watertight Doors and Coal
Bunkers,” and “Ventilation and Heating” to Lifeboats, the Welin Davit and
Safety Appliances.” Volume 2. “Interior Design and Fitting Out,” covers the
ships accommodation in 13 chapters. One deals solely with sanitary appliances: another
details the culinary, commissary and service plate. The remainder of the volume is
organized by deck, and takes the reader on an extensive guided tour of almost every
interior space, including both passenger and crew areas. We metaphorically peek into
nearly every cabin, where furnishings, fittings and color schemes are fully described and
often illustrated. The photographs are remarkable; a high percentage are new to this
reader. Where no photographs exist of areas like the servants’ dining room or
corridors, expertly done computer-generated “artist impressions” fill the gaps.
To ensure that readers don’t become lost in this labyrinthine vessel, author Beveridge’s
highly detailed deck plans, done by computer-assisted drafting, and offered in varied
scales, from an entire deck down to just the ship’s wheelhouse. Everything from Titanic’s
accommodation ladder to the dimensions and styles of the ship’s windows and
portholes, from the insulators on her wireless antennas to the means of manually closing
watertight doors - or operating the ship’s toilets - is documented in text and
illustrations.
The information in both volumes is simply not available elsewhere. It evinces
the authors’ passion to find every scrap about the lost liner. In some cases, data
from the Olympic is extrapolated for Titanic, but the authors are always careful to note
such “educated guesses.” Olympic photos sometimes stand-in for Titanic,
but if differences exist between the two sisters, they are always explained in captions.
The depth of research is remarkable; in addition to shipyard photographs and
plans, an extensive White Star publicity materials and ephemera from the authors’
personal collection, the bibliography lists more than 100 sources, including 1912-era
shipbuilding journals, specialist publications like the Electrician, the 1935
auction catalog for the Olympic, and early 20th Century books. The latest
knowledge derived from explorations of the wreck and recovered artifacts has been
incorporated into the authoritative text. Information about shipboard life - where one
would purchase tickets to the Turkish bath, hours of operations for the dinning room, the
working hours for the ship’s musician - is skillfully integrated with the technical
data.
Because this work is descriptive rather than narrative, a matter-of-fact
style is appropriately used. Technical terms are generally well explained. There’s
neither story line nor personal accounts of passengers or crew here, just information.
While “non-buffs” among the general public might find the text
less-tan-scintillating, those eager to learn will find it fascinating. Because the second
volume primarily describes passenger accommodations, some may find it more interesting
than the first volume.
The books are published on fine quality, coated stock, enhancing photographic
reproductions. The editing is done well, though constant, unnecessary capitalizations are
a tiny annoyance.
In so many ways, Titanic: The Ship Magnificent is a seminal
reference work, goes far beyond any other single source in describing the technological
wonders and creature comforts of Titanic. Lead author Bruce Beveridge and his
coauthors are to be congratulated for their amazing documentary study of history’s
most famous ship. The publishers, History Press, Ltd., are commended for permitting it to
grow into two massive volumes (weighing more than 10 pounds!) that codify, organize and
explain so much of what is know about the lost liner.
Save up, then treat yourself to a feast of information! Titanic: The Ship
Magnificent is, itself, magnificent. |
