Unsinkable: The Full Story of the RMS Titanic Paperback – March 6, 2012

Nearly a century after its sinking, the Titanic seems but a legend. We know it happened, we know of the players in the tragedy, but it's like looking at something from very far away, there's a sort of detachment. This book humanizes the experience of the sinking and made me realize that it wasn't just some event that happened all those years ago and has been sensationalized for decades. It makes a person realize that it actually DID happen, and brings to light just how much it effected everyone involved, both directly and indirectly. I read reviews saying it was like Walter Lord's "A Night To Remember", I wouldn't know because I never read it (though that will change when it's available for Kindle). I felt it was well written, decisive, informative and awakening. The story was told without being droll and made me feel more for the story and a part of it.

I really like this author. He writes simply, but with an engaging style. Personally he seems to be very approaching and interesting ! Like most of us i 've read the epic by Walter Lord and others. However, Daniel Butler has an uncanny ability to present new formation and puts everything into perspective. I'm now reading his Pearl Harbor book. Its also great ! Again, having been a history teacher and lifetime reader, I've read several Pearl books. However his book is so interesting , well written, and I'm understanding Japan/USA 1920-1941 relations much better ! Well i'ld best get back to reading . Pass the word that this author is unique and talented !

Somehow this author has found a way to both be incredibly thorough yet also succinct and not get bogged down in any particular narrative. This is the most comprehensive book I’ve read on the subject yet I felt like I flew through it in no time. It starts with the competitive nature of ocean liner travel at the time Titanic was built, the key figures and construction details of the ship, passengers and crew insight from across the societal spectrum, the timeline of the accident and facts as we know it, inquiries that took place in both the US and Britain, several “aftermath” notations about what happened to survivors, and even through modern salvage/recovery efforts and media adaptations. I learned so much from reading this book and highly recommend it for anyone wanting a better comprehensive look at this incredible and heartbreaking event.

In "Unsinkable" Daniel Butler pulls no punches and tells the story straightforwardly. If he has an axe to grind, it's his annoyance at revisionists using the disaster as an indictment of society in 1912. True, class-consciousness (and racism) did exist, but as the author points out, this had nothing overtly to do with the discrepancies of survivors in each class. Simply put, no 3rd class passenger who made it to the boat deck was thrown out because of the ticket they bought. The author makes an excellent argument that US immigration regulations, and the pernicious influence of said class-consciousness (the 3rd Class passengers for the most part, were conditioned to be told what to do, and when no one did they waited for someone to do so-fatally) doomed many 3rd Class passengers.When discussing the location of the wreck, Mr Butler is not intimidated by the iconic status of Dr Ballard, pointing out some inconsistencies in his campaigns to keep artifacts from being salvaged from the wreck.Mr Butler is equally unafraid of attacking the "Smith-ites" and "Lord-ites" who passionately defend the actions of these key players. Butler admirably shows that Smith is ultimately responsible as the captain of the ship, and highlights his lack of leadership once he gave the order to abandon ship. As far as the Captain of the Californian is concerned, modern research shows that the positions of the ships were about 10-12 miles apart (EXACTLY that estimated by Titanic and Californian officers). He also points out that key parts of both ship logs were conveniently missing from 14-15 April. In sum, the author convinced this kind-of-Lordite that the US and British investigations were correct to censure him.I'm not overly into Titanic-ology, but given the extremely small span of time from striking the 'berg to sinking-about 2 hours, and the relatively few primary sources and survivor accounts, it's no surprise to this historian that many historical accounts parallel each other.If one is into Titanic minutiae, there is probably not much new to you here, except maybe the appendices on Smith and Lord. If you are have an interest in a refreshingly non-PC account, by all means acquire this book.

I was impressed with the depth of the work and care the author to bring the tale to life. Bravo Mr Butler

This book is fantastically written. It is thorough and enlightening - I learned a lot I didn't know before, and was referred to other Titanic resources that I pursued as well. I was also inclined to buy the author's subsequent title, "The Other Side of the Night", and I'm very much looking forward to reading that too. A great telling of a legendary event.

See the movie, but read this book. The movie fails to satisfy in the way "Unsinkable" will, as Butler provides us with a richly complete story of a tragedy that still grips the imagination. Walter Lord's "A Night to Remember" set the standard for non-fiction Titanic accounts; Butler refreshes the tale and provides us with even more details, and more information about the role of the Californian.Since 9-11 it has been fashionable to say that "the world is changed forever." The sinking of the Titanic also signified the end of an era, not just Edwardian times but the end of the rigidly stratified class structure with its built-in inequities. Also, the hubris of technology suffered a blow; we were never so innocent again as to place our belief in "unsinkable" ships, or the infallibility of any work of man.The human story, and the failure of the "state-of-the-art" ship building, are both skillfully depicted in "Unsinkable". Kudoes to the author. This book deserves a wide audience.