I found the book's subtitle to be a little misleading in that it is about the sinking of the Titanic, but the author really does a poor job of tying in the end of the Edwardian Era. The book om centers a number of the passengers on the Titanic and covers some of their history before the voyage, during the voyage, the sinking of the ship and the aftermath. I found the book to be inconsistent in parts of it really dragged while other parts moved at a brisk pace. The slow parts dealt with the author getting somewhat tedious in the background provided on the passengers featured in the book and somewhat frequent meanderings off the subject. The most interesting and engaging parts of the book centered on the voyage and the sinking of the ship. The author also provides his opinion on some of the myths surrounding the Titanic.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Titanic bearing in mind that the book is inconsistent.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page.

maritime, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, early-20th-century

The book is a detailed reminder of the lifestyles of people on both sides of the Atlantic before and after the sinking. I truly geek history, so the intensive research was definitely a big plus. It is made more real and more manageable by using only a handful of the glitterati as focus persons. Very interesting whether one is afflicted by Titanic Madness or not. I really enjoyed this different take on a subject peripherally known to most!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Atria Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Gareth Russell has done his research. Uncovering previously unpublished sources and including photographs. Russell tells the story not just of the sinking of the Titanic, but of six well-known and well-heeled passengers and the role they played in history.

He is a gifted writer and puts the event in context with what was going on in the world. Especially the Americans and the British. With the Edwardian Era ending, war on the horizon and changes in the social norms, technology, politics, Irish Home Rule, the class system, this was a major time of change for the world. 

We follow the stories of six of those passengers on the Titanic and how their lives changed.  The description of the sinking, minute by minute, the different ways Americans and the British handled the tragedy. Not everyone was chivalrous or brave. And for some that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

For me personally, this was the best book I have read on the subject. And that was because it was so well researched and written. Myths were shown for what they were. Facts and journals told stories never heard before. The pictures were priceless in creating an image in your head of who these people were and how they behaved.

I would have no problem recommending this book as a definitive look at this point in our history.

Extremely Well Done!

NetGalley/ November 19th, 2019 by Atria Books

Let me start off by saying I thought I was going to love this book. The titanic and its history has fascinated me since I was a little girl and with the added depth of some of the prominent passengers being detailed in this book I thought it was going to be a 5 star read.

This book is thoroughly well researched and written very well. What I struggled with the most is actually keeping track of the historical timelines and people/ places in those timelines. Due to this, I actually could not get all the way through the book. I am not permanently dnf-ing this book, but I am not in a place where I can fully keep everything straight. I believe that if I could keep everything straight, I would really like this book.

Thank you to Atria books via NetGalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you love your shipwrecks with a side of history, this is the Titanic book for you. Russell follows a smaller group of passengers and crew, using them as a lens through which to view the end of an era. Which means the ship doesn't go down until you're quite a ways through.

I confess to skimming some bits, like when too many names from history piled up in too short a time, but generally this was a great read. I appreciated when Russell took the time to debunk some Titanic conspiracy theories and if-it-weren't-for-fill-in-the-blank-this-wouldn't-have-happened theories, and when he stuck up for those demonized in the aftermath. It's one of the tiresome things about people that there's always that *sixth* stage of grief no one talks about: blaming others. Whether it's God or the captain or the White Star line or the ship's designer or that man who dared to take a lifeboat seat when there was no one else to take it anyhow. Oh, brother.

Thank you to the publisher for the chance to review this very worthwhile book.

A fascinating read a book not only about the Titanic itself and the building of it but it brings to life the people who were on the ship.The times the society the culture the era before and after the Titanic came to a sad ending,So well written informative an excellent look at the history the times of the Titanic.#netgalley#atriabooks

What a lot of research went into this book! The reader is given not only lots and lots of detail, but lots and lots of background information. It’s an amazing tome!

I finished this book yesterday but I needed a day to mull over my review. I have read multiple books on the Titanic disaster, and I will say this is by far the best rendition of the events and the happenings of them all. The research the author did for this story is indeed meticulous. His descriptions were so realistic, I felt like I was standing there with Tommy Andrews next to the fireplace on the Titanic and I could see him throwing the chairs over the side to the passengers in the water, you could even feel the cold water on your feet in the lifeboats. There were so many scenes that you feel this way, just like you were there.
The book is chock full of facts and background that the other books didn’t even come close to. I cannot give the author high enough praise for the parts of the story that pertained to the voyage, the people and the events leading up to and after the accident. Some of his theories were also very interesting.
Now for the downside of the book, I did not expect this to be a history lesson, but unfortunately you will need a little patience and just try to keep your interest to get past the very long dialogue that I found so overwhelming. I knew there was a good story in here so I kept at it, and it was well worth it once the actual story began. This was a rewarding read and I will remember it for a long time to come.
I was given the opportunity to receive this book from Atria Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This one gets a four-star rating; I give it 6 stars for the actual Titanic events and a 2 for the hard to follow history lessons.

4 stars

I have been a follower of all things Titanic for many years and found this book to be a welcome addition to my collection. Mr. Russell manages to put the ship and its passengers into a complete historical perspective. He shows that we are all “victims” of our social class and of the time in which we live.

This book is a very good re-telling not only of the Titanic tragedy, but also Mr. Russell includes brief but very detailed biographies of some of the famous personages included in his book. The research alone must have been exhaustive and extensive. In addition, he included the political climate in Belfast and the rest of Ireland where the Titanic was built as well as both the political and social climate of Europe and America.

Thus the conditions in Europe and America were masterfully described in what Russell describes as the end of the Edwardian era.

The author also debunks the popular conspiracy theories about the sinking of the Titanic and the rumors that followed some of the passengers – both dead and alive – around like smelly little black clouds especially Mr. Ismay and Mr. Thacker. Their stories were tragic when piled upon their survival but for vastly different reasons.

There is also a copious bibliography and extensive notes for those who would like to further explore Titanic. I watched a documentary recently and read articles about how quickly Titanic is now deteriorating on the seabed. Another sad chapter for the old girl.

Very well done, Mr. Russell. I very much look forward to reading more from this author.

This is a wonderful look at the Titanic, it's passengers and the effect it had on the time period in which it sailed. This was an interesting book in that it wasn't just about the Titanic we learn about its passengers as well and the Edwardian era. It wasn't dry but was well written and kept you wanting to continue.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

The Ship of Dreams is a captivating read. It's more than just the typical regurgitation of Titanic facts. Russell divulged lesser known facts and personalities from the tragedy, incorporating their stories into a larger tapestry of Edwardian life. I enjoyed reading his work and found it was hard to tear myself away. I am huge Titanic enthusiast and have read most of what has been written. Russell's work is a welcome addition to the Titanic bibliography. The one critique I have is in a few areas, the author extrapolates on extra material that I felt was both unnecessary and detracting. I poured through the notes and the resources to glean even more titles. Anyone who enjoys reading about the 1912 disaster should dive into this book.

A scholarly look at the Titanic, with a lot of divergence to other topics related to the featured passengers, this has some interesting material, unique to this volume.

Isidor Strauss guides his family and business through the end of the Civil War and plans a future. The royal funeral of King Edward is attended by dignitaries and royals from all over, but the featured mourner is the King's little white dog trotting alongside the carriage.

The construction and development of the Titanic is coupled with the social standards and manners that created the class system over generations. Ships were very class conscious, and the steerage passengers were expected to keep to their bottom of the ship accommodations out of sight, out of mind. First class led a sybaritic existence with rooms decorated in the Marie Antoinette style, fine foods, and entertainment.

A comment that Titanic would still float if she were cut in thirds is documented, though nonsensical. Surely designer Thomas Andrews did not believe his ship would still float if it were segmented, but it was probably a joke and intended as such. He was chatting with Eleanor Cassebeer at the time, perhaps trying to lighten the mood after the ice impact. Perhaps he believed that his new ship was proof against all that the sea could bring against her. Unfortunately no one told the iceberg. After a few more minutes, he knew Titanic was doomed and that the passengers should prepare for the worst.

There's also discussion of other shipwrecks, some well known, some obscure. Some of the Titanic stories are explained, and there's an interesting part about the demand for "Women and children first." Some men were declined, though their wives would have been acceptable, and they just walked across the ship to another lifeboat, where both could board without problem. Lady Duff Gordon felt American women were too compliant and ready to accept that their husbands should stay aboard to die. Isador and Ida Strauss stayed together aboard the sinking ship, together to the last.

Of course there was some doubt that this was a disaster. Some believed they would be in the small boats a few hours and back aboard for breakfast. In a few hours they saw that was not going to happen.

Titanic has become a historic benchmark, thanks to multiple movies, many books, and many television programs. Now that we know where she rests at the bottom of the Atlantic, the fascination continues.

This fascinating book about the Titanic delves into more than just its sinking. It's a look at social history of the ship and the times, we learn more about the building process, the background of passengers, and the effect the sinking had on the Edwardian era. The details in this book are magnificent. It's a great narrative non-fiction that will delight fans of Erik Larson and Bill Bryson.

Read if you: Want a fuller understanding of the society and events surrounding the Titanic.

If you pick this book up hoping for it to be solely focused on the ins and outs of the Titanic and its ultimate demise, this might not be the book for you. However, if you want a better knowledge of the politics and extensive background of several passengers as well as the details about the ship, try this one. Russell is an engaging writer, especially when discussing the various myths about the Titanic and the aftermath.

Many thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a very thorough examination of the underlying historical and cultural events and circumstances both before and after the tragic sinking of the Titanic, including an examination of the people who lived it, the media which reported it, and the the world as it existed before and after the sinking in 1912. I highly recommend it.

I have been obsessed with all things Titanic since the move came out in the early 2000's. I sincerely wish I had had this book back when I was a college student doing a Speech presentation on the Titanic, because this book was chock full of so many details and insights that were new to me. (which is rare as a Titanic buff!) It's a fairly large book and there is a lot of detail, but if you are a Titanic lover you are going to want to read this book!

I love reading books like this! The Titanic is an amazing story and has always kept me interested. Even though it is a tragic story it is still amazing! This book is also a great ship disaster story and I highly recommend this to anyone that wants to read a great book!! An easy to follow along with story!! and written by a great author! Thanks You for the opportunity to read and review this book!

The Ship of Dreams by Gareth Russell is a book that gives historical background of the people and the shipping industry when the Titanic was built and ultimately sunk. The author writes about ship building in the early 1900s and tells about the White Star Line's other ships such as the Olympic.

I appreciated Russell's clarification of the differences between First Class, Second Class and Steerage. If you watched the movie Titanic, it seemed most First Class rooms were the ultimate in luxury and the rooms came with built in bathrooms. The Ship of Dreams clarifies that some First Class rooms had private bathrooms while most First Class passengers used a communal facility. It was details such as this that made his book a good read.

Of course you will read about a famous Hollywood Star, the Astors and of course the rest of the "regular" people who were on the Titanic's ill-fated voyage.

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.

The author highlights several first class passengers, telling the reader about their background, and their ultimate fate. There is an English countess, a naval architect, a movie star, an American railroad executive and his son, and a Jewish couple, former immigrants who owned Macy's. It’s interesting how each reacts to the shocking circumstances: from shallow and selfish to heroic. The author also proposes that this was the end of the Edwardian era, and the predecessor of more horrors to come with the advent of the Great War just a few years away. Thanks to Netgalley and to Atria Books for this ARC.