Down with the Old Canoe: A Cultural History of the Titanic Disaster

Plenty of books recount what happened the night the Titanic sank, but this one does something different. It traces how people have understood that night, mostly in the United States, in the decades since. For example, the Titanic figured into the arguments of both opponents and supporters of women's suffrage in 1912. It entered into African American culture in the form of folk songs and spoken-word poetry (the precursor to rap). It's been the subject of poems, novels, songs, musicals, and (of course) movies. James Cameron's 1997 film--the highest grossing movie of all time--is just one attempt to make the disaster speak to contemporary concerns. With intelligence and wit, Biel shows that many meanings can come from an event. If you want to read a narrative account of the Titanic disaster, try "A Night To Remember." But for the hows and whys of remembrance, read this wonderfully researched book, which is gracefully written and often funny.

Steven Biel writes with a detail and depth of knowledge of his subject. The disaster becomes a touchstone for aspects of popular American culture, a prism through which various 20th century concerns are seen, even as Titanic-as-metaphor becomes increasingly mythic and removed from the actual event.

This is one of the few Titanic books currently in print which does more than rehash the same old sinking story. Instead, it looks at the reaction of society to the greatest marine tragedy of all time.The success of Biel's book hinges on his meticulous research and thorough reporting of his findings. One chapter examines how the New York press reported the tragedy in the days following the sinking. Many authors are content to re-state what the New York Times said (accurately reporting that the ship had sunk), and what the New York Sun said (inaccurately reporting "All Saved From Titanic After Collision"). Biel digs deeper, and presents a range of reactions that vary from honest, dedicated journalism to wild speculation. Biel's also examines how the Titanic affects us to this day. His analysis of Titanic movies such as "A Night to Remember", "Titanic" (1953), and "Raise the Titanic" give the reader a new perspective on these often-overlooked films. More than cinematic re-tellings of the sinking, they reveal the feelings and values of the people who made them.Although it is not the most exciting of novels, it is a brave work that, like prospectors looking for gold, successfully finds new material in a world of tired, re-hashed, and looked-over facts.

This was a very good book, although it fails achieve a high score. The text was fairly interesting and the pictures hardly held my interest. Had a few very interesting facts, though.