The Rough Guide to the Titanic

Book excerpt: A century after the most famous shipwreck in history, The Rough Guide to the Titanic tells the full compelling story of the supposedly unsinkable liner. A comprehensive history, it covers all the Titanic's final hours, from striking the iceberg to disappearing beneath the freezing Atlantic waters. Discover the epic human drama at the heart of the tragedy, with a rich cast of characters including the heroes, villains and victims aboard the Titanic, and the adventurers who re-discovered it in 1985. Plus, there are maps, diagrams and images to illustrate the saga at every turn. The focus also stretches backwards the people who built the Titanic - with their faith in progress and technology - and forwards to explore the controversies and conspiracy theories that have raged ever since its sinking. The Rough Guide to the Titanic also looks at quite why everybody appears to be so fascinated by the Titanic, and the books, music and movies that have kept its memory alive ever since - from the stiff upper lips of 1958's A Night To Remember to the tear jerking romance of James Cameron's Titanic.