The Maiden Voyage

Jason D. Tiller

Jason D. Tiller

Member
Well, I finally can check this one off my most wanted list of Titanic books! I found a copy of it yesterday at an antique mall just sitting on a shelf (you never know what you can find at antique places!). It's the edition that was published by Viking Press. The cover is a bit worn with small rips in certain areas, but the book itself is in excellent condition and it comes complete with the deck plans, which I was estatic to see in the back pocket.

I'm very happy to add this book to my collection. I'm sure it will be a great read!
 
Hey Jason

I have quite a collection of titanic books as well as those on other liners. Maybe we can hang out and check out these antique places together.

Glad to see you got such a rare book.

DAVE
 
Great find, Jason! I got my copy from Alibris so I ended up paying the premium rate. Worth it IMO, but it sure would have been nice to see it turn up at a used booksellers. There's a place in Greenville where I got my long sought copy of Bailey & Ryan's work on the Lusitania and all it cost me was $20.00.
 
Hi David,

Thanks! I'd be up for getting together and going to the antique places, just let me know.

Thanks Mike, you're right it is a great find! The book is definitely worth the money, even if it's a bit costly, but it's always a lot more fun when you happen to stumble upon it in an antique shop or a second hand bookstore. I haven't seen Bailey & Ryan's book, but that's great you got such a bargain for it.

Best regards,

Jason
happy.gif
 
>>I haven't seen Bailey & Ryan's book, but that's great you got such a bargain for it.<<

If you do, snap it up! After reading it, I can see why Eric Sauder thought so highly of it.
 
Agreed. Bailey and Ryan's Book is By Far The best on The Lusitania, Even Though I Don't Agree w/ All Their Theories. That Of Course Can Be Discussed in The Bailey and Ryan Thread, Or If one wishes They May Send me a Private Message.
 
Excellent, Jason - this is near the top of - if not at the top - of my list of favourite Titanic titles. I found my hardcover copy years ago when visiting a second-hand bookshop with a mate(up to then, I'd had to rely on a dodgy paperback). We started looking through the maritime shelves at different ends - he from the top, me from the bottom up. I reached 'M' first, and gleefully claimed it for $10, in excellent condition, with the fold-out plans still intact. I don't think I've been quite forgiven for that yet...
 
Thank you, Inger. I've only skimmed through my copy, but Geoffrey Marcus' style of writing is excellent. He's right up there with Walter Lord.

Good to hear you were able to pick up a copy as well. That's what happens when has one a mate that is interested in the same subject, you start competing for items.
 
Jason...I am certain that you will appreciate the passage pertaining to Sylvia Lightoller. And, forgive me but I do not have the book in front of me now (it's in Gardnerville, NV storage facility) but I recall my first exposure to the photograph section, which in fact, to this day still has an impact on my thoughts. An errie black and white photograph of a liner..aft looking fore...somewhat elevated...very narrow beam...and...ice all about.

I thought, placing myself on-board this particular steamer via mind transcendant...how safe and secure they must have *surely* felt on-board TITANIC...

BTW, mine also had the fold-out section and not a single page creased. Only cause back then (1986) when we had so much concern over T, all those engulfed in the CAMERON fanfare had not. My treasure(s) discovered in the "BOOK MINE", Sacramento CA, $30.00 (DJ) and a 1st edition run of ANTR (DJ) $7.50.

At the time my "knockout" blonde girlfriend had no idea she was dating a bookworm...

...TITANIC bookworm ;-)

Michael Cundiff
USA
 
Michael,

Yes, I can definitely appreciate the passage regarding Sylvia Lightoller. Geoffrey Marcus complied many terrific photos in the book.

As for the ship in the icefield, that would be the Rappahannock who supposedly communicated with the Titanic by morse lamp on the night of April 13 or on the night of the collision.
 
Yes. Yes. Yes!

Erm...in my opinion.

Marcus is one of my favourite Titanic authors, both in terms of research and style...top 3 or 4, as far as I'm concerned. He didn't tread the same old familiar ruts worn since Walter Lord first blazed a trail, he found new sources and new perspectives. I've come across letters he wrote back in the 60s when he was doing his research - some of the private collections he accessed hadn't been shared with researchers since.

Be aware that he does make errors - one of the hazzards when one is blazing a trail. He mistranscribed some names (e.g. 'Tighe' for 'Tingle' and 'Pell' for the intials 'P.M.' (as in 'J.P.M'). He was also led a bit astray by the memories of an old sea captain, and introduced an erroneous version of what happened to the Rappahannock to the Titanic canon.

Most of his original material on Wilde (e.g. quotes from letters) has been referred to on this board (and if not I can transcribe and send it to you), but I believe that no serious Titanic collection is complete without this book - you'll see it often referred to in discussions on this board. Although currently out of print it was reprinted several times, and you should be able to get a cheap version of one of the paperbacks if you don't want to track down a hardcopy.
 
I must fully agree with Inger. Marcus' The Maiden Voyage is one of my favorite books ever written on the Titanic. Much more detailed than Lord's A Night to Remember which, like so many others, first sparked my interest so many years ago. The end notes are extensive a good source for those interested in digging further into specific areas of further study. The book is of course a reflection of what was known in 1969. But I found the book to be extremely well written and still worth reading to this day.
 

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