The Discovery of the Titanic

Rating:
Summary: As Good as It Gets
Review: Ballard's beautifully-written story of the Titanic and his discovery of its resting place remains the best book available on the Titanic. He summarizes the events leading up to the sinking and its impact on the Edwardian public is, like the classic a Night to Remember, concise and enlightening. The story of his search for, and ultimate discovery of, the wreck itself is riveting. One can hardly blame Ballard for his hopeful (and, ultimately, incorrect) belief that subsequent explorers would treat the wreck site with the same awe and reverence he experienced.

Rating:
Summary: The most outstanding book.
Review: Dr Robert Ballard will forever remain the man who found the Titanic. In so doing, he became the world's most famous ocean explorer who found the world's most famous ship.

It is not for me to inform readers of the story of the Titanic. Almost everyone grew up knowing something about that ship - even if the finer points of information they thought they knew were inaccurate.

Having achieved the outstanding feat of finding this elusive shipwreck, Bob Ballard has put together the most complete - and yet again "outstanding," tale of search, discovery and finally success, coupled with an accurate portrayal of the life and death of the ship itself. All the facts and historic photographs are there - and, speaking as a professional shipwreck historian, he really has done the most thorough job of work here.

Finally, he has put together the most (and I deliberately use that word again) "outstanding" collection of artwork created by Ken Marschall. I may be wrong, but it seems to me nobody had heard of this artist until the first editions of this book appeared - now he is a household name amongst those in the know.

From thousands of photographic images taken far below the surface, Bob Ballard created montage after montage of the various sections and profiles of the wreck (i.e. big photographs made up of thousands of little photographs) so that Mr Marschall was able to provide us with paintings which look like single colour photographs of this and that section which go together to make up the entire wreck.

I congratulate Dr Ballard on an excellent and professional job of work. Altogether, the most outstanding book for which 5 stars are not enough.

NM

Rating:
Summary: This book is wonderful-
Review: For someone who wants to study the Titanic as she is and as she once was,this is a truly informative book,crammed with facts and many beautiful pictures.Dr.Ballard has given the world back the long lost Titanic.When you read how Dr.Ballard looks through the portholes and can imagine seeing passengers walking the halls,look closely at the portholes yourself:gaurunteed to give you goose bumps!This book has been very important to me in the writing of my in depth paper on Titanic for college.It's a must have for any Titanic library!

Rating:
Summary: discovery of titanic was great
Review: I am involved in the TITANIC project extensively, and have used Dr. Ballard's book for reference on many occasions. What I have discovered is that it is an admirable effort, based on the information available at the time. Of course, all of his first-hand information is accurate. The info on the current state of the wreck, his photomosaics, and the artwork included inside is not entirely accurate. Based on what Dr. Ballard's team knew at the time of publication, it cannot be faulted. However, much has been learned since then. Readers should be careful not to accept only one source for info on this, or any subject. A good source is the series of shows that the Discovery Channel is doing on this subject. They have teamed with some of the best people in this field for extensive research on the wreck.

Rating:
Summary: Very well written account
Review: I bought this book soon after the hype brought on by the film. I have always been a history fan. The stories surrounding the fate of the Titanic have always intrigued me.

I knew of Ballard from previous expeditions that he had done. I have seen his work on The Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel.

This book is well thought out. From the search in the early days to the actual discovery and exploration. It's amazing how Ballard was able to stick with it over the years and the difficult times.

The book is written more as a story than as a text book. Plenty of history. The underwater photos are magnificent. I read the book and just wonder at all the problems that they had to overcome. The setbacks. The failures. It's all here in an easy to read and follow book.

If you are at all interested in the Titanic and it's discovery, this is a good book to read.

Rating:
Summary: A very unique exploration of RMS Titanic
Review: I have long been interested in any research and historical writings on the Titanic. Dr. Ballard, through his book, "Discovery of the Titanic," made a tragic event in history take on even more importance than previous works. The pictorial accounts, coupled with the illustrations of Ken Marschall, make this book a must addition to the library of one interested in the ocean vessels of the past.

Rating:
Summary: Still the best Titanic book there is!
Review: In September 1985, after a long, greuling expedition, Dr. Robert Ballard discovered the wreck of the legendary ocean liner R.M.S Titanic. He returned a year later and showed the ship in even greater detail. This book is not just about the Titanic and the search for the wreck but is also about how Robert Ballard build his career at Woods Hole before he started searching for Titanic. It's just a shame that recent expeditions to the wreck haven't treated it like Ballard thought they would.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect book to read about the Titanic great information.
Review: It was a well done book by Dr.Ballard if you every want quick but good info this is the book to read!!!!! Submited by Desiree H

Rating:
Summary: The actual story of the discovery plus beautiful images...
Review: The ever interesting Titanic lives on.

The best part about this book is almost being there with Ballard as this great ship is seen again by human eyes for the very first time in many decades. And of course the great images (both the actual pictures and the illustrations of how the parts of the wreck are situated on the bottom) that this book contains.

Very worth while if great historic event in general and the Titanic in particular are among your interests.

Rating:
Summary: Very complete description of the discovery of Titanic
Review: This book describes the discovery of the Titanic in a perfect way. Besides telling the sad story of her maiden voyage, that ended so tragically, Dr. Ballard describes his own struggle to complete his long time wish to find Titanic. He talks about troubles raising funds, the tragedy of almost losing the discovery to another expedition and the very exhaustive and mostly boring search. But also about the joy of finally finding the wreck and his emotions during all of this. All this is told from a integer point of view, also crediting the other people for their part in the discovery. The book includes many photographs and two nice full-color foldouts of the wreck. This new edition also includes a chapter in which Dr. Ballard comments on more recent visits, conducted by others, to the Titanic and his views on the (commercial) salvaging of Titanic wreckage.