Great telling of the efforts of the Marconi men who spent the last few minutes of the sinking of the Titanic sending messages for help. No one thinks about their efforts to save the people onboard. They were the true heroes of this tragedy. ( )

I can say, without a doubt, One Hundred and Sixty Minutes: The Race to Save the RMS Titanic is the most interesting and thorough book I’ve read covering the tragedies and triumphs of the Titanic. This book is full of so many historical facts that I’ve never read anywhere else.

When I initially started reading about the ‘astounding incompetence’ I was stunned. This is quite a bold claim. But as I continued, I sadly agreed. So many more people could have been saved. I’m appalled at learning the numerous opportunities where people could’ve made a difference. (Captain Lord’s story made me cringe.)

This is possibly the only non-fiction book I’ve read on the Titanic that doesn’t cover the story in a romanticized way. Focusing primarily on how human error resulted in this tragedy, and on the heroism of Jack Phillips and Harold Bride is what makes this book special. My interest never wavered, and it felt as if I read a novel instead of the usual heavy and exhaustive history book.

One of the most prolific things this book carries is its coverage of the heroism of Jack Phillips and Harold Bride. These two Marconi operators were wireless officers on board the Titanic and I was fascinated with their roles and of how very young they were. Phillips was 25 years old, and Bride was only 22. They were still kids, in my mind, yet they showed extreme efforts, bravery, and endurance. I was also captivated to learn that if it weren’t for Bride repairing the broken wireless only hours before hitting the iceberg, he and Phillips wouldn’t have been able to send for help!

Ultimately, I was moved to tears as I read Harold Bride’s statement to a New York Times reporter only a few minutes before the Carpathia brought him ashore in Chapter 43. This final chapter is perhaps the most powerful of them all. It is here that Bride candidly conveys the events of the night. He tells of Phillips’ valiant and tireless efforts, how the band continued playing as the ship sank, his own harrowing last moments aboard the Titanic, of being pulled onto a capsized collapsible boat, and how he recited the Lord’s Prayer with other strangers holding on for their lives.

You can't read this book without being forever changed.

On the Night of August 14 1912 The RMS Titanic Struck an iceberg with
only 160 minutes before she sank beneath the waves. We have been told
from Titanic mythology her fate was sealed and no one could have saved
the 1521 people. The real story is that every one who froze in the
North Atlantic could have been saved if it were not for human failing

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. My review was not influenced. ( )

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Normally, I wait a few days after finishing a book before I review it, but I literally just finished reading One Hundred and Sixty Minutes: The Race to Save the RMS Titanic by William Hazelgrove. I absolutely loved this book! If you think you know the history of the Titanic, think again and read this book. Hazelgrove morphs a seemingly well known story into a riveting tale in this stunning book!

Clearly, the book is about the Titanic, but it’s so much more than your run-of-the-mill Titanic story. The author adds a new depth to the story by dispelling the idea that it was tragically unpreventable, and that people accepted their fates with honor and grace. He paints a vivid picture of the true heroes of the story: the two wireless officers on board, Jack Phillips & Harold Bride, along with the Captain of the Carpathia, Arthur Rostrun.

Frequently, I have mixed feelings about many nonfiction books because the actual story is interesting, but the stories are not always conveyed in a captivating way. However, I was enthralled with this book throughout its entirety. Honestly, there are not many nonfiction books that I would consider “page-turners” or that I literally couldn’t put down, but I finished this book in under 48 hours.

Truthfully, when I requested this book on NetGalley, I was interested because the lore around the Titanic is fascinating to me, but I had never read a book about it before. I kind of thought, “If you’ve read one book about the Titanic, you’ve read them all,” but it is abundantly clear that Hazelgrove’s book is original and unique.

He refrains from depicting the story through rose colored lenses. He points to multiple mistakes that could have been avoided, which could have saved all the lives that were lost, or circumnavigated the disaster entirely. While he admits that this event shows a failure of human compassion, the fact that he highlights the unsung heroes of the tragedy, left me with a sense of hope and inspiration.

Whether you’re particularly interested in the Titanic or not, this is a book everyone should read! It’s quite possibly one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ( )