RMS Titanic in 50 Objects

Book excerpt: On 15 April 1912, passengers stood on a dimly lit Boat Deck, looking down at the lifeboats they were told to enter. In the freezing air, away from the warmth of the interior, they had to decide whether to enter a boat that would be lowered into darkness or remain on an 'unsinkable' ship. RMS Titanic in 50 Objects is a look at the world-famous liner through the objects that tell her story. Sheet music recovered from the body of a musician, a full-sized replica of her First Class Entrance Hall clock, a lifeboat from a fellow White Star Line ship – all of these objects and more come together to tell not only the tragedy of the ship herself, but also that of her passengers and crew. Lavishly illustrated and extensively researched by two of the world's most foremost Titanic experts, this is her history brought to life like never before.