Non-Fiction Book Reviews

Book Review: The Band That Played On

By Sandy Amazeen Mar 21, 2011, 20:36 GMT

When Titanic collided with an iceberg at 23:40 on April 14th, the eight members of the band had already retired for the evening. Still, they put on overcoats and mufflers came out to play in the lounge. When most of the First Class passengers had taken to their lifeboats, the musicians simply moved to the deck and continued to play, calming the passengers as the ship sank. One second class ...more

Most everyone familiar with the story of the Titanic’s sinking has heard about the selfless action of the band members who continued to play throughout the catastrophe, calming terrified passengers and crew at the expense of their own lives. Until now, little has been known about those brave souls beyond the music they played as the ship went down. Turner’s painstaking research has finally filled in the gaps and provides a look at the early lives, education, family and musical background that eventually led to each of the eight men being aboard the Titanic on her history making maiden voyage. What becomes clear, is that these were ordinary people just doing their jobs until extraordinary events and the steadfast leadership of Wallace Hartley bound them together in an act of supreme sacrifice and selflessness that should never be forgotten.

Turner brilliantly balances the facts with fine storytelling that gives those eight musicians their proper due in a poignant, riveting account that will captivate your interest while instilling a greater appreciation for the human spirit.