Titanic

With the launch of James Cameron's extravagant summer blockbuster Titanic now delayed until winter, libraries can partially appease the letdown with this excellent, beautifully produced, in-depth--and gripping--historical account of the biggest maritime disaster of our century. Narrated by David McCallum (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s sidekick), and combining survivor and historian interviews with archival footage and reenactments, Titanic traces the story of the humongous passenger cruise ship: from its design (one of the architects, Bruce Ismay, would be vilified for surviving the disaster) to its destruction after striking an iceberg just before midnight on April 14, 1912. Beyond the foregone conclusion, what fascinates here are the details--the near collision with the New Yorker while still in the harbor, the woeful lack of lifeboats, and the shocking message of over 1,500 dead received by a young messenger boy named David Sarnoff (who would later become the head of RCA). The sinking of the Titanic marked an end to an age of innocence and arrogance, when humankind's unquestioning belief in technology seemed absolute. Highly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (R. Pitman)