Titanic Survivor: The Newly Discovered Memoirs of Violet Jessop Who Survived Both the Titanic and Britannic Disasters

Product was at a decent price, arrived in a timely manner and in good condition. Overall, well pleased with the transaction.

I know that many people will buy this book for the fact alone that Miss Jessop survived the Titanic sinking. That episode, however, represents only a tiny fraction of the entire tapestry of her life, and it is that "saga", recounted here with invaluable editing and background information, that is truly riveting.Prior to reading this book, I was familiar with Miss Jessop's White Star collision and sinking experiences onboard the Olympic, Titanic, and Britannic, but had NO idea of the rest of her work, background or personality.What a life! And when you finish reading this, you will be hoping that there are more memoirs hidden somewhere! I did a marathon read of this book, not being able to stop until I finished.This book is truly a winner! I am so thankful that it has been published.

Violet Jessop went to sea as a stewardess on an ocean liner in 1908. She continued as a stewardess through the glory days when a transatlantic ship crossing was as much a society event as a mode of transportation. She retired at age 63 in 1950, long after traveling by ship had ceased to be chic. During her career Violet Jessop lived through three ocean disasters: 1. the September 1911 collision of HMS Hawke with Olympic, 2. the sinking of Titanic in 1912, and 3. the sinking of the hospital ship Britannic during World War I. But the reader who picks up this book expecting a gripping first-person account of the sinking of Titanic will be disappointed. Jessop treats that experience in a mere two or three pages. She dismisses the sinking of Britannic in a couple of pages and doesn't even mention the collision between Hawke and Olympic. From our current historical perspective, it's easy to judge that the most important event in Violet Jessop's life was her presence on board Titanic. But for Violet the best part of her life was her early childhood, before her father's death, in South America. Her book tells in lovingly remembered detail of her days on the Pampas before her father's illness and early death sent the family back to England and into financial need. Violet went into service on a ship not because of the glamour of the work, but because it was a job that required little education. Violet, who lived from 1887 to 1971, completed this manuscript in 1934, probably for some contest that she apparently did not win. Her nieces discovered the manuscript after her death and submitted it to Sheridan House for publication in 1996. This woman who is the subject of this book should not be judged for when and where she happened to be in history, but the kind of life she led.

I thought that Violet Jessop did a wonderful job of telling her tale. The woman not only survived one but three sea disastors and lived to tell. I will admit I only bought the book because of the simple fact that she shared my last name and the realization that I resemble her in looks. I read the book and through Violet I learned about my family history. I was able to find some old relatives and learn more about my family name. Although my great great great aunt has passed through her book I was able to see what a great women she was.I hope that other Titanic lovers or even book lovers will read this book and see what a truly amazing women she was. It owuld be worth eery one's time to read this book. You can see into another time and place and you can see it through an amazing woman's eyes.