The Band That Played On: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic by Steve Turner

The Band That Played On: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic provides a new perspective on an old, much discussed historical event of tragic proportions. Well researched, this book brings to light many previously unknown facts about 8 brave heroic souls.

On the night of April 14, 1912, eight men showed extreme devotion to their trade. Choosing to play music to keep up the spirits of the passengers of the Titanic after it hit an iceberg, instead of trying to save their own lives, these musicians showed true courage. In his book, Turner provides us with the background of each band member, telling us about their families, lives, and musical histories, showing us what led them to join the ill-fated band of the Titanic. One can only speculate why these men chose to do as they did, opting to continue playing even when they knew the boat, and probably themselves, were doomed.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the Titanic, and perhaps to any history buff. This book is well written, extensive research has been done, and it provides the reader with many new ideas. After finishing the book, the reader will likely want to learn more about these eight brave musicians and do further research on his or her own.

(The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze® so that I may review the book.)