tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5024002801067718054.post3521833642760308420..comments2024-01-22T08:32:58.608-05:00Comments on For Those About to Mock: 2013 Second Takes: Titanic: Voices from the Disaster, by Deborah HopkinsonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5024002801067718054.post-47277096247716884142012-11-08T15:11:41.840-05:002012-11-08T15:11:41.840-05:00That piece about literature is, indeed, a whole ot...That piece about literature is, indeed, a whole other post, and a very important one. My personal take is that TITANIC is both great NF and great literature (though not as great literature as BOMB, and maybe not as great literature as WGAJ, though I have to reread that one), but I think you have at least a valid argument going after it on that front.<br />- MarkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5024002801067718054.post-66202593041036560172012-11-08T13:48:07.501-05:002012-11-08T13:48:07.501-05:00Interesting thoughts. I found WE'VE GOT A JOB ...Interesting thoughts. I found WE'VE GOT A JOB a lot easier to keep track of people in, but it might have to do with the fact that, despite the memorableness of the TV special to my childhood mind, I don't actually know the story of the Titanic anywhere near as well as I know the story of various Civil Rights events. Good call on the carefulness of the research though.<br /><br />I'll admit that nature writing is my favorite kind of nonfiction, and so MOONBIRD is the easiest sell to me of any of this year's premier NF titles. But -- and this is a post in itself, one that will be coming eventually -- in my representing-nobody-but-myself opinion, a key word in the Newbery's description is "literature." Excellent nonfiction isn't necessarily excellent literature. The Encyclopedia Brittanica and Annals of the Former World are both great nonfiction, but to me, only the latter is great literature. It's a key difference to me between something like AMOS FORTUNE, FREE MAN (great and literature, retaining its inherent interest years after it's written) and A BLACK HOLE IS NOT A HOLE (really, really good nonfiction, but not in a way that would make it great literature).<br /><br />Sam Eddingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01008209097162183766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5024002801067718054.post-25710335476655540142012-11-08T13:17:55.466-05:002012-11-08T13:17:55.466-05:00I admit to being bored to tears by anything with t...I admit to being bored to tears by anything with the word "bird" in the title, so I won't compare this to Hoose, but I think you have given this a slightly short shrift. For one thing, I think TITANIC is far and away the best piece of nonfiction qua nonfiction this year. That is - in terms of the level of research, and bringing together of sources, as well as scrupulously avoiding the pitfalls that BOMB falls into (as discussed over at Heavy Medal). One brilliant example is when Hopkinson relates the story of a passenger noticing Capt. Smith and Andrews going off to a cabin together. Every depiction of the Titanic disaster I've seen discusses this meeting, and often dramatize it, despite the fact that the two people who were there both died in the wreck. Hopkinson has a very nice line where she states something like "this is the only evidence we have for what was probably the most important conversation of the night." Great use of primary sources, plus a subtle comment on the way other researchers have used this source to embellish the historical record. <br /><br />On top of that, I think the narrative style, while not as immediately engaging as BOMB or MOONBIRD has a power and beauty all to its own (and is where you're picking up the "eerieness"). Finally, I should say that I didn't have any trouble keeping track of the characters, especially on a second read, and especially compared to, say, WE'VE GOT A JOB. <br /><br />If I can't figure out a way to justify the flaws in BOMB, then TITANIC is hands down my pick for best Nonfiction of the year, and maybe even best book of the year.<br /><br />All that being said, I should note, that I actually think it is more of a YA, edging on Adult, title, and only just barely scrapes the top of the Newbery age range.<br />- MarkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com