Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: A boatload of 'Titanic' fiction

Few disasters have captured the public imagination like the sinking of the "Titanic," as evidenced by the scarcity of Titanic-themed books remaining on display at the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library. With the 100-year anniversary upon us, there are probably more fictional passengers in the pages of these stories than real ones aboard the doomed ocean liner. Read fictional takes on the "Titanic" in:

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott - A spirited young maid on board the Titanic captures the attentions of two men, including a kindhearted sailor and an enigmatic Chicago millionaire, and barely escapes with her life.
The Company of the Dead by David Kowalski - A mysterious time-traveller appears aboard the "Titanic" on its doomed voyage, to save the ship. But will saving the ship cause more problems than it solves?
Hearts Survive by Yvonne Lehman - In this work of Christian fiction, Lydia and Caroline both suffer tragic losses when the "unsinkable" ship goes down. Decades later, Alan searches for his identity with Joanna, Caroline's granddaughter.
Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke - This character-driven Christian romance tells the story of a "Titanic" survivor's solemn vow to take care of his drowned best friend's sister.
Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn - In the early twentieth century, four sisters and their widowed mother travel aboard the Titanic, where scientist Nikola Tesla's inventions will either doom or save them all.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

A boatload of 'Titanic' fiction

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