Commander Lightoller’s book is an autobiography from his first days in the great ships of sail to his experiences as Commander of a destroyer defending the English channel in the Great War. Of the forty five chapters in the book only six chapters concern the Titanic.

Lightoller was quite a character; and he led an incredibly adventurous life. He went to the sea when he was thirteen. He lived through a hurricane and three shipwrecks besides the sinking of the Titanic. He hunted for gold in the Klondike and about froze to death, and many years later had his ship sunk from under him in the First World War. Although not covered in his book, he also sailed his own boat to Dunkirk in the Second World War to rescue retreating British soldiers. He was in his sixties!

It is a shame this book has never seen a modern reprint, as it is very scarce in the original. It is really worth reading.

Cover photo courtesy of Tarn Stephanos.

This is an abridged paperback version of the original 1935 hardcover edition. Although a paperback, it actually came with a dust jacket as well!