Littlejohn, Alexander James & told by Philip Littlejohn. Titanic “Waiting for Orders”. The Story of Alexander James Littlejohn, Steward to W.T. Stead. LIMITED, 1st printing. SIGNED by Philip Littlejohn & survivor Millvina Dean. Maidenhead, UK: Crescent Company. April, 1999. hardcover. limited to 705 copies. isbn: 0953543609. scarcity: very scarce.

This special limited edition came with a facsimile of Littlejohn’s discharge certificate book, four postcards, an embroidered bookmark and a copy of the Weekly Telegraph dated May 10, 1912 - all in a clear plastic envelope.

The book is an account of the disaster from a first class steward’s point of view. It is based on Littlejohn’s original account as it appeared in his local Hertfordshire newspaper; this account being reprinted on about two and a half pages in the book. The text is then fleshed out by Littlejohn’s recollections as told to his grandson, Philip Littlejohn, and with excerpts of other survivor’s experiences.

Many of the photos in the book are of Littlejohn and his family over the years. These, plus pictures of other crew and passengers really help to personalize the tragedy. Overall the book is a fairly generic overview of the disaster, but sprinkled through out the text are enough interesting insights to make this title a real addition to the Titanic literature.

Littlejohn, Alexander James & told by Philip Littlejohn. Titanic “Waiting for Orders”. The Story of Alexander James Littlejohn, Steward to W.T. Stead. 1st printing. Maidenhead, UK: Crescent Company. April, 1999. hardcover. isbn: 0953543609. scarcity: hard to find.

The cover art, indeed the entire book, is the same as shown above. But this version of the book is not signed, and it did not come with the extras.