Thayer, John B. The Sinking of the S.S. Titanic, April 14-15, 1912. SIGNED, LIMITED, 1st printing. Phil: by the author. 1940. hardcover. isbn: 0. scarcity: very scarce.

Although a very short work, what this book lacks in volume it more than makes up in content. The actual amount of detail about the sinking is miminal, and duplicated in many other books, and with better coverage, but no-one’s account helps you understand what it was like to actually live through this event than Thayer’s book. It is a very powerful, poignant little work and a must read for anyone who wants to really understand what it was like on that fateful night in April, 1912. This book was printed in a limited edition of only 500 copies and is very scarce. Most, but apparently not all, copies were signed by Thayer as well.

Thayer, John B. The Sinking of the S.S. Titanic, April 14-15, 1912. reprint. Riverside, CT: 7 C’s Press. 1974. wraps. isbn: 0911962115. scarcity: very scarce.

A modern reprint of the original limited edition. Some new material added.

Thayer, John B & Archibald Gracie. Titanic: A Survivor’s Story and The Sinking of the S.S. Titanic. 2nd edition. Academy Chicago Publishers. March, 1998. wraps. isbn: 0897334523. scarcity: hard to find.

A reprint which combines two original works by survivors. Gracie’s work was originally published in 1913, Thayer’s in 1940.