Just as a Hollywood type--say, the director whose quest to make the world's most expensive film is chronicled in Paula Parisi's Titanic and the Making of James Cameron--must use the cachet of his studio connections to raise cash, a Woods Hole scientist must use that eminent institution's reputation to win financing for his or her projects. Like the movie that sprang from the finding of the wreck, Ballard's scientific exploration is a tale of triumph against long odds. He's also got some good historical data on the drama of the sinking. Here are a few ear-witness accounts of the moment of the iceberg's impact on the Titanic: "A disquieting ripping sound like a piece of cloth"; "A thousand marbles"; "As though somebody had drawn a giant finger along the side of the ship." Ballard quotes the most precise description of the fatal instant, given by colorful Second Officer Lightoller:

"Not that it was by any means a violent concussion, but just a distinct and unpleasant break in the monotony of her motion."

The Discovery of the Titanic is the compelling, firsthand account of Dr. Ballard's twelve year quest to find the sunken liner. With the help of dozens of never-before-seen photographs, rare archival pictures, charts, paintings and a 25-inch "photo-mosaic" of the ship, Dr. Ballard recounts the Titanic's fateful last night and describes the moment-by-moment drama of the expeditions that found and explored her. For the first time, the exact location of the Titanic is revealed and, finally many of the mysteries that have surrounded her tragic fate are laid to rest. Here is the fascinating concluding chapter to a story that has captured imaginations for almost a century, the dramatic account of the most exciting underwater discovery of our time. Library Journal In September 1985 Ballard and a Franco-American expedition discovered the wreck of the Titanic . Ballard used a specially designed remote imaging system to locate and photograph the wreck and then returned the following year to further survey and photograph the site in a three-person submarine. This pictorial record of his expedition is filled with good quality color and black-and-white pictures. Wherever possible he compares the modern-day pictures to original ones of the Titanic . After briefly discussing other attempts to find the Titanic , he gives a solid account of the sinking, then details the events that led to the ship's discovery. Highly recommended for libraries with an interest in the Titanic. John Kenny, San Francisco Public Library Synopsis The Discovery of the Titanic is the compelling, firsthand account of Dr. Ballard's twelve year quest to find the sunken liner. With the help of dozens of never-before-seen photographs, rare archival pictures, charts, paintings and a 25-inch "photo-mosaic" of the ship, Dr. Ballard recounts the Titanic's fateful last night and describes the moment-by-moment drama of the expeditions that found and explored her. For the first time, the exact location of the Titanic is revealed and, finally many of the mysteries that have surrounded her tragic fate are laid to rest. Here is the fascinating concluding chapter to a story that has captured imaginations for almost a century, the dramatic account of the most exciting underwater discovery of our time. Annotation The complete and exclusive account of Ballard's exploration, from his pioneering early work to the dramatic discovery of the Titanic itself. Library Journal In September 1985 Ballard and a Franco-American expedition discovered the wreck of the Titanic . Ballard used a specially designed remote imaging system to locate and photograph the wreck and then returned the following year to further survey and photograph the site in a three-person submarine. This pictorial record of his expedition is filled with good quality color and black-and-white pictures. Wherever possible he compares the modern-day pictures to original ones of the Titanic . After briefly discussing other attempts to find the Titanic , he gives a solid account of the sinking, then details the events that led to the ship's discovery. Ballard's book helps you get the feeling of climbing aboard and being there for that distinctly unpleasant moment. -- An absolutely fascinating book that will leave you breathless!

 Warner Books, Inc 0-446-38912-9 / 9780446389129
Soft Cover Very Good Condition Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. out of Print 

Price: 29.30 USD