Down with the Old Canoe : Cultural History of the "Titanic" Disaster

An exploration of the "Titanic" as a cultural icon, this book recalls the moment, in April 1912, when the "Titanic" struck an iceberg and sank.

The disaster was the signal for many people, such as reformers, radicals and extremists of all kinds, to exploit it: suffragettes and their opponents, radicals, reformers and capitalists, critics of technology and modern life; racists and xenophobes, and champions of racial and ethnic equality; editorial writers and folk singers, preachers and poets.

Even today, the "Titanic" echoes in the headlines and in everyday speech.

This text analyzes how and why the disaster happened, and why it took shape as one of the great mythic events of the 20th century.