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    The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic
    Unavailable
    The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic
    Unavailable
    The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic

    Written by Allan Wolf

    Narrated by Michael Page, Phil Gigante, Angela Dawe and

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Arrogance and innocence, hubris and hope--twenty-four haunting voices of the Titanic tragedy, as well as the iceberg itself, are evoked in a stunning tour de force.

    Millionaire John Jacob Astor hopes to bring home his pregnant teen bride with a minimum of media scandal. A beautiful Lebanese refugee, on her way to family in Florida, discovers the first stirrings of love. And an ancient iceberg glides south, anticipating its fateful encounter. The voices in this remarkable re-creation of the Titanic disaster span classes and stations, from Margaret ("the unsinkable Molly") Brown to the captain who went down with his ship; from the lookout and wireless men to a young boy in search of dragons and a gambler in search of marks. Slipping in telegraphs, undertaker's reports, and other records, poet Allan Wolf offers a breathtaking, intimate glimpse at the lives behind the tragedy, told with clear-eyed compassion and astounding emotional power.

    Extensive back matter includes:

    Author's note

    Morse code with messages to decipher

    Titanic miscellany

    Bibliography, articles, periodicals, government documents, discography

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateOct 11, 2011
    ISBN9781455829408
    Unavailable
    The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic

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    Reviews for The Watch That Ends the Night

    4.5/5

    111 ratings23 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This was a very entertaining audio book, performed like a play with three different character actors playing the many voices represented. Although you already know the story of the Titanic, Wolf has managed to offer a fresh perspective and story telling style.

      I'm sure it's a fun book to read, but I highly recommend it as an audio book choice. It would be particularly entertaining for a family with older kids. Younger children might be scared by the talk of dead bodies (one of the narrators is an undertaker tasked with collecting and preparing some of the bodies recovered from the ocean. . I'd say it would be suitable for middle school and older. Great road trip audio book choice!
    • 5/5
      So much has been written about the Titanic, it's hard to imagine an author finding a fresh perspective but Allan Wolf pulls it off and quite brilliantly. The voices of the captain, crew members, passengers from all three class, the shipboard rats, the embalmer searching for bodies floating among the wreckage, and even the iceberg are brought vividly to life in verse. Like his New Found Land, this is unique, engrossing historical fiction.
    • 3/5
      This is a stunning novel in verse that traces the Titanic voyage through the eyes of 24 people, as well as the iceberg itself. This book lets the reader feel the excitement and the hype as the ship prepares to launch; the luxury, pomp and pageantry of the voyage and the growing tension as telegraph after telegraph arrive warning the ship of ice ahead. The author effectively captures the unique and haunting voices of the the Titanic tragedy, blending the voices of the richest of those on board, such as Molly Brown, to immigrants and poor families from third class.
    • 5/5
      2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, one of the most famous ship disasters ever. What makes this book different from the hundreds that have been written about Titanic is that the story is told from 25 different perspectives, plus occasional telegrams and undertaker's notes. Voices include first class millionaire passengers John Jacob Astor and Margaret Brown, Captain E.J. Smith, various crew members, the second and third class passengers and children, a ship rat and of course, the infamous iceberg itself. Through all of them readers get to see, hear and feel everything about the ship and the ill-fated voyage. The rescue scenes and the aftermath with the undertaker are somewhat disturbing given the realistic descriptions and actions. Poetic writing, with complex structure that travels from person to person and back and forth through time, this is a good challenge for 8th grade readers. It pairs very well with the nonfiction book, Iceberg, Right Ahead! The Tragedy of the Titanic by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson.
    • 4/5
      This was an Interesting perspective in the Titanic disaster. The book highlights voices of passenger and crew reflecting what was happening in their lives and daily jobs. It then shifted to the disaster and highlighted the voice of the undertaker who is recovering and preparing the bodies.
    • 5/5
      There is no bigger story than that of the Titanic. This year marked the 100 year anniversary of its sinking and in that century there have been many tales, true and fiction depicting that fateful sailing.This book is a blend of fact and fiction and makes that clear, however it is written so well that one could be forgiven for believing its authenticity. This is not a story designed to dispel or create new myths, this is no a reference to be used for 'Titaniacs', this is not a blatant means to cash in on one of history's greatest triumphs, and failures. Introducing a cast made up of (mostly) actual passengers it narrates their path of fate and experiences prior to, during, and after the voyage of Titanic and done so well you feel yourself choosing favourites and dismissing others. Even the iceberg itself is a major character in this book and shows a matyr-ish and dark side to nature vs. human. It took barely four days to complete this 400+ page book, and considering that coincided with a weekend full of rugby, hockey and babysitting while a wife was laid up with the flu could be taken as testament to the enjoyment of the book. Even the notes section at the end of the book was a fascinating read in itself with facts and figures over the complement and fascinating statistics.If I had to draw any criticism for the book (which in a way is also a plus) it is the method of both writing and printing on the pages...I guess Wolf was trying to capture the period in the way he wrote in short stanzas and paragraphs, however at times rhyming prose was used sparingly, but it made me read following chapters 'looking' for the poem which didn't exist. I may not have explained this all that well, but if you read it, and you should, you will understand what I mean.Great book.
    • 3/5
      Just in time for the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic, comes The Watch that Ends the Night. The books follows the days spent on the Titanic from real and fictional people on the ship through poetry. The book is heartfelt although a little too long. There are also interesting facts and data about the ship and the people on it.
    • 5/5
      A verse telling of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Different passengers, the iceberg and the ship rat all have distinct voices. Includes historic notes and statistics about the passengers, both survivors and killed.
    • 5/5
      Wow. I love historical novels but hadn't previously read any having to do with the Titanic. I love poetry, but really haven't gotten into verse novels or poetry written by Allan Wolf. I'm so glad I picked up The Watch That Ends the Night as my foray into the world of both the Titanic and verse novels. Written from the perspective of 20 different passengers on the ill-fated ship, and told over the course of approximately three weeks, you really become immersed in the lives of the passengers. What's perhaps most impressive, is that Wolf is able to pique and hold your interest in a plot where you already know the ending. After reading, I felt like I had more sympathy for captian E.J. Smith; more understanding of what it was like to be a foreign immigrant in third class like Jamila and her brother Elias; what the perspectives of specific crew members were that tried to save others and later themselves. Furthermore, the ample notes, facts and bibliography that Wolf provides at the end are impressive, adding weight to an "embellished" historical event.
    • 4/5
      The Watch That Ends the Night is a moving peace of historical fiction told in verse, with over 20 POVs. Its a haunting, often foreshadowing look at the lives of those aboard the Titanic in the days leading up to and directly following its tragic sinking.Before the start of Titanic's maiden voyage we are introduced to a massive amount of characters from all different economic and social backgrounds. With so many POVs it can be a bit confusing at first remembering who is who, especially with the crew. Thankfully most of the characters have a very particular way of talking and their own unique backstory helping to distinguish them from one another. Its hard to narrow down which characters stood out the most (Captain E.J. Smith and Margaret Brown are obvious choices) but I actually found myself connecting more with some of the lesser know passengers such as Jamila (a Lebanese refugee) and Olaus (a Norwegian immigrant). The iceberg itself and John Snow (the undertaker) both provide an eerie voice of patience when there's nothing to do for either one but wait.The pacing of this novel is a tricky thing because I found myself completely invested in the characters and story right from the start, how could I not be, but then it started to drag in the middle. While I wish the pace could have remained the same, I understood the need for the slower, quieter moments. The normalcy of day to day life aboard the ship made everything feel all the more real, since none of the passengers anticipated what was to come next. When Titanic collides with the iceberg the slow pace is gone in seconds and you will find it completely impossible to put the book down until you've learned the fate of all the characters on board.To say this novel is overwhelming at times would be a huge understatement since I literally cried while reading it. My heart broke for the crew who tried to help knowing there wasn't much they could do. For the third class passengers who couldn't speak English and didn't fully understand what was going on. For the people who were left on the ship as it sank knowing there was no where to go and for the families that were torn apart never to be reunited.The research and facts author Allan Wolf shares at the end of the novel are just as remarkable as the novel itself. 20+ pages of notes help shed light on how much of the story is fact versus fiction as well as the actually life stories of those that lived through and died in the disaster. If you're a fan of verse, historical fiction or the Titanic then this novel is a must read. If you're not, then I would still encourage you to give it a try since I've never read a book quite like it nor do I predict that I will again. If nothing else I will leave you with this harrowing line which sum up my feeling for the book. It was written by an actual survivor in a letter to family after being rescued. "My tears fall when I think about it, because I saw what I will never forget as long as I live."
    • 5/5
      This book is my top pick for a must read! While I am a fan of the Titanic I would not nearly qualify as a Titaniac. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed the way this book uses verse/stream of consciousness in the writing. It was easy to get through because the conversations/thoughts are like one page stories. It is clear that there was much thought and research put into this historical fiction about what transpired on the ship without getting too technical. It is an easy introduction of what the various classes and crew experienced and includes anecdotes that were fresh. I appreciate the facts at the end of the book, including the histories of the various voices we experience and that the author admits to what was fiction. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!!!
    • 5/5
      Could not put it down. It captured me thanks again
    • 5/5
      This novel in verse tells the story of the sinking of the Titanic as experienced by 20 real passengers and crew (as well as a ship's rat, the iceberg, and an undertaker).
    • 5/5
      Not what I expected but highly recommended...I really enjoyed it!!
    • 5/5
      This was a kids' book club pick and it was excellent. I've never really been a Titanic groupie, although the irony of the whole thing has always been appealing. This fictional account is a beautiful work of art that adds a lot to the Titanic lore and gives some life and heft to the known facts. The author has researched historical information quite thoroughly and then takes this in a personal direction. He has given voice to a couple dozen real people on the ship, and gives short fictionalized vignettes from their point of view over the course of 12 days in April, including the preparation to sail and the 3 days at sea. Most "official" are Captain EJ Smith, Thomas Andrews, the shipbuilder, and Harold Bride, the "spark" working the Marconi telegram system. The passenger voices portrayed include Margaret Brown, John Jacob Astor, some immigrants, some workers (all named, though not as recognizable as the first class passengers mentioned) and whimsically, Wolf gives voice to the ship's rat and the iceberg itself -- chilling, literally! He even includes the undertaker from Halifax responsible for retrieving the bodies. All have their own unique reasons for being aboard, with their own unique perspectives of what is happening. Some survive and some don't, but the effect is a haunting symphony of humanity. Even the words layout on the page is poetic and meaningful. One "fun" fact the author includes in the Notes is that is takes longer to watch the movie Titanic than it took the boat to sink.
    • 5/5
      Fascinating.Felt as if I was there.Twenty-four distinct voices.Ordering his book on Lewis and Clark NOW.
    • 5/5
      This narrative of the sinking of the Titanic is a powerful account of its untimely end, and the audio version adds much to the story. Told in first person by several of the passengers and crew – as well as one rat – the desperation and finally the acceptance of the inevitable is well portrayed. Though fiction, much of what was told is true and that is what makes this story all the more compelling. Well written and gripping, the author has captured the feelings of those onboard in captivating prose.
    • 4/5
      This audiobook is a theatrical performance of historical fiction persona poems. Some poems are from the point of people who were on the Titanic, others are from the point of the rats and the iceberg itself.

      This book started off confusing the hell out of me, but that was largely my own fault. It was an impulse grab in the audiobook section of the library. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. Once I figured out that was I was hearing was performance poetry it all made a lot more sense.

      I would give a spoiler warning here but come on, we all know how this book ends right? The ship sinks? Ok, glad we have that covered.

      Wolf has done two things I'm not quite as keen on with this book. The first is the rat. Aside from being comical, he doesn't offer much for me. He is repetitive and if I had been reading the paper version I probably would have flicked past him. The other plot ties, like the girl's money bag and the "dragon hunters" keep the story moving much better than this obnoxious rodent.

      The other thing I take issue with is the way Wolf personifies the iceberg. I understand the need for some sort of omniscient being to describe the ship hitting the iceberg, that I'm okay with even if it was a bit too faux-avant-garde for me. But the iceberg almost sounds sadistic at points, as though she was seeking out the ship. Hunting the hearts of the souls within it. The reader is given the opportunity to vilify her in a situation when the true villains were chance and circumstance and human error more than any chunk of ice.

      I really appreciate that Wolf clarifies what is true in his narrative and what is the product of his imagination in his last chapter, revisiting where his research took him and what he stretched along the way.

      I am glad I happened to find this book, and even more happy it was in audio form. This performance far outweighed reading it silently. Wolf writes to be heard and this work should be experienced. It will change the way you look at historical fiction and where that genre can be taken in today's literary world. I had a lovely and emotional time on Titanic's promenades.
    • 5/5
      I'm a Titanic junkie. I'm not sure I can consider myself a "Titaniac" (the equivalent of a "Trekkie/Trekker"), but all the same, I absorb most anything Titanic related.

      This particular book is fascinating. It is a novel (written in verse), but a unique novel in that it is told by people who were on the ship. You read their thoughts and the things they were concerned with both before, during, and after the sinking. Husbands, parents, children, siblings, friends... very humanizing. And Wolf did a lot of research for this... virtually every character that "speaks" in this tale was a real person. No, it isn't 100% factual (compared to what is actually known) and obviously the actual thoughts and actions of each person are largely based on the author's character studies, but it sucks you in all the same.

      I found myself both excitedly looking forward to getting to the actual sinking but also dreading it because I knew that some/many of these people that were sharing their lives with me would not survive.

      Wolf also includes a lot of interesting info at the end... comments about the actual people his characters represented, statistics, notes, and an extensive bibliography.
    • 4/5
      What a powerful story and experience. I listened to this on audio, and the production was excellent. I would recommend, however, grabbing a copy of the physical book if you decide to listen to this; the poetry formations are very powerful too, especially toward the end. It's worth taking a look at to see how the author formatted the poems, which is a whole different experience. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Written from the perspective of multiple narrators - passengers on the ill-fated Titanic - the Watch that Ends the Night is an ambitious and mostly successful imagining of the sinking. While it is fiction, most of the characters are historical, and the plot sticks closely to the recorded accounts of the 1912 disaster. An extensive set of notes at the end of the book untangles fact from interpretation and invention. The sinking of the Titanic, with massive loss of life, is a quintessential modern disaster story. Wolf's version, though free of gore, emphasizes elements of horror: chapters open and close with comments from the undertaker working to recover and embalm the bodies of those who drowned; the iceberg speaks as a monster hungry to devour human life (sometimes this is convincing, sometimes slightly ridiculous). The climax of the plot is an arresting, two page spread representing what survivors recalled as the greatest moment of horror: the lifeboats circling the scrum of passengers freezing in the water, voices raised in a collective roar of pain and fear. There are many moments of humor and compassion scattered throughout the book, but these are often presented ironically - characters have no idea what is in store for them - and tend to deepen the ultimate sense of loss and grief. For all the darkness, the book is rich and layered, and far from one-dimensional. Virtually every theme that has animated accounts of the disaster over the last century receives at least a nod in Wolf's story: the negligence of the White Star line in providing too few lifeboats; the hubris of those who thought the ship unsinkable; the differences in social class that applied both during the voyage and in determining who got a place in the lifeboats. Famous or unknown individuals make noble or craven choices. The legends are all here: the orchestra plays as the ship sinks; a mystery ship fails to send help; a nonexistent imposter (an artifact of a typo in one of the first newspaper accounts of the disaster) gets a major voice in the book. Finally, inevitably, Wolf's account makes room for a teen 'romance', though it's perhaps a bit of a stretch to call it that. While the book is classified as juvenile fiction, a attentive reader of any age will likely carry some strong emotions for several days after finishing the book. I'm guessing the classification reflects the lack of sex, violence, or graphic bodily injury - perhaps also the amount of space given to kids' narrative voices. But the themes are serious, and the book doesn't coddle. Because Wolf incorporates so much of the history and folklore of the disaster, the book offers multiple launching points for discussions with students -- about immigration, inequality, technology, and ethics, among other themes.
    • 4/5
      Well written fictional account of the Titanic disaster. The author uses historical facts mixed with fictional interpretation to tell the story. I would recommend this book if the history of the Titanic interests you.
    • 5/5
      A verse telling of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Different passengers, the iceberg and the ship rat all have distinct voices. Includes historic notes and statistics about the passengers, both survivors and killed.