Back to the Titanic in "Ghost of the Grand...

GHOST OF THE GRAND BANKS, Arthur C. Clarke, 1990, not in print, check Amazon or Half.com

Clarke revisits the HMS Titanic with a novel based on the difficulties encountered by two rival groups who seek to raise the Titanic. Both plan to bring up one of the two sections for theme parks, one in Japan, one in Florida. Because the Japanese are after the stern section and the American group is after the forward section, there's no conflict. But how exactly does one raise the Titanic, though? As the 100th anniversary of the sinking approaches, efforts are made to solve the problems and complete the job.

The rivals may not providing problems for each other, but there are plenty of other conflicts to compensate, some technical, some manmade.

I've never had a great interest in the story of the Titanic, even though I do have an autograph in my small collection from a lady who was aboard the Titanic when it sank. I even wrote briefly about her experience in an article on superstititions surrounding the number 13 published in an alamanac several years ago. It seems the lady was due to sail for the States on Friday, the 13th and her buddies talked her out of it because it was an unlucky date. So she sailed two days before on the Titanic. She didn't hear the collision with the iceberg which I understand was deceptively undramatic, but she did hear the eninges stop. When she got out on deck, she discovered the situation and was ushered to the one remaining lifeboat and was saved. It was Lifeboat 13.

As I say, despite my general lack if interest in the subject, this is by Arthur C. Clarke so you know it will be an interesting tale, whatever the subject. He even, in 1990, refers to Y2K problems with computers. The book was written after Titanic's discovery and the discovery of the fact that it broke in two, but before much of the more recent tourism and even pillaging of the wreck.

Not currently in print, the book is available for pennies in used condition through Amazon and Half.com.