time travel titanic book

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Back to the Titanic (Travelers Through Time, No. 1) Paperback – May 1, 1994

• Reading age 9 - 12 years
• Print length 144 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 4 - 6
• Lexile measure 710L
• Dimensions 5.25 x 0.25 x 7.5 inches
• Publisher Scholastic Paperbacks
• Publication date May 1, 1994
• ISBN-10 9780590462266
• ISBN-13 978-0590462266
• See all details

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0590462261
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scholastic Paperbacks; Eleventh Edition (May 1, 1994)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780590462266
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0590462266
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12 years
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 710L
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 6
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.25 x 7.5 inches
• #99,226 in Children's Literature (Books)

About the author

Beatrice gormley.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

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Titanic, 1912 (The Symbiont Time Travel Adventures Series, Book 5‪)‬

Young adult time travel adventure.

• 5.0 • 1 Rating

Publisher Description

"The author improves with each novel she writes." - Holly, eBook Discovery reviewer A chance encounter…a whispered confession overheard… A time traveler shares the startling words spoken by an old man murmuring broken memories from a bygone era. Could the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 have been the result of a deliberate act of sabotage rather than a chance collision with an iceberg in the middle of the cold Atlantic Ocean? Peter and Elani, novice travelers, are eager to take on the assignment to discover the truth behind the legendary ship’s demise. Petra and Kipp, their mentors, must accompany the two youngsters and assure they conduct their investigations per the symbiont code of behavior with no disruption to the timeline of history. In their guise of human siblings accompanied by their loyal canine companions, the four symbionts must travel back in time incognito and become passengers –as well as investigators – on the doomed ship. They face a race against time and history in order to discover the truth before the Titanic completes her fateful voyage to the ocean’s floor. "I love the relationship between Petra and Kipp." - VM, verified reviewer THE SYMBIONT TIME TRAVEL ADVENTURES, i>The Symbiont Tombstone, 1881 Whitechapel, 1888 The Great Locomotive Chase, 1862 Titanic, 1912 A Conspiracy to Murder, 1865 Robin Hood, 1192

More Books Like This

More books by t.l.b. wood, other books in this series.

40 Best Time Travel Books To Read Right Now (2024)

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Travel back in time with the best time travel books, including engrossing thrillers, romance, contemporary lit, and mind-bending sci-fi.

Table of Contents

Best Time Travel Books

Books about time travel promise to not only transport you across time periods and space – Doctor Who-style – but also tesser you into new dimensions and around the world. Most readers already know about classics like The Time Traveler’s Wife , A Christmas Carol , and The Time Machine .

For romance time travel, grab In A Holidaze or One Last Stop . For contemporary and new time travel books, Haig’s The Midnight Library and Serle’s In Five Years captivated our hearts and minds.

Recursion re-kindled our love for science fiction, and Ruby Red transported us to 18th-century London. Books like Displacement promise intuitive and raw commentary about generational trauma and racism in graphic novel form.

Below, find the best time travel novels across genres for adults and teens, including history, romance, classics, sci-fi, YA, and thrilling fiction. Get ready to travel in the blink of an eye, and be sure to let us know your favorites in the comments. Let’s get started!

Contemporary & Literary Fiction

If you enjoy contemporary and literary fiction filled with strong main characters, these are some of the best books in the time travel genre. Uncover new releases as well as books on the bestseller lists. Of course, we’ll share a few lesser-known gems too.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Would your life change if you had one seemingly real dream or premonition? What if some key facts were missing but you had no idea? Can we change the future?

One of the best books about time travel and friendship, don’t skip In Five Years . In fact, we read this New York City-based novel in half a day. Have the tissue box ready.

Dannie nails an important job interview and is hoping to get engaged. Of course, this is all a part of her perfect 5-year plan. Dannie has arranged every minute of her life ever since her brother died in a drunk driving accident.

On the night of Dannie’s “scheduled” engagement, she falls asleep only to have a vision of herself 5 years into the future in the arms of another man. Did she just time travel or could this be a dream? When Dannie arrives back in 2020, her life goes back to normal. …That is until she meets the man from her dream.

We were expecting In Five Years to be a time travel romance story; however, this is a different type of love and one of the best books about strong friendships .

Read In Five Years : Amazon | Goodreads

Before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Translated by Geoffrey Trousselot | We just love Japanese literature . One of the most debated time travel books among our readers – you’ll either love it or hate it – Before the coffee gets cold takes place at a cafe in Tokyo, Japan.

Along with coffee, this 140-year-old, back-alley cafe lets visitors travel back in time. Four visitors at the cafe are hoping to time travel to see someone for the last (or first) time. The way each patron views the cafe says a lot about them. The details and repetition are everything.

True to the title, visits may only last as long as it takes for the coffee to grow cold. If they don’t finish their coffee in time, there are ghostly consequences.

Before the coffee gets cold asks, who would you want to see one last time, and what issues you would confront?

Along with the many rules of time travel, these visitors are warned that the present will not change. Would you still travel back knowing this? Can something, anything, still change – even within you?

The story has a drop of humor with a beautiful message. We shed a tear or two. Discover even more terrific and thought-provoking Japanese fantasy novels here .

Read Before the coffee gets cold : Amazon | Goodreads

If you are looking for the most inspiring take on time travel in books, Haig’s The Midnight Library is it. This is one of those profound stories that make you think more deeply . TWs for pet death (early on) and suicide ideation.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Imagine if you could see your other possible lives and fix your regrets. Would that path be better? Would these changes make you happier?

Set in Bedford, England, and at a library , Nora answers these questions as she intentionally overdoses on pills. Caught in the Midnight Library – a purgatory of sorts – Nora explores books filled with the ways her life could have turned out. She tries on these alternative lives, pursuing different dreams, marrying different people, and realizing that some parts of her root life were not as they seemed on the surface.

Find hope and simplicity in one of the most authentic and heaviest time travel novels on this list. Haig addresses mental health through a new lens that is both beautiful and moving.

With a team full of avid readers and librarians, discover our top selections featuring more books about books .

Read The Midnight Library : Amazon | Goodreads

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Some of the best time travel books are those with alternate realities, including The Two Lives of Lydia Bird . There are content warnings for prescription pill addiction and more.

Set in England, Lydia and Freddie are planning their marriage when the unthinkable happens. Freddie dies in a car accident on the way to Lydia’s birthday dinner. In a matter of seconds, Lydia’s world falls apart. She isn’t sure how she will survive. When Lydia starts taking magical pink sleeping pills, she enters an alternate universe where Freddie is alive and well.

Caught between her dream world and real life, Lydia must decide if she will give in to her addiction – living in a temporary fantasy world – or give it up completely.

While the repetitive and predictable plot drags a bit – slightly hurting the pacing – the overall story shows emotional growth and the nature of healing after loss. And, as Lydia soon learns via her dreams, no love is perfect. Maybe her future was destined to be different anyway, which is reminiscent of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library .

Read The Two Lives of Lydia Bird Jose Silver : Amazon | Goodreads

The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August by Claire North

If you are looking for more suspenseful books about time travel and like Groundhog Day , check out The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. However, this is not just one day on repeat; instead, this is a lifetime.

Harry August is repeatedly reborn into the same life, retaining his memories each time. No matter what Harry does or says, when he lands on his deathbed, he always returns back to his childhood, again and again. On the verge of his eleventh death, though, a girl changes the course of his life. He must use his accumulated wisdom to prevent catastrophe.

Read The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August : Amazon | Goodreads

An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim

When it comes to time travel books, An Ocean of Minutes is one of the most original takes about time travel’s effects on alternate history.

Polly and Frank are deeply in love in 1981 when a pandemic devastates the planet. By the end of 1981, time travel (invented in this alternate reality in 1993) has been made available.

Because of this invention, individuals can sign on to work for the TimeRaiser corporation in order to escape or save their loved ones in the present. Due to a flaw in the technology, though, they can only transport people for 12 years. This prevents them from stopping the pandemic by just 6 months.

When Frank gets ill, Polly signs up, both agreeing they will meet back up in 1993. Now alone in the future, Polly has to learn to navigate a world she has less than zero preparation for. In this world, she is a time refugee, bonded to TimeRaiser without a physical cent to her name.

Lim uses the time travel mechanic to cleverly explore the subject of immigration, forcing the reader to follow Polly blindly into a world they should know, but don’t. This is what makes An Ocean of Minutes one of the most unique time travel novels on this reading list.

Read An Ocean of Minutes : Amazon | Goodreads

Time Travel In Science Fiction

For fantasy and sci-fi lovers, take a quantum leap into fictional worlds, quantum physics, possible futures, black holes, and endless possibilities. See if you can tell the difference between the real world and new dimensions.

Recursion by Blake Crouch

Recursion is one of our all-time favorite time travel books to gift to dads who love sci-fi. Can you tell what we gave our dad for Christmas one year?

In Recursion, no one actually physically time travels – well, sort of. Instead, memories become the time-traveling reality.

Detective Barry Sutton is investigating False Memory Syndrome. Neuroscientist Helena Smith might have the answers he needs. The disease drives people crazy – and to their deaths – by causing them to remember entire lives that aren’t theirs. Or are they!?

All goes to heck when the government gets its hands on this mind-blowing technology. Can Barry and Helena stop this endless loop?

Recursion is also a (2019) Goodreads Best Book for Science Fiction.

Read Recursion : Amazon | Goodreads

This Is How You Lose The War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar 

A Goodreads runner-up for one of the best science fiction novels (of 2019) – and one of the shortest time travel novels on this list – This Is How You Lose The Time War follows two warring time-traveling agents falling in love through a letter exchange.

Red and Blue have nothing in common except that they travel across time and space and are alone. Their growing and forbidden love is punishable by death and their agencies might be onto them.

In a somewhat beautiful yet bizarre story, we watch as Red and Blue slowly fall for each other and confess their love. They engage in playful banter and nicknames. Every shade of red and blue reminds them of each other.

The first half of the novel is a bit abstract. You might wonder what the heck you’ve gotten yourself into. However, once you get your feet planted firmly on the ground of the plot, the story picks up and starts making more sense.

We can’t promise you’ll love or even understand This Is How You Lose The Time War – we aren’t sure we do. However, this is truly one of the most unique sci-fi and LGBTQ+ time travel romance books on this reading list – written by two authors. Also, maybe crack out the dictionary…

Explore even more of the best LGBTQ+ fantasy books to read next.

Read This Is How You Lose The War : Amazon | Goodreads

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

A debut novel, All Our Wrong Todays is both a humorous and entertaining time travel book that speaks to how we become who we are.

In 2016, technology perfected the world for Tom Barren. However, we all know that perfection doesn’t equate to happiness. Barren has lost his girlfriend, and he just happens to own a time machine… Now, Barren has to decide if he wants to keep his new, manipulated future or if he just wants to go back home to his depressing but normal life.

Read All Our Wrong Todays : Amazon | Goodreads

Here And Now And Then by Mike Chen

Imagine getting trapped in time and starting over. That’s exactly what happens to IT worker, Kin Stewart, in one of the bestselling science fiction time travel books, Here And Now And Then .

Stewart has two lives since he is a displaced time-traveling agent stuck in San Francisco in the 1990s. He has a family that knows nothing about his past; or, should we say future. When a rescue team arrives to take him back, Stewart has to decide what he is willing to risk for his new family.

Here And Now And Then is a time travel book filled with emotional depth surrounding themes of bonds, identity, and sacrifice. Find even more books set in San Francisco, California (and more!).

Read Here And Now And Then : Amazon | Goodreads

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is one of the most unusual books about time travel out there.

Our protagonist Charles Yu lives in a world where time travel exists and is readily available to the average person. And yes, he is named after the author, and yes, it is as meta as it sounds; and yes, this is just the beginning of this speculative fiction time travel book.

Charles Yu’s day job is spent repairing time machines for Time Warner Time. But in his free time, he tries to help the people who use time travel to do so safely and to counsel them if things have gone wrong.

It’s no surprise that Charles’ entire life revolves around time travel since his father invented the technology many years ago. And then he disappeared. In fact, Charles is also trying to find out just what happened to his dad, and where – or when – he’s gone.

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe won’t be for everyone, but it’s one of the best time travel books if you want delightfully meta, fantastically non-linear, and very very weird.

Read How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe : Amazon | Goodreads

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez

For beautiful, lyrical time travel novels about found family and love, The Vanished Birds is a must-read.

Nia Imani exists outside of time and space. She travels in and out of the world through a pocket of time with her space crew. They emerge to trade or sell goods every eight months. But eight months for them is 15 years for everyone else.

She has lived this way for hundreds of years. Though she has her crew, and there are people she shares connections with sporadically throughout their lives, she is lonely. And although she barely ages, she watches friends and lovers grow old and die.

One such person is Kaeda, who meets Nia for the first time when he is 7. The next time he sees her, he has aged 15 years, while she is only months older. She continues to come every 15 years of his life, always looking the same.

Then one day a mysterious, mute boy falls from the sky into Nia’s life. His name is Ahro, and there’s something extra special about him. Something that could revolutionize space travel forever. And now there might be people after Ahro who won’t love him the way Nia does.

If you love a character-driven book with exquisite prose – and a few time warps – this is one of the best time travel books for you.

Read The Vanished Birds : Amazon | Goodreads

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

Night Watch is one of the most fun and thrilling books about time travel. It’s also a bit ridiculous and very very British.

Why can’t policing just be simple? All Sam Vimes wanted to do was capture and arrest a dangerous murderer. But thanks to those damned wizards and their experiments, he and the killer have both been accidentally thrown back in time thirty years.

And to top it off, the man who would have become a mentor to young Sam Vimes in the past has been killed in the process! How’s Vimes going to get this all sorted out?

The City Watch he’s spent years improving is just a bunch of semi-competent volunteers at this point. He’s got no money, no clothes, and no friends. But at least he’s making enemies fast. Can he catch the killer, stop history from not repeating itself, and get home to his family? Oh, and the city’s about to dissolve into civil war. Typical.

Night Watch is perfect if you prefer your time travel books to be fantasy-based.

P.S. There may be mild spoilers for previous books in the Discworld series, but this can be read as a standalone. And if you only ever read one Discworld novel, this is one of the best there is – and so far the only one of the Discworld books with time travel!

Read Night Watch : Amazon | Goodreads

The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz

The Future of Another Timeline is one of the few time travel books to explore history through a feminist lens.

In 1992, Beth – a high school senior – and her friends Heather, Lizzy, and Soojin attend a riot grrl concert with Heather’s boyfriend Scott. But afterward, one of Scott’s not-so-funny sexist jokes gets out of hand and Lizzy accidentally kills him. Now they’re on the run, and the bodies just keep piling up.

Meanwhile, in 2022, Tess is part of a group of women and non-binary people working together to change history. They have the use of five time devices which only allow them to travel backward and back to the present day – but never forwards.

Beth and Tess come from two wildly different times (1992, and 2022, respectively). But, while Beth is busy making history, Tess is quite literally trying to change it. However, both of them want the same thing: a better world. When their worlds collide, will they be able to save each other – and the world?

The Future of Another Timeline is a time travel fiction celebration of feminism and queerness with lots of sci-fi and punk rock thrown in. This is one of the best time travel novels for those who enjoy stellar women making history .

Read The Future of Another Timeline : Amazon | Goodreads

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

The Kingdoms is wildly imaginative and sure to enchant fans of time travel books, alternative history stories, and tales about parallel universes.

In 1898 Joe Tournier steps off a train and suddenly can’t remember anything that comes before that moment. The world he now finds himself in is as foreign to him as it is to us: an alternate history/reality where the UK lost the Battle of Trafalgar and is now a French colony.

In this world, the British are kept as slaves. Napoleon is a popular name for pets, and tartan is outlawed. Since Joe arrives on a train from Glasgow speaking English and wearing tartan, there is some speculation he might be from The Saints, a terrorist group based in Edinburgh fighting for freedom.

But all Joe remembers is the fading image of a woman and the name Madeline. Although he is identified by his owner and brought “home,” Joe is determined to find this Madeline. And his resolve is only strengthened when he receives a postcard signed ‘– M’ and dated 90 years in the past.

Discover even more books about Scottish culture, history, and everyday life.

Read The Kingdoms : Amazon | Goodreads

The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

The Light Brigade is one of the best time travel stories for anyone who loves character-driven tales or books about war and conflict.

As war wages on Mars, the military has devised the perfect soldier to fight on the frontlines: being made of light. The Light Brigade, as they’re called back home, is made up of soldiers who have undergone a procedure that breaks them down into atoms capable of traveling at the speed of light. They are the perfect soldiers, but broken people.

The book follows one such soldier, Dietz, an eager new recruit who is experiencing battle out of sync with everyone else. Because of this, she – and we – see a different reality of the war than the one presented by the Corporate Corps. As Dietz becomes more and more unstuck in time, she becomes more and more unsure of her own sanity and the role she is playing in this war.

Read The Light Brigade : Amazon | Goodreads

The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way

You Look Like Death Volume 1 | Now a popular (and excellent) Netflix TV show, The Umbrella Academy is one of the best time travel books of all time.

One day, forty-seven children are suddenly and inexplicably born to women who were not previously pregnant. Eccentric millionaire Reginald Hargreeves goes around the world buying as many of the surviving children as he possibly can. He is able to get seven.

These children, it turns out, all have superpowers (except, it seems, for the unremarkable Number Seven aka Vanya). They become the crime-fighting group: The Umbrella Academy.

Fast forward several years, and Number Five, whose special power is that he can travel in time a few seconds or minutes per go, has mysteriously appeared after Hargreeves dies. And now he brings warning of an apocalypse – one which he insists none of his siblings will survive.

The Umbrella Academy series currently has three volumes, all packed with tales of time travel, parallel worlds, family drama, and lots of epic battles. We’ve absolutely loved this time travel book series so far; we can’t wait to see what Gerard Way does with future installments.

Discover even more great books with music, musicians, and bands.

Read The Umbrella Academy : Amazon | Goodreads

Historical Fiction

Travel back in time to witness wars and history. See what happens if you try to rewrite the future. Many of these historical fiction books with time travel promise to teach you more.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

We have a plethora of Agatha Christie fans amongst our Uncorked Readers , and Turton’s The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evenlyn Hardcastle is inspired by Christie.

Similar to Levithan’s Every Day , each day, Aiden wakes up in a different body from the guests of the Blackheath Manor. Trapped in a time loop, Aiden must solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder to escape. In the process, he navigates the tangled web of secrets, lies, and interconnected lives of the guests. Can he identify the killer and break the cycle?

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is an award-winning historical thriller and one of the best time travel novels if you enjoy Downton Abbey and Groundhog’s Day . Discover even more great books set at hotels, mansions, and more.

Read The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle : Amazon | Goodreads

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Travel back in time to Scotland in one of the most well-known time travel book series (and now TV series) of all time. Outlander is a part of pop culture. A New York Times bestseller and one of the top 10 most loved books according to The Great America Read, get ready to enter Scotland in 1743.

Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, walks through an ancient circle of stones and is transported into a world of love, death, and war. This is a place of political intrigue, clan conflicts, and romantic entanglements. Claire must navigate the unfamiliar landscape while grappling with her feelings for the dashing Jamie Fraser.

Encounter even more cult-classic books from the ’90s like A Game Of Thrones , which is perfect for fantasy map lovers .

Read Outlander : Amazon | Goodreads

11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King

Written by bestselling author, Stephen King, 11/22/63 is one of the best award-winning time travel books for historical fiction lovers. Set in 1963 when President Kennedy is shot, 11/22/63 begs the question: what if you could go back in time and change history?

Enter Jake Epping in Lisbon Falls, Maine.  Epping asks his students to write about a time that altered the course of their lives. Inspired by one of those haunting essays, Epping enlists to prevent Kennedy’s assassination.  How is this time travel possible? With the discovery of a time portal in a local diner’s storeroom…

11/22/63 is one of the most thrilling and realistic books about time travel, according to both critics and readers.

Read 11/22/63 : Amazon | Goodreads

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

If you are looking for historical fiction novels about time travel that address slavery and racism, be sure to check out Butler’s Kindred. This is also one of the best books published in the 1970s .

One minute Dana is celebrating her birthday in modern-day California. The next, she finds herself in the Antebellum South on a Pre-Civil War Maryland plantation. Dana is expected to save the plantation owner’s son from drowning. Each time Dana finds herself back in this time period as well as the slave quarters, her stays grow longer and longer as well as more dangerous.

Examine the haunting legacy and trauma of slavery across time. For younger readers, there is also a graphic novel adaptation . Discover more books that will transport you to the South .

Read Kindred : Amazon | Goodreads

What The Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

A bestseller and Goodreads top choice book, if you devour historical Irish fiction, What The Wind Knows will transport you to Ireland in the 1920s.

Anne Gallagher heads to Ireland to spread her grandfather’s ashes. Devastated, her grief pulls her into another time. Ireland is on the verge of entering a war, and Anne embraces a case of mistaken identity. She finds herself pulled into Ireland’s fight for Independence at the risk of losing her future life. She also falls for another main character and doctor, Thomas Smith.

What The Wind Knows is one of the best time travel novels that both romance and fantasy readers can appreciate. Witness connections that transcend time.

Read What The Wind Knows : Amazon | Goodreads

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

Known for being one of the best time travel books for thriller lovers, The Shining Girls also has the reputation as the spookiest novel on this reading list.

Kirby Mazrachi is the last shining girl – a girl with a future and so much potential. Harper Curtis is a murderer from the past meant to kill Mazrachi. However, Kirby is not about to easily go out without a fight, leading her on one violent quantum leap through multiple decades.

As Kirby races against time to track down a serial killer and unravel the mysteries of the House, encounter themes of resilience, fate, and the shining spirit that can transcend even the darkest forces.

Read The Shining Girls : Amazon | Goodreads

Time Travel Romance Books

We love a good time-travel romance novel, but we also understand how hard it can be to hold onto love when time is so unstable. From queer love stories set on trains to holiday celebrations, fall in love across time with these books.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

From bestselling author, Casey McQuiston of Red, White, & Royal Blue – one of our favorite LGBTQ+ books for new adults – don’t miss the most-talked-about book (from 2021), One Last Stop.

Twenty-three-year-old August is quite the cynic and living in New York City. Up until now, August has jumped schools and towns as often as you change a pair of socks. August has also never been in a serious relationship and wants to find “her person.” August’s life suddenly changes, though, when she meets a beautiful and mysterious woman on the train.

Jane looks a little…out of date… and for good reason; she’s from the 1970s and trapped in the train’s energy. August wants nothing more than to help Jane leave the train, but does that mean leaving her too?

A feel-good, older coming-of-age story, laugh out loud and be utterly dazzled as you follow love across time and space. You’ll cozy (and drink) up in the parties and community surrounding August. One Last Stop is one of the all-time best LGBTQ+ time travel books – and perfect if you enjoy books that take place on trains .

Read One Last Stop : Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveler’s Wife is one the top time travel romance novels – and not just because the story features a librarian . We are so biased.

Henry and Clare have loved each other pretty much forever. Unfortunately, Henry has Chrono-Displacement Disorder, sporadically misplacing him in time. Of course, this time-traveling dilemma makes Clare’s and Henry’s marriage and future together pretty darn interesting.

Grab some Kleenex as they attempt to live normal lives and survive impending devastation. The Time Traveler’s Wife has also been made into a romantic movie classic . Watch even more fantasy movies with romance .

Read The Time Traveler’s Wife : Amazon | Goodreads

In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

If you are looking for a sweet and sexy holiday rom-com set in Utah, grab In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren.

Mae leaves her family and friend’s Christmas vacation home after drunkenly making out with an old childhood friend. Blame the spiked eggnog. Unfortunately, Mae’s secretly in love with her best friend’s brother, Andrew. On the ride to the airport, Mae wishes for happiness just as a truck hits her parent’s car. 

Mae lands in a time-travel loop where her dreams start coming true.  Is it too good to last?   What happens when she isn’t happy once again? Is she trapped?

For holiday books about time travel, this one is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit if you enjoy movies like Holidates  or  Groundhog’s Day . It’s light with a happy ending – typical of this author duo. We also recommend In A Holidaze if you are looking for Christmas family gathering books – a big request we see here at TUL.

P.S. Did you know that Christina Lauren is a pen name for a writing duo, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings? Christina Lauren also wrote The Unhoneymooners , which was also hilariously enjoyable and set on an island .

Read In A Holidaze : Amazon | Goodreads

A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

For cozy time travel romance books and a feminist tale set abroad, try A Knight In Shining Armor .

Dougless Montgomery is weeping on top of a tombstone when Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck, appears. Although this armor-clad hunk allegedly died in 1564, he stands before her about to embark on a journey to clear his name. Convicted of treason, Montgomery vows to help her soon-to-be lover find his accuser and set the record straight.

Read A Knight In Shining Armor : Amazon | Goodreads

The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz

Set in South Carolina, if you love lighthouses and beach vibes, you’ll find something enjoyable in the time travel romance, The Night Mark .

After Faye’s husband dies, she cannot move on and recover. Accepting a photographer job in SC, Faye becomes obsessed with the local lighthouse’s myth, The Lady of the Light.

Back in 1921, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter mysteriously drowned. Faye is drawn into a love story that isn’t hers and becomes entangled in a passionate and forbidden love affair.

Read The Night Mark : Amazon | Goodreads

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Anyone who likes their time travel books to have a magical love story should pick up The Seven Year Slip for their next read. It’s one of our favorite magical realism novels .

When Clementine’s aunt dies, she inherits her fancy New York apartment on the Upper East Side. Although Clementine would really rather have her aunt back and can’t imagine living in her home, she eventually forces herself to move in and inhabit her aunt’s space.

And not long after, she wakes up to discover a strange man in her living room… except it’s not her living room, it’s her aunt’s… from seven years ago. Clementine’s aunt always said her apartment held a touch of magic; sometimes it created time slips that brought two people together when they were at a crossroads.

But what happens when you start to fall for someone stuck seven years in the past? Clementine knows there’s no future together, but she also can’t let go of this link to her aunt.

Like her previous speculative fiction romance, The Dead Romantics , Ashely Poston’s unique time travel tale is full of heartache and grief. However, it will also make you swoon. Basically, this one is a must if you are a fan of time travel romance books.

Read The Seven Year Slip : Amazon | Goodreads

Classic Books

No time travel reading list would be complete without the classics. Below, uncover just a few great time travel novels that started it all.

The End of Eternity by Issac Asimov

The End of Eternity is said to be one of Asimov’s science fiction masterpieces. This is also one of the most spellbinding books about time travel – although some criticize the story for its loopholes.

Harlan is a member of the elite future known as an Eternal. He lives and works in Eternity, which like any good time travel novel, is located separately from time and space.

Harlan makes small changes in the timeline in order to better history. Of course, altering the course of the world is dangerous and comes with repercussions, especially when Harlan falls in love.

Read The End of Eternity : Amazon | Goodreads

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

It goes without saying that Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is one of the most famous and best time travel books for classic lovers – and a literary canon-worthy Christmas novel.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy, lonely, and cruel man who truly has no Christmas spirit. Haunted by the ghosts of the past, present, and future, Scrooge must find the ultimate redemption before it’s too late. Does he have a heart?

Find even more classic and contemporary ghost books , including a few unique takes on ghosts.

Read A Christmas Carol : Amazon | Goodreads

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse-Five is a somewhat bizarre time travel book about finding meaning in our sometimes fractured and broken lives. It’s also one of the most popular books published in the ’60s .

Similar to The Time Traveler’s Wife, Billy Pilgrim is “unstuck” in time in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five. Drafted into World War II, Pilgrim serves as a Chaplain’s assistant until he is captured by the Germans. He survives the bombing at Dresden and ultimately becomes a married optometrist. Things get a little wild…

Suffering from PTSD, Billy claims that he is kidnapped by aliens in a different dimension. Like most time travel novels, the story is out of order and Billy travels to different parts of his life.

Aliens come in all shapes and sizes; have more alien encounters with this reading list .

Read Slaughterhouse-Five : Amazon | Goodreads

A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

First published in 1889, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is one of the most popular classic and satirical time travel novels that’s set close to our childhood home. Having grown up in CT close to the old Colt factory, this story makes us smile.

Hank Morgan supervises the gun factory and is knocked unconscious. Upon waking, he finds himself in Britain about to be executed by the Knights of King Arthur’s Round Table in Camelot.

Morgan uses his future knowledge to his advantage, making him a powerful and revered wizard, which unfortunately doesn’t quite save him as he hopes. Not to mention that Morgan tries to introduce modern-day conveniences and luxuries to a time period that isn’t quite ready for them.

Read A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court : Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Time Machine is one of the best frontrunner time travel books of all time. Published in 1895, the Time Traveler recalls his exhausting time travel adventures to incredulous believers. He even disappears in front of them.

Blended with fantasy and science fiction over the course of 800,000 years, the Time Traveler battles “bad guys.” He also loses his time machine, debatably falls in love, and meets the underground dwelling Morlocks.

Read The Time Machine : Amazon | Goodreads

Young Adults Books

For young adults and teens – plus adults who appreciate YA – read the best middle-grade and high school time travel books. We’ve included more time travel graphic novels and manga here too.

Displacement by Kiku Hughes

For historical YA graphic novels , Displacement is one of the must-read books about time travel that will teach young readers about generational trauma, racism, politics, and war.

Follow Kiku, who is displaced in time, back to the period of U.S. Japanese incarceration [internment] camps – essentially glorified prisons – during WW2. Kiku begins learning more about her deceased grandmother’s history, which mirrors the horrid actions under former President Donald Trump. How can Kiku help stop the past from repeating itself, and more so, how can we?

In a simplistic but powerful style of storytelling, Hughes’s emotional YA WW2 book is accessible to young readers. Displacement is also one of the shorter and quicker books with time travel on this list. Find even more LGBT+ graphic novels to read – one of our favorite genres.

Read Displacement : Amazon | Goodreads

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Changing the past can be pretty tempting. We’ve even seen that The Flash cannot resist. However, altering the course of history can be dangerous…

The first of two YA time travel books, Nix is the daughter of a time traveler. Her dad can sail anywhere on his ship, The Temptation. Her dad has his own temptation, though: to travel back to Honolulu in 1868, the year before her mom dies in childbirth. Nix’s father threatens to possibly erase her life and destroy a relationship with her only friend.

Discover even more great books about maps. Or, travel via armchair with these ship books.

Read The Girl From Everywhere : Amazon | Goodreads

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Translated by Anthea Bell | If you are looking for time travel in books and enjoy YA historical fiction, try Ruby Red , which is the first in the Ruby Red Trilogy.

Gwyneth Shepherd quickly learns that she can easily time travel, unlike her cousin who has been preparing her entire life for the feat. Gwyneth wants to know why such a secret was kept from her. There are so many lies. Gwyneth time travels with the handsome Gideon back and forth between modern-day and 18th-century London to uncover secrets from the past.

Back in our MLIS and library days, Ruby Red was one of our favorite YA time travel books to recommend since so few knew about the series. Just a small warning that this enemies-to-lovers trope is a tad sexist, though. Find books like Ruby Red on our books with red (and more colors) in the title reading list .

Read Ruby Red : Amazon | Goodreads

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

A little creepier for young adult time travel novels, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is all about time loops. We’ve only read the first in this eerie series that mixes manipulated vintage photography with a suspenseful and chilling story.

Jacob discovers a decaying orphanage on a mysterious island off the coast of Wales. Known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, the building isn’t exactly abandoned… Jacob runs into peculiar children who might be more than just ghosts.

If you are looking for Kurt Vonnegut-esque time travel books for teenagers, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is for you. Find even more great adult and YA haunted house books to add to your reading list .

Read Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children : Amazon | Goodreads

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle

One of the most well-known books about time travel for families – made even more popular by Oprah and Mindy Kaling, A Wrinkle In Time , is the first book in The Time Quintet .

Although a time travel book series for elementary and middle-grade students – and also a 1963 Newbery Medal winner – adults will love the lessons and whimsical sci-fi quality of A Wrinkle In Time.

Meg Murray and her brother, Charles Wallace, go on an adventure in time to find and rescue their father. Their dad disappeared while working for the government on a mysterious tesseract project.

Watch this thrilling time travel adventure mixed with a coming-of-age story and a little girl power, too.

Read A Wrinkle in Time : Amazon | Goodreads

Orange by Ichigo Takano

Translated by Lasse Christian Christiansen and Amber Tamosaitis | This YA sci-fi romance manga is one of the most endearing time travel books you’ll ever read.

On the first day of 11th grade, Naho oversleeps for the first time ever. She also receives a letter that claims to be sent from herself 10 years in the future. The letter tells her both of the two big things that will happen to her that day as proof of sender: she will be late, and there will be a new kid in class named Naruse Kakeru from Tokyo who will sit next to her.

Naho is unsure if she trusts the letter, or whether or not she should heed its warnings – especially since it talks about past regrets and trying to undo them.

Orange is an adorable, but heartbreaking time travel manga that teaches us the meaning of friendship, love, regret, and so much more. If you’re looking for the best books about time travel for teens, Orange is the perfect option (and adults will love it too).

Read Orange : Amazon | Goodreads

If you devour the time travel genre, don’t miss these great movies…

If you enjoy books that take you back in time, you might also appreciate these top movies with time loops . Would you be able to fix past mistakes, fall in love, and you know, maybe not die this time? Find out if these protagonists succeed.

Travel Back In Time With These Reading Lists:

• Best ’90s Books
• Iconic ’80s Books
• Best WWII Historical Fiction

Christine Frascarelli

Christine (she/her) is the owner, lead editor, and tipsy book sommelier of The Uncorked Librarian LLC, an online literary publication showcasing books and movies to inspire travel and home to the famed Uncorked Reading Challenge.

With a BA in English & History from Smith College, an MLIS from USF-Tampa, and a U.S. Fulbright Fellowship in Christine's back pocket, there isn't a bookstore, library, or winery that can hide from her. Christine loves brewery yoga, adopting all of the kitties, and a glass of oaked Chardonnay. Charcuterie is her favorite food group.

Dagney McKinney

Dagney (pronouns: any) is a neurodivergent writer and book nerd who is drawn to all things weird and macabre. She also loves anything to do with fast cars, unhinged anti-heroes, and salt. When she isn’t working or reading, you’re likely to find her eating Indian food, playing board games, or hiding out somewhere dark and quiet, stuck down an internet rabbit hole. The easiest way to win her over is through cats and camels.

45 Comments

Hi, nice list but just FYI you have one of the novels named incorrectly: it should be All Our Wrong Todays, not All Our Wrongs Today.

Thanks for letting us know! Every year, this list grows, and sometimes we miss a few mistakes.

The Things Are Bad Series by Paul L Giles is the funniest, most insightful time travel books I’ve ever read. It has everything!

Thanks so much for the review and rec!

Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain is an engrossing time travel book that I enjoyed immensely.

Our readers and contributors are big Diane Chamberlain fans. Thanks!

A huge time travel fan. A great list. Another time travel book recommendation: Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montemore. Wonderful story.

Thank you so much for the kind words and recommendation! We’ll have to check it out.

Great list, thanks. I also love seeing all the recommendations in the comments. I would add the Chronos Files series to your list. And, of course, the film ABOUT TIME, which is fantastic!

Thanks so much for the recommendations. We appreciate it!

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Author, historian and TV presenter

Tim Maltin, author of Titanic books and films.

Tim Maltin is a British author, historian and TV presenter.  He is also one of the world’s leading experts on the Titanic and the author of three books on the subject, including 101 Things You Thought You Knew About The Titanic…But Didn’t! , Titanic: First Accounts , both published by Penguin, and his latest book Titanic: A Very Deceiving Night , which is the subject of his Smithsonian Channel documentary Titanic’s Final Mystery and National Geographic film, Titanic: Case Closed .  Tim is also a TV presenter and broadcaster, writing and presenting the above documentaries, as well as the landmark BBC Radio 2 live broadcast, Titanic, Minute by Minute , which he co-wrote and presented with Jeremy Vine, for Titanic’s centenary.  This won a Bronze Award at the Sony Radio Awards, and the Grand Award and a Gold Award at the New York Radio Awards. Tim works in London and lives in Wiltshire with his wife and two children.

For recent views from Tim on the atmospheric conditions of the night of the tragedy, do visit his contributions to the Encylopedia Titanica discussion here .

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45 comments.

Dear Mr Martin,

A thoroughly cracking analysis of Titanic’s fate due to atmospheric conditions! I just saw the Nat’l Geo documentary highlighting this observation that figures into the famous disaster. This is entirely new ground never covered by anything I’ve ever read.

As much as I have enjoyed the various perspectives of why and how she sank that night, why hadn’t this angle been brought front and center before? Seems most crucial a piece of the puzzle.

I must say, perhaps another reason why both vessels were visually misunderstanding each other could have been due to either one spinning, mainly Titanic, as a result of the current. Such as the Californian seeing Titanic broadside, then straight-on, as the current gently spun her. Appearing whole (albeit warped), then minuscule. Also, perhaps x

Perhaps if a film is again made to portray the horrors of that night, they could factor your findings into the story in a large way, as well as any new evidence revealed in the past decade.

I am still amazed at how much new insight I gained from an event I felt I knew enough about. I say old chap, well done!

All the best, Alby Alhambra, Calif.

Many thanks Alby. The spinning of Californian was certainly a factor in her appearing to be approaching and then receeding from Titanic, when she was in fact stationary all night: Californian spun becuase her rudder was left hard-over, but Titanic’s rudder was straightened up after the collision, so she did not spin as Californian did. Best wishes, Tim

A new and scientifically (rather than emotionally) -based take on the events leading to the sinking of The Titanic. Thought-provoking and illuminating. The stars quite literally “lined up” against the fate of the ship and its passengers. A true tale of man against nature ..along a similar line as Jack London’s fictional “To Build A Fire”, but with a much broader scale of catastrophe. Points out the fact that Nature is not only indifferent to the plight of Man, but can seem even hostile. Thoroughly researched and well presented. Good job, Mr. Maltin.

Tim- I just watched the documentary on Titanic’s Final Mystery and I was so awestruck that I felt compelled to drop this quick note. I was absolutely mesmorized as I watched the film and the efforts put forth by yourself to uncover the logical truth behind the Titanic disaster. I just wanted to say thank you for providing one of most interesting documentaries I have ever seen.

I continue to marvel at your particularly insightful solution to the problems facing the Titanic that deadly evening. I believe you have solved the mystery of how the ship came to it’s tragic end. There is merely one point on which I will choose to disagree with you and that is the matter of Captain Lord. For all the discussion of what sort of ship Lord may have seen or not seen, for all the dismissing of seeing or not seeing the signal lamps back and forth, the simple truth remains: The California was equipped with the Marconi device and an operator. He went to bed, as did Lord. They should have continued on using the telegraph to attempt to find out what was happening. They could see and admitted they saw, the signal rockets. No matter what color they claimed to see, the fact there was a ship and the fact that rockets were going off and PARTICULARLY if Captain Lord truly did not believe he was seeing Titanic and thus could not presume the rockets to be some kind of “party event”, makes it clear he was AT FAULT for not investigating further. He was derelict of duty to NOT wake his Marconi operator and to resist being awakened himself. There just is no using the distortion theory to dismiss Lord’s criminal neglect. No matter what color the rockets, no matter what shape the ship, he had the means to investigate and instead chose a good nights’ sleep and let his Marconi operator get one too. I still believe Lord was not only negligent but was desperately fearful of having to negotiate the ice field at night and chose to ignore the whole thing. He simply cannot be excused because of distortions to the view ahead. They changed what he might be seeing but WHATEVER he was seeing required his further investigation. Lord’s neglect resulted in many more deaths and whitewashing him years later is a mere travesty of justice done long before your own investigative efforts explained so much. Still, it does not justify Lord’s conduct.

Sincerely yours, and thanking you for a brilliant investigatory presentation,

Daniel Bartlow Hart

[email protected]

Dan, because Titanic appeared ‘higher up’, but not bigger, she appeared to Californian to be a 400ft ship five miles away, instead of an 800ft ship 10 miles away. Tragically, because Californian knew Titanic to be the only ship within range which had radio, this led Californian to assume that the ship they were looking at did not have radio, because it appeared not to be the Titanic. Captain Lord of the Californian should have gone to the aid of the nearby ship that night, but had it not been for abnormal refraction, he would have gone, because he would gave realised it was the Titanic in distress, and not just some smaller vessel which apparently did not answer his Morse lamp enquiries, and which he judged it was too dangerous to go to the aid of, at least until daylight.

I once wrote a Sherlock Holmes pastiche that, unfortunately, read a bit too much like the sort of government memos I wrote by day, but which, I must say, had a wonderful plot (IF another, better writer can be found to actually write it, lol!). In any case I used Lord as an accomplice of Moriarty in a time travel sequence that turned out to be critical to the plot (there being something on the Titanic that Moriarty wanted destroyed). In any case, my thought has always been that, regardless of what ship they were seeing, the entire situation demanded more than Lord or the Californian gave to it. This opinion about them does NOTHING to reduce the admiration and respect I have for YOUR FINDINGS, which are brilliant and which explain so very much, so well. Best wishes, Dan.

I completely agree with you. Lord SHOULD have gone…but had it not been for abnormal refraction, he WOULD have gone.

Dear Mr. Maltin, I just saw your masterful documentary Titanic’s Final Mystery. I want to echo the comments here about what a wonderful thorough scientific job you did in your investigation. I don’t disagree with anything you said. However, there is one glaring omission in your report. It is what Mr. Hart referred to in his comment. The Titanic fired off numerous distress rockets. These were seen on the Californian. That is irrefutable. They claim there was confusion as to what the color of the rockets meant (which has always struck me as rationalization for doing nothing, but that’s just me). But you will admit will you not that when a ship sends up rockets in the middle of an ice field, the very ice field which has stopped the Californian dead, no rational person on Earth would conclude that the ship is having a party? It’s in distress!! At the very least it’s an unusual occurrence that must be investigated. The fact that Captain Lord may have thought it was “just some smaller vessel” does not excuse his refusal to provide assistance. Too dangerous?! Too dangerous to aid your fellow man?! Thanks a lot! Lord could have come dead slow and still gotten there within an hour. The Carpathia came at full speed. THAT is why Lord is justly condemned for doing nothing. All of your analysis did not change any of this, which is why it is so disappointing that you didn’t mention it. David Smith Bend, Oregon

Dear David, thank you for your comments. Do please take a look at my current discussions with others on this on the Encylopedia Titanica here: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/community/threads/superior-mirage-and-the-californian.38988/ With best wishes, Tim

Congrats on great research re air/sea temperature interaction. As a retired marine meteorologist, am interested in your research data sets re air temps, sea temps, delineation of Labrador/Gulfstream interface pos’n’s Lat/Long & wave hts. I’ve tried to get hard copy of your latest book: “Titanic: A Very Deceiving Night”, but to no avail. Only opportunity is electronic copy 199pp via kindle, or such. Did NOAA/NWS Asheville, NC have enough nearby ship wx/obs vintage Apr.1912 to allow valid micro-temp analyses for your calculations, etc? many tks 04/22/2014

Thanks Rob, I used the NOAA data in Asheville to discover my findings. Ebook only at present 🙂

To Mr Maltin,

As a Belfast citizen and lover of maritime history it is only natural that I’ve also shared a lifelong fixation of story of Titanic and the era of which such a feat was achieved. I have more than often had difficulty accepting the notion that there was structural flaw in the vessel, after all it the sea floor at around 40 knots and remained intact. In addition the prospect of the crew being inept is also problematic with the senior crew members being hand picked and were held in high esteem by the maritime society. Your endeavour to properly research the topic from logical and original angles and present an explanation which not not only fully justified in every way, but easily dispels all other accusations the Titanic’s tragedy. I find it absolutely staggering that you have inadvertently deduced the Titanic’s fate single handed, whilst for 100 years whole inquiries have never came close to presenting a case so well justified as your explanation of extremely rare discrete factors in the climate propelling the Titanic’s demise. I cannot stress enough the importance of this work and in an effort help notify your impeccable work, I have written to the titanic museum in belfast asking them to look into your argument and build a section in one of their exhibitions as to promote your take on the reason the titanic sank. For everyones sake it should be done as this explanation is as flawless as the Titanic herself.

Thanks Chris, I really appreciate that and would love to give a lecture on my findings at Titanic Belfast.

Just saw the Smithsonian program on your research and thoughts on Titanic’s sinking. I find your findings so profound, thankyou!

I vividly remember your documentary shown on the 100th anniversary of the tragedy in 2012, but only now just discovered your own personal website. Firstly, I congratulate you on what was a truly engaging and genuinely intriguing piece of investigative journalism, and it’s directly because of your documentary, I eventually started my own interest in the so-called ‘Californian incident’, and would like to throw a few ideas and opinions your way, if I may.

The documentary’s repeated assertion that Titanic and Californian were but ten miles apart is not borne out by evidence. We know precisely where Californian was between 10:21 pm April 14th and 6:00 am April 15th because she was stopped by ice and had radioed her position to all surrounding vessels. And we know where Titanic foundered because of the position of the wreck (the bow in particular)… the distance between the two is approximately 19 miles. Cold water mirage or not, the distance between the two vessels rules out them being in the visible horizon line of each other.

Had the ship seen by Californian that night off it’s starboard bow been Titanic, then conversely, Californian herself would have been visible to Titanic… but both Titanic’s lookouts at that time – Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee – testified they saw NO ships whatsoever in their vicinity, before or after the collision until they were relieved at 12:23 am.

The unidentified ship seen by passengers and crew of Titanic that night – from around 12:30 am – was moving in their direction, then stopped, turned around, and sailed away into the distance (discerned by the testimony of witneses on Titanic of BOTH sidelights and stern light of the unidentified vessel being visible prior to it steaming away from view). This obviously could not have been Californian because she was stationary all night.

Lastly, Californian’s Second Officer Herbert Stone and Apprentice James Gibson – both on the bridge during that watch – saw rockets and undoubtedly they were from Titanic, but they were not coming from the ship nearest Californian, and we know this because of the seemingly low altitude the rockets were reaching before exploding (according to Stone, only going as far as half the masthead), whereas had Titanic been the vessel the Californian was watching, the rockets would clearly have seen to have been several hundred feet in the air upon detonation, in addition to the fact that neither Stone nor Gibson heard any sounds remotely like rocket detonations (nor any sounds at all), something they most certainly would have heard had they been anywhere close to a distance of ten miles between the two vessels… cold water mirages distort visual sights not audio sounds.

Of your assertion regarding unusually strong atmospheric conditions in the Titanic’s immediate vicinity at the time, that likely aided to not indentifying the iceberg before it was too late, I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever, but I don’t believe that had anything to do with the Californian’s part in the unfolding tragedy, the two ships were separated by a distance of such that refraction simply played no part in; in short, they were both well out of the visible horizon line of each other, and thus were not susceptible to observing each other’s lights, distorted or otherwise… my own humble, fallible, and entirely subjective opinion, of course.

Again, my heartfelt thanks on an otherwise splendid programme and one which directly led to my own individual investigation and continued passionate interest of both an appalling tragedy but also a terrible miscarriage of justice on the part of Captain Lord and his good name and reputation.

Sincerest regards and very best wishes…

Many thanks indeed for your kind note. Firstly, I agree with you that Lord was unfairly blamed for not going to Titanic’s aid. However, it is my conclusion that he chose not to go, believing Titanic to be a small ship 4-5 miles away, which did not reply to his Morse lamp signals (instead of the largest ship in the world 10 miles away). His choice – a reasonable one – was not to risk the lives of his own men until daylight, when any rescue could be performed safely and effectively. Had he realised it was Titanic, sinking on her maiden voyage, of course he would have gone immediately to her aid – the huge risk to his own ship being worth it. He regretted that decision for the rest of his life, but publicly denied it was Titanic which he saw that night.

Re distance, the reason Titanic did not see Californian at the time of her collision is that Californian was at that time heading towards the Northward, away from Titanic, thus shutting in her mainmast light. As she swung around in the gentle current and light airs that night, she gradually bore towards southward – towards Titanic – and thus opened out her navigation lights to Titanic.

Titanic’s rockets appeared low to Californian, not because they were not from the nearby ship they could see, but because that were too faint to see at that range at their full height: it was only when they were lower (nearer the sea) that they were magnified sufficiently by the cold air in the thermal inversion, thus becoming visible to Californian – but *appearing* low.

As Captain Lord said, it really was “a very deceiving night”. My ebook of that name explains all the elements I have touched upon here in full detail. Best wishes, Tim

Dear Mr. Maltin,

I recently watched the documentary that you were featured in regarding the weather events that may have played into the Titanic’s sinking. I believe you’ve found the proverbial smoking gun.

This afternoon I was watching a news story on the CBS News website and clicked on a link to a photo collection taken from the Carpathia as they rescued Titanic survivors.

Photo 7 was particularly interesting in light of your hypothesis. The caption reads, “An image of the ocean from the deck of the Carpathia.”

It may, in fact be a photograph of the weather phenomena that you suspect lead to the Titanic disaster. Here is the link.

http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/rare-titanic-photos-letters-auctioned-off/7/

Hi Chris, that’s a photo of the ice barrier itself, which I refer to in my recent correspondence with Mark Golben, above. Thanks for your note, Tim

Bravo on what I think is the solving of the case! Well done! Your refraction theory can be used in other instances too, but it fits perfectly with what happened to the Titanic!

Dearest Mr. Maltin,

Just finished watching Titanic’s Final Mystery, for the third time, and I must thank you for such a compelling and fascinating work. It’s evident that you were on a mission to solve the mystery, and the passion for your work, was and is frankly a gift to us all and came through every minute of the documentary. It was a story well told, one that could have very easily gotten bogged down with the science. Instead it captured my attention and imagination for the entire two hours! The world needs more people like you… you’re an inspiration for sure.

Can you dispel the Titanic/Olympic swap? Even if just privately.

Yes, it did not happen 🙂

Saw the video last weekend, well done!

But I have been thinking all week about one of the strangest item from the investigation… That being the stoppage of the California due to the 30 mile long, 3 mile wide (and +300 foot high) wall of floating ice. Could this have also been a factor? Could this have partially blocked the starry background of the horizon thus impairing the view of the Titanic’s lookouts?

Best, Mark Golben [email protected]

Hi Mark, Yes, that almost certainly was a major factor – Fleet spoke of a brightening/intensifying of the haze dead ahead, just prior to the collision, and it could have been caused by the ice barrier. Titanic was only about seven minutes steaming time away from the barrier Californian came up against (although it was only about 1ft high), at the time of her collision. Many thanks for your comment, Tim

Greetings, I like your theory about the cold weather mirage as a contributing factor for the Titanic sinking. However, in the Simthsonian documentary Titanic’s Final Mystery there was never any mention of the distress rockets fired from the sinking ship. Certainly the Californian should have at least responded to these flares in some regard whether it be by motoring toward the scene or turning their wirless back on. Maybe some of your books elude to this better than the movie but certainly captain Lord should be blamed to some degree for not being more inquisitive about the rockets. Again, great job with your theory, I just would’ve like to see the movie addresss theories as to why no one reponded to the distress rockets.

Like many others I’m impressed if not astounded by your recent documentary – indeed it’s the most major revelation about the whole Titanic saga since err… probably the finding of the wreck itself! I’ve been a lifelong amateur Titanic fan – indeed I gave a public talk on the disaster in the seventies aged only twelve! But please tell me if you’re planning on publishing your findings as a book, rather than just an ebook, as the latter doesn’t look anywhere near as good on my bookcase amongst all my other Titanic related books…!

Wow, really really nice job on discovering the truth about Tiranics mysteries! Excellent work! You should be proud! Thank you for sharing this amazing information.

Hi, I have RMS TITANIC Passenger & Crew List. Would you be interested in it?

I am a undergraduate History Student in Leeds , Titanic is one of my most favourite topics to be able to research and write about. i was wandering if you would be able to help me out as i have an essay to do and i choose to write about the titanic and historiography debates about the titanic , mainly in why the Titanic sank and why so many passengers perished, i am mainly focusing on an analysis of why historians’ arguments have changed over the period, with reference to e.g. emergence of new sources or reviews of existing ones, biographical and historical contexts, and new historiographical trends;

Many Thanks Luke Wood

I wanted to ask you, is there any way for my family and I to go to the Titanic as tourists?

Fernando Isaza Greetings from Colombia!!

I am hitting a brick wall, family rumour has it that a relative of mine was a crew member, was rescued from the Titanic, went to Newfoundland, returned to Oxford and bought a garage. He then appeared many years later and his mother nearly had a heart attack. Despite the wealth of ‘information’ I can’t find his name, perchance you have come across this character?

Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me

Was Titanic switched with her sister ship Olympic?

Hi im jordan and I saw the new documentry on titanic on channel 4. Ive studied the whole titanic accident for years just as a hobby and the idea of the fire in no 6 bunker lending a helping hand to the sinking of the ship is an interesting one but the conclusion of the heat of the metal alone causing the bunker to warp isnt realistic. There has already been tests done on the quality of the steel used and it was pretty good. I have however thought of another possiblity as to how the bunker was probably damaged. Would i be ablr to contact you about this? Coal bunker fires were common on ships at the time as they could start for no reason and certainly didnt cause major damages on those other ships

Tim, I have watched your Titanic documentaries. Have you considered putting your knowledge to use regarding the ghost ship Marie Celeste? Its a very intriguing case. I am certainly not convinced of any of the guesswork presented on a recent dhow on Smithsonian, a great channel. Rick

Dear Tim Maltin, My name is Nathan Cooper, from Mississippi; I just had to say I just finished your documentary of the Titanic Diaster and you’re work was astounding! The way your pieced together the testimonies and the cold air refractions was incredible. I’m very pleased and couldn’t be more enthused. I do have a few questions though if you could answer for me I’d be very much greatful.

Enjoyed the documentary about the Titanic, but I am left with one question: What about the distress flares that were allegedly launched from the Titanic? Surely they could have been seen by the California and possibly other ships as well. Are the flares a myth, or is it possible that the atmosphereics caused them to be invisible?

Just finished watching Titanic’s Final Mystery and had to tell you how much I thoroughly enjoyed it. One of the finest documentaries I’ve seen! Your focus on the scientific facts in order to cut through myth and conjecture was inspiring. It’s amazing that all data needed to solve this 100-year old mystery has been around sitting in archives for all this time just waiting for the right mind to deduce its secrets. Fantastic work! Thank you for your dedication and for sharing your superb work with the world. I’m looking forward to reading your books next!

Best regards, Derrick California, USA

Mr. Maltin,

I just finished watching the documentary “Titanic’s Final Mystery” on the Smithsonian Channel in the United States. I was enthralled, not only by the scope of your research but the ground breaking analysis of the events of that night.

I have but one question which was not covered in the documentary; what of the rockets that Titanic was supposed to have fired as a signal to the Californian? Is this just a bit of “conspiracy theory” which is so popular here in America or is this based in fact?

I am a history buff, but to now I have submerged myself in American history, specifically the American Civil War, however I believe it is time to branch out and I believe I will start with Titanic, beginning with ordering your book.

Thank you for your wonderful work and I can’t wait to read your book providing it is available as yet. I await your reply at your convenience.

Deborah Metzger Akron, Ohio, USA

Having watched your documentary again this week, i must commened you on your fascinating analyis and research. As a history buff, its historians like yourself that make me love reading and learning more about history. Look forward to more of your works in the future.

Also as a Californian, great to see the Mojave Desert in your documentary!

Mr. Maltin, I would love to meet you and hear all about your theories and all about the research you have done on Titanic. I’ve done much research myself since I was first in middle school and now I am senior and still have billions of questions. I have yet to meet another person with the same passion about learning all about Titanic and I just heard about you.

I am currently reading 101 Things. It is a fascinating read for sure; so I have nothing awful to say regarding what is being written but how. As a writer, you should know simple grammatical rules and distracting tendencies that stop the flow of reading. There were SEVERAL moments where you simply repeated or restated what you quoted. Who does that at your level? Were you trying for a specific word count? Also, there were several instances where you switched from using numerical figures to spelling out the numbers within pages of each other, describing the EXACT same phrase word for word (i.e. page 154 “400-foot ship five miles away instaed of an 800-foot ship 10 miles away.” then followed by page 157 “a four-hundred foot ship five miles away, instead of the eight-hundred foot ship ten miles away…”) Like really? you need to repeat the same phrase again? At least be consistent; use numerical values both times or spell it out both times. Also, the matter of switching from spelling “inquiry” with an I to spelling it with an E? Like what it with that? The first half of the book, we read “US Inquiry”, then all of a sudden, you use “Enquiry”. Am I missing something? Either you are simply lazy with your writing style or the editors of this book need to be fired..holy cow!

Guilty as charged on both counts. My apologies – I wish you had proofread my book! Thank you, Tim

Hello Tim, I literally loved your documentary and your approach of going back to testimonies from different sources of the time to arrive at your theory of refraction and that seems to explain a lot of things. It is extremely rigorous and well-done investigative work. I congratulate you. Your passion shines through on screen. I have a very simple question unrelated to your documentary, but to which I find few answers in the Titanic literature: why in 1912 it was considered the largest ship in the world while its twin, the Olympic have the same dimensions? There seems to be a small variation in tonnage, but are they similar in size? Besides its unequaled luxury and the story of its fateful fate, why is it called bigger than the Olympic?

I have always thought that Mr. Maltin is an excellent researcher and fair and open-minded individual. That said, I don’t wish to comment on any post, but to make an observation, not a criticism of Mr. Maltin, which nevertheless I think very important.

Titanic presents a tantalizing research challenge: On the one hand it is one of the most, if not the most, documented shipwrecks in modern history. By the same token, the fact that a vast amount of that documentation is predicated upon eye witness accounts constitutes a huge foundational weakness. To this fact James Cameron referred somewhat facetiously in “Breaking New Ground” as history as being a “collective hallucination” of what those that survived said happened.

Many other historians have ignored the fact, which has been obvious to law enforcement and to the accident reconstructionist for decades, that eye witness reports are highly unreliable especially in situations of mortal danger.

In addition to the terror factor, on Titanic the unreliability factor is further aggravated by the fact that for an extended period of time many passengers and crew perceived no mortal danger therefore presumably paying little attention to surrounding events. Even once danger was appreciated by the masses, no one was holding a watch, misidentifications were not uncommon, and the dim lighting on the boat deck, which has never been portrayed accurately in film, further complicated identification of the different players.

I think that therefore, one has to be especially careful about embracing any eye witness account, even if others/another seem to coincide, before arriving at a final conclusion or marketing a book on an alleged “newly discovered” piece of information.

For example, even if I weren’t a medical doctor, I would find Charles Joughin’s testimony about surviving for “over two hours” in 28 degree water, however well-intentioned, the poster boy for why all eye witness accounts must be held to a very high standard (which in this case also contradicts common sense and would be possible only if Joughin were wearing a modern cold water immersion suit).

Respectfully, T. Andrews, MA, D.O. [email protected]

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The Novel That (Seemingly) Predicted the 'Titanic' Disaster

By april snellings | mar 28, 2022, 12:36 pm edt.

It’s a scene of visceral horror that probably sounds familiar to nearly every contemporary reader: On an April night, a majestic ocean liner plows through the North Atlantic, traveling between England and New York. The ship, which takes its name from a family of giants in Greek mythology, is “the largest craft afloat and the greatest of the works of men,” boasting every imaginable luxury. It’s a steel behemoth with two masts, three enormous propellers, and more than a dozen supposedly watertight compartments that can be quickly sealed off in the event of an emergency.

But “emergency” doesn’t even begin to describe what happens. Sometime near midnight, while traveling at what would prove to be an unsafe speed, the ship grazes an iceberg on its starboard side. The terrible extent of the damage soon becomes clear, and anyone unlucky enough to be on board might hear the “bee-like buzzing of nearly three thousand human voices, raised in agonized screams and callings from within the inclosing walls” of the doomed ship. Since the craft has been described as indestructible, it carries “as few [life]boats as would satisfy the laws.” It’s one of the deadliest disasters in maritime history.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about this grim episode, though, is that it has nothing to do with the R.M.S. Titanic . The scene above is taken from a novel known as Futility: or, the Wreck of the Titan , written by Morgan Robertson and first published in 1898—14 years before the sinking of the Titanic , and 11 years before construction began on the White Star Line’s now-infamous ship.

Robertson’s potboiler is one of the most hair-raisingly prescient novels of the 19th century. His imagined ship is nearly a mirror image of the Titanic : Both vessels were marvels of engineering, meant to set new standards for luxury travel. Each had a capacity of around 3000 people, making it the world’s largest passenger ship at the time of its construction, and each was equipped with state-of-the-art safety features meant to protect it from sinking. The ships were remarkably similar in size—Robertson’s Titan was 800 feet long, while the Titanic measured 882.5 feet. Both ships set sail in April; disaster struck each ship around midnight. (The Titanic sank in the early-morning hours of April 15; Robertson didn’t mention a specific date.) The Titan was traveling at 25 knots at the time of its collision. When Titanic struck an iceberg, its speed was 22.5 knots.

Thankfully, the similarities stop short of the death toll. Robertson’s Titan was filled to capacity, while the Titanic carried well over 2000 passengers and crew. Rescuers were able to save 705 people from the Titanic , but only 13 people survived the sinking of the Titan . The stories also diverge wildly in terms of what happens after the shipwreck. In Robertson’s tale, the hero, having survived the wreck, goes on to encounter a polar bear, which he fights, kills, and skins with his teeth. (OK, he also uses a knife.)

In the 110 years since the Titanic plunged to the ocean floor, a body of lore has sprung up around it, including tales of people who supposedly predicted the disaster. Most of these stories are vague and probably apocryphal, and few are supported by any kind of evidence. Robertson’s novella is different, though—it’s well documented, extraordinarily detailed, and chillingly accurate. And even if you’re a skeptic, the similarities between Robertson’s story and the fate that eventually befell the Titanic are even eerier in light of some of Robertson’s beliefs.

“Some Spirit Entity”

Morgan Andrew Robertson was born in Oswego, New York, in 1861. According to a 2011 interview with Oswego County historian Justin White, Robertson, whose father was a ship captain, often spent summers sailing the Great Lakes. He joined the Merchant Marine when he was just 16 years old and spent nearly 10 years working on ships all over the world. He retired from the service in 1886 and became a jeweler, supposedly after a phrenologist evaluated the “bumps” on his head and told him he should learn a trade. That work lasted for about a decade, until problems with his vision forced him to give it up.

According to Robertson’s autobiography “Gathering No Moss,” published in a 1914 issue of the Saturday Evening Post , he tried his hand at writing when he was 36 years old, after noticing several mistakes in a Rudyard Kipling sea story. “If a man who has never worked at sea can write a story like that … and get money for it,” Robertson wrote, “why couldn’t I?” Robertson authored more than 200 stories over the next 17 years, and there’s no indication that Futility made more of an impression than any of the others when it was first published. But the novella became something of a sensation in 1912, when it was reprinted as The Wreck of the Titan (or Futility; or The Wreck of the Titan ) in the wake of the Titanic disaster.

How in the world did Robertson manage to write such a disturbingly prophetic story? Given the striking parallels, it’s understandable that so many people have defaulted to a supernatural explanation. Spiritualism was still thriving in 1912, and millions would have readily accepted the idea that Robertson’s pen had been guided by some nebulous force beyond the realm of ordinary perception. A close look at Robertson’s life might have even lent credibility to that theory—according to an essay by journalist Henry W. Francis that appeared in a 1915 book of remembrances called Morgan Robertson, the Man , the author of Futility believed that “some spirit entity with literary ability, denied physical expression, had commandeered his body and brain for the purpose of giving to the world the literary gems which made him famous.”

These notions were further amplified in the 1970s and ’80s, writes Martin Gardner in his book The Wreck of the Titanic Foretold? , when a renewed interest in paranormal phenomena put Robertson’s story back in the spotlight. And to make matters even stranger, Futility wasn’t Robertson’s only brush with literary precognition. In 1914—the year before his death—he published a story called “Beyond the Spectrum,” where the United States Navy endures a sneak attack by Japanese forces somewhere near Hawaii.

But as tempting as it might be to wonder if Robertson was receiving transmissions from the ether, history offers a different explanation.

Too Many Icebergs, Not Enough Lifeboats

As a former sailor and an author of sea stories, Robertson kept abreast of developments in maritime culture and technology, and was known for his commitment to scientific and technical accuracy in his stories. According to an essay by Robertson’s friend Bozeman Bulger, Robertson once spent several weeks studying physics in order to get the science right in one of his short stories. Robertson is thought to be the first writer to mention periscopes in a work of fiction, and he even claimed to have invented the device, only to be denied a patent because a similar instrument had already been described in a French magazine. 

It’s not hard to imagine, then, that Robertson might have seen one of the many references to a new ship being designed—like this one from an April 23, 1897 edition of The Practical Engineer , which described a ship with technical specifications that were remarkably similar to those he would assign the Titan just a year later:

“The White Star Line has arranged with Harland and Wolff, of Belfast, for the construction of a steamer 704 ft. long ... The Oceanic, as the boat is to be called, will be propelled by three screws driven by three sets of engines aggregating between 45,000 and 50,000 horse power ... It is said the boat is to have a speed of 27 knots.”

As for the name Robertson gave his fictional ship, White Star had already built liners called the S.S. Britannic , the Teutonic , and the Majestic , and in 1892, The New York Times mentioned a ship the White Star Line had commissioned called the Gigantic . According to Gardner, it was pretty much inevitable that the company would eventually get around to naming a ship Titanic . Gardner suggests that Robertson simply got there first, dropping the terminal “ic” to avoid any explicit association with White Star.

That still leaves the matter of the chilling similarities between the Titan ’s demise and the horror that befell the Titanic . Even here, though, it’s likely that Robertson wasn’t so much psychic as just well informed. Icebergs were a known danger in the late 19th century, and Robertson, a veteran sailor, would have known this.

“During the advent of transatlantic passenger service, specifically steamships, the possibility of fatal collisions with icebergs was not uncommon,” says maritime historian David Perry.

It also seems ships with names similar to Titanic had a habit of sinking in the years leading up to the writing of Futility ; according to Titanic researcher Senan Molony, three ships called Titania sank in the North Atlantic between the years of 1865 and 1882. (One of them went down near Newfoundland after hitting an iceberg—a pair of circumstances that would be mimicked by both the Titan and the Titanic .)

As for the location and timing of Robertson’s disaster, history would have helped him there too. The stretch of ocean where the Titan and the Titanic sank is known as “Iceberg Alley,” and early spring is a notoriously treacherous time to sail it.

According to MarineLink, “iceberg season” runs from mid-February to early June, with the months of March, April, and May being the most dangerous months for ships traveling the North Atlantic shipping lanes. The year before Futility was published, a French brig called Vaillant sank after colliding with an iceberg off the southern shore of Newfoundland on April 13, killing 78 people. Nearly 50 people died in April 1849, when the Hannah sank in Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence after an iceberg ripped a hole in its hull. Before that there was the William Brown , which sank after hitting an iceberg on April 19, 1841, about 250 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. The ship took 31 passengers with it, but many of the survivors who did make it onto one of the ship’s two overcrowded lifeboats didn’t fare much better; when one of the boats began to take on water, crew members threw 16 passengers overboard to their deaths.

And speaking of lifeboats, there’s nothing unusual about Robertson’s Titan , like the Titanic , having too few of them. At the time, Perry tells Mental Floss, lifeboat requirements were based on a ship’s weight, not its capacity. “Every ship over 10,000 tons was required to carry 16 lifeboats,” Perry notes, so it was common for large passenger ships to have far too few lifeboats for everyone on board. In his 1986 book The Night Lives On , Walter Lord writes that, of the 39 British liners that topped 10,000 tons at the time of the Titanic disaster, 33 of them didn’t have enough lifeboats to accommodate everyone. Many of those ships were operational when Robertson wrote Futility .

Robertson was mostly silent about the strange journey of Futility , and he didn’t mention it all in his 1914 autobiography. When he did address the phenomenon, he didn’t claim to be a prophet, but he didn’t exactly dispel the notion that there was something supernatural afoot either. In 1912, American author and poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox was aboard White Star’s Olympic when she heard the Titanic had hit an iceberg. After arriving in England, Wilcox came across Robertson’s novella. According to her 1918 autobiography The Worlds and I , Wilcox was so rattled by it that she wrote to Robertson.

“I merely tried to write a good story with no idea of being a prophet,” Robertson replied. “But, as in other stories of mine, and in the work of other and better writers, coming discoveries and events have been anticipated. I do not doubt that it is because all creative workers get into a hypnoid, telepathic and percipient condition, in which, while apparently awake, they are half asleep, and tap, not only the better informed minds of others but the subliminal realm of unknown facts.”

If Robertson did have access to some “subliminal realm,” he was never able to monetize it. Though his adventure stories were popular, he struggled financially for most of his life, and died standing up in an Atlantic City hotel room in March 1915. His cause of death has alternately been cited as a drug overdose, heart disease, or suicide.

A Strange Micro-Genre

Robertson’s novella isn’t the only piece of fiction that supposedly predicted the sinking of the Titanic . There’s a strange micro-genre of literature that seemed to anticipate the horrific accident.

There was Thornton Jenkins Hains’s “The White Ghost of Disaster,” published under the pseudonym Mayn Clew Garnett, which appeared in a pulp magazine that went to press just before the sinking of the Titanic . Hains’s story centers on a fictional, 800-foot-long ship called the Admiral that, like the Titanic , strikes an iceberg while travelling at 22.5 knots . Since the ship doesn’t have enough lifeboats, nearly all of its passengers die.

There was also Celia Thaxter’s poem “A Tryst,” collected in an 1896 volume of Thaxter’s work, which tells of a passenger steamer that collides with an iceberg and quickly sinks, killing everyone on board. Thaxter compares her ship to “some imperial creature” sailing “with matchless grace,” so it’s not hard to see why some have interpreted it as a Titanic omen. Really, though, these works are indicators of just how common it was for ships to hit icebergs in the 19th and 20th centuries, and how a fear of such disasters hung over maritime travel.

Strangest of all, though, might be the case of journalist, newspaper editor, and spiritualist W.T. Stead, who published two works—“How the Mail Steamer Went Down in Mid Atlantic” in 1886 and "From the Old World to the New" in 1892—that contain details that would be echoed in the destruction of the Titanic . In the former, a sinking ocean liner is equipped with too few lifeboats; in the latter, a ship is felled by an iceberg in the North Atlantic. These coincidences are general enough that they might never have become part of the Titanic ’s macabre legacy if it weren’t for one hair-raising postscript: Stead died on April 15, 1912— as a passenger on the Titanic .

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The Tragic Tale of the Titanic: A Maritime Disaster That Shocked the World

• by history tools
• May 26, 2024

Introduction

The RMS Titanic, a marvel of engineering and luxury, set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK, to New York City, USA, on April 10, 1912. The largest and most opulent ocean liner of her time, the Titanic was a symbol of the Edwardian era‘s confidence and optimism. However, just four days into her journey, the ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank, taking the lives of more than 1,500 passengers and crew. This tragic event shocked the world and left an indelible mark on history.

Construction and Design

The Titanic was built by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Ireland, and was owned by the White Star Line. Construction began on March 31, 1909, and took nearly three years to complete. The ship was built using a combination of steel and wrought iron, with a double bottom and 16 watertight compartments designed to keep her afloat in the event of a collision (Hutchings & de Kerbrech, 2011).

The Titanic measured 882 feet 9 inches (269.06 m) long and 92 feet 6 inches (28.19 m) wide, with a gross tonnage of 46,328 tons. She had 10 decks, four funnels, and three propellers, and was powered by two four-cylinder steam engines and one low-pressure turbine. The ship‘s interior was equally impressive, with luxurious accommodations for first-class passengers that included a grand staircase, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, and a Turkish bath. Second-class and third-class accommodations were also of a high standard for the time (Beveridge & Hall, 2011).

Societal Context

The Titanic‘s maiden voyage took place during the Edwardian era, a time of great social and economic change. The ship‘s passengers were divided into three distinct classes, reflecting the rigid class structure of the time. First-class passengers, who included some of the wealthiest and most prominent individuals of the day, enjoyed luxurious accommodations and amenities, while second-class and third-class passengers had more modest quarters and facilities (Maltin & Aston, 2011).

The Titanic was seen as a symbol of progress and modernity, reflecting the confidence and optimism of the age. However, the disaster that befell the ship would ultimately serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of overconfidence and the limits of human technology.

The Fateful Journey

The Titanic set sail from Southampton on April 10, 1912, with 2,224 passengers and crew on board. The ship made stops at Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, before heading out into the open Atlantic. The weather was calm and clear, and the ship‘s captain, Edward Smith, ordered the ship to maintain a speed of around 22 knots (25 mph) (Maltin & Aston, 2011).

On the night of April 14, the ship received several ice warnings from other ships in the area, but these warnings were largely ignored. At around 11:40 PM, a lookout spotted an iceberg directly ahead, but it was too late to avoid a collision. The Titanic struck the iceberg on her starboard side, causing the hull plates to buckle inwards and opening five of her sixteen watertight compartments to the sea (Hutchings & de Kerbrech, 2011).

The Sinking and Rescue Efforts

Despite the damage, the Titanic remained afloat for over two hours as her crew and passengers struggled to evacuate. However, the ship had only enough lifeboats to accommodate about half of those on board, and many of the boats were launched only partially filled (Beveridge & Hall, 2011).

The evacuation process was chaotic and disorganized, with many passengers and crew members unsure of what to do. First-class passengers were given priority in boarding the lifeboats, while many third-class passengers were left to fend for themselves. Some lifeboats were launched with only a handful of people on board, while others were filled to capacity (Maltin & Aston, 2011).

As the ship began to sink faster, panic set in and chaos ensued. Many passengers and crew were left stranded on the ship as it tilted towards the bow and began to fill with water. The Titanic finally sank at around 2:20 AM on April 15, 1912, taking the lives of more than 1,500 people. Only about 700 survivors were rescued by the nearby ship Carpathia (Hutchings & de Kerbrech, 2011).

Table 1: Titanic passenger and crew survival rates by class. (Maltin & Aston, 2011)

Aftermath and Consequences

The sinking of the Titanic sent shockwaves around the world and led to widespread public outrage and calls for reform. In the United States, a Senate inquiry was launched to investigate the disaster, while in the United Kingdom, a formal investigation was conducted by the British Board of Trade (Barczewski, 2011).

The inquiries revealed numerous shortcomings in the Titanic‘s design and operation, including the lack of sufficient lifeboats, inadequate evacuation procedures, and the failure to heed ice warnings. The disaster also highlighted the need for better communication systems and safety regulations in the maritime industry (Maltin & Aston, 2011).

In response to the Titanic tragedy, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) was adopted in 1914, establishing new standards for ship design, safety equipment, and emergency procedures. The convention required ships to carry enough lifeboats for all passengers and crew, as well as other safety measures such as 24-hour radio communication and regular lifeboat drills (Hutchings & de Kerbrech, 2011).

Discovery and Cultural Impact

The wreck of the Titanic was discovered in 1985 by a team led by oceanographer Robert Ballard, using advanced underwater imaging technology. The discovery sparked renewed interest in the Titanic story and led to numerous expeditions to study and document the wreck site (Ballard & Archbold, 1987).

Since its discovery, the Titanic has become a cultural icon, inspiring countless books, films, documentaries, and exhibitions. The most famous cinematic depiction of the disaster is James Cameron‘s 1997 film "Titanic," which won 11 Academy Awards and became one of the highest-grossing films of all time (Lubin, 1999).

The Titanic story has also had a lasting impact on popular culture, serving as a cautionary tale about the dangers of human hubris and the limits of technology. The ship‘s legacy has been commemorated in museums, memorials, and cultural events around the world, ensuring that the memory of the Titanic and those who perished on board will never be forgotten.

The tragic tale of the Titanic remains one of the most enduring and fascinating stories in modern history. The ship‘s construction, design, and societal context offer a glimpse into the world of the Edwardian era, while the events of her fateful journey and the aftermath of the disaster continue to captivate and inspire people around the globe.

More than a century after her sinking, the Titanic serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of human life and the importance of safety, responsibility, and humility in the face of nature‘s power. As we continue to study and remember the Titanic, we honor the lives lost and the lessons learned from this tragic event, ensuring that her legacy will endure for generations to come.

• Ballard, R. D., & Archbold, R. (1987). The Discovery of the Titanic. Warner Books.
• Barczewski, S. (2011). Titanic: A Night Remembered. Continuum.
• Beveridge, B., & Hall, S. (2011). Titanic: The Ship Magnificent. The History Press.
• Hutchings, D. F., & de Kerbrech, R. P. (2011). RMS Titanic Manual: 1909-1912 Olympic Class. Haynes Publishing.
• Lubin, D. M. (1999). Titanic. BFI Publishing.
• Maltin, T., & Aston, E. (2011). 101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic… But Didn‘t! Penguin Books.

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Understanding the refugee experience, through a time-traveling British colonizer

B.A. Parker

Christina Cala

Courtney Stein

Xavier Lopez

Lori Lizarraga

Veralyn Williams

Dalia Mortada

Author Kailene Bradley poses next to the cover of her recent book, The Ministry of Time Author headshot via publisher hide caption

Author Kailene Bradley poses next to the cover of her recent book, The Ministry of Time

This week Code Switch digs into The Ministry of Time , a new book that author Kailene Bradley describes as a romance about imperialism. It focuses on real-life colonizer Graham Gore, who was a Victorian polar explorer that died on a doomed Arctic expedition in 1847. But in this novel, Gore doesn't die. Instead, the British government has developed the ability to time travel and brings him from the Arctic into the 21st century. It's here that Gore is confronted with the fact that everyone he's ever known and loved is dead, that the British Empire has collapsed, and that perhaps he was not as good a person as he thought himself to be.

Bradley hopes that through this love story readers walk away understanding that anyone is capable of change, "for the better, [but] also for the worse. You can even take a colonist...who can look critically at his role and reconsider it."

This episode was hosted by B.A. Parker, produced by Christina Cala, and edited by Courtney Stein. Our engineer was Josephine Nyounai.

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The first and last meals eaten by Titanic passengers in every class

Posted: 24 March 2024 | Last updated: 24 March 2024

Menus from the most fateful voyage in history

It's been more than 110 years since the ill-fated RMS Titanic hit an iceberg on her maiden voyage, falling to the Atlantic seabed where the hull still rests today. More than 1,500 people died on 14 April, 1912, making it one of the most tragic maritime disasters of all time. Here, with a vintage menu selling for a record £84,000 (around $100,000), we shed light on what life – and the food – was like onboard the most famous liner in history.

Following the recent auction of the Titanic's only known surviving first-class dinner menu, from 11 April, click or scroll on to discover what it reveals about the culinary offering and day-to-day life onboard the ship.

A rare piece of menu memorabilia

Believed to be the only remaining first-class dinner menu from the night of 11 April, 1912 – three days before the tragedy, this piece went up for auction on 11 November, 2023 at Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd in Wiltshire, England, UK. With light water damage, it was described by the auction house as ‘a remarkable survivor from the most famous ocean liner of all time’. The lot, which was auctioned off alongside other Titanic memorabilia, including a first-class tartan-patterned deck blanket, far surpassed its estimate of £70,000 (around $85,000).

A first-class feast

The menu itself, which is embossed with a red White Star Line flag, shows that first-class diners sat down to an extravagant feast on the evening after the ship left Queenstown, Ireland for New York. Opulent dishes included hors d'oeuvres and fresh oysters to start, followed by the likes of duck with port wine sauce, spring lamb with mint sauce and sirloin of beef with horseradish cream. Sumptuous desserts, such as apricot bourdaloue (a French-style apricot pastry tart) and Victoria pudding (a steamed pudding flavoured with jam and mixed peel), provided a fitting end to the meal.

Now read on to discover more about what life – and dining – was like onboard RMS Titanic for members of all classes.

Why are we so fascinated?

Many factors led to the tragedy. The claim that the Titanic – at the time the largest ship ever built – was unsinkable, the unusual combination of weather that drove icebergs further south than usual and the lack of lifeboats all played a part in the shocking death toll. Yet it's the stories of the celebrities of the day that were onboard, the sheer size and splendour of the ship, and how it highlighted the Edwardian class divide that have captivated people through the decades. 

Titanic provisions: what food came onboard

The Titanic was the most luxurious ship afloat and food onboard was a big part of the liner's appeal. Meals were included in the ticket price for nearly all passengers, with the exception of those in the à la carte restaurant. There was enough to cater for 2,200 people on what should have been a week-long voyage. Hefty provisions included 75,000lbs of meat, 11,000lbs of fresh fish, 40 tonnes of potatoes, 40,000 eggs, 7,000 heads of lettuce, 10,000lbs of sugar, 250 barrels flour, 36,000 apples, 1,500 gallons of milk and 15,000 bottles of ale. 

Life for third-class passengers

Fares from those emigrating to the New World were big business for shipping companies and many of those seeking a new life would have been in third class (also known as steerage). Titanic’s third class was said to resemble second class in comparison to other steamships, but was also more expensive. There were two modest dining rooms, communal rooms, deck space and even running water and electricity (a novelty for many). The cabins, illustrated in this picture, were separated into berths for single men located near the bow, while single women were housed at the other end of the ship near the stern and families.

Dining in third-class

The food and dining rooms were plain in comparison to the experience in first and second class, but were still a great improvement for steerage passengers of the time, who usually had to bring their own food. The dining areas were painted white with bright side lighting, long communal wooden tables and chairs and enamelled walls. Pictured is the third-class dining saloon (1911) on the RMS Olympic, the Titanic’s near-identical sister ship.

Food was surprisingly good quality for third-class passengers. The White Star Line (who owned the Titanic) offered freshly baked bread and fruit daily and meals were better than those most passengers could afford at home. For example, the Goodwin family, pictured here, would have eaten well. When the ship went down many steerage passengers lost their lives, including Mr and Mrs Frederick Goodwin and all their children. 

A third-class breakfast

Breakfast was an important meal for Edwardians, and on the morning of the 14 April (the day before the sinking) passengers tucked into a number of foods typical of the period. There was oatmeal with milk, smoked herrings (pictured), jacket potatoes, ham and eggs, fresh bread and butter, marmalade, Swedish bread, tea and coffee.

A third-class lunch

On 14 April, the steerage lunch menu consisted of rice soup, fresh bread, cabin biscuits (often eaten to alleviate seasickness), roast beef and brown gravy, sweetcorn, boiled potatoes, plum pudding, sweet sauce and fruit.

Tea and supper

In third class there was no dinner, which was considered a middle- and upper-class idea. Instead, tea and supper were served. Tea consisted of cold meat, cheese, pickles, fresh bread and butter and tea. Pudding was stewed figs and rice. Supper was gruel (a type of thin porridge), cabin biscuits and cheese.

The last meals eaten by third-class passengers

Sadly, for hundreds of people tea and supper was the last meal they ate. The greatest loss of life was among third-class passengers whose cabins and public areas were in the lowest part of the ship and so were most vulnerable when disaster struck. Around 75% perished, the majority of which were men. 

Life for second-class passengers

Living a little more luxuriously, second-class passengers had comfortable cabins with shared bathrooms, access to a library, a men-only smoking room (common practice at the time), a large, handsome dining room and promenade decks. Pictured is a period illustration of a second-class stateroom on the RMS Titanic.

Dining in second-class

While not as grand as first-class dining facilities, the second-class dining room was still a sight to behold. It was an attractive space big enough to seat all second-class passengers, with oak-panelled walls, coloured linoleum floors, long tables and mahogany swivel chairs. Pictured here is the second-class dining room on the Olympic.

A second-class breakfast

Although there was less choice for second-class passengers than those in first class, the largely British food was still of a high standard and a step up from third-class victuals. This impressive breakfast menu from the 11 April shows hearty options and plenty of protein, including Yarmouth bloaters (smoked herring), ox kidneys and bacon, sausages, grilled ham and fried eggs. Pictured is a second-class breakfast menu, as seen on display at the SeaCity Museum in Southampton, England, UK.

There was plenty of filling fare in a second-class breakfast too, including oats, hominy (a type of grits), three types of potatoes, Vienna rolls, Graham rolls, soda scones (pictured) and buckwheat cake. For something sweet, there were various conserves but the only nod to vegetables was watercress.

A second-class lunch

On 12 April, second-class guests – such as schoolteacher Lawrence Beesley (pictured on the right in the gymnasium on the Titanic) who survived the sinking and later wrote a book about the tragedy – tucked into pea soup, spaghetti au gratin, corned beef, vegetable dumplings, roast mutton, roast beef, jacket potatoes, sausages, ox tongue, pickles and salad.

For dessert, there was tapioca pudding, apple tart, fresh fruit, cheese and biscuits and coffee. These American and British dishes, cooked in the same galley as first-class, made up a hearty lunch – albeit a less elegant one than that served in the á la carte restaurant two decks above.

The last meal eaten by second-class passengers

The last meal many second-class passengers ate comprised of a starter of consommé with tapioca, then a choice of mains including baked haddock with sharp sauce (a tangy sauce with a vinegar base), curried chicken and rice, spring lamb with mint sauce or roast turkey with cranberry sauce. Sides were peas, pureed turnips, boiled and roast potatoes and rice. Pictured is a copy of a second-class dinner menu on the 14 April.

Guests, blithely oblivious to the tragedy about to occur, consumed plum pudding (pictured), wine jelly, American ice cream, assorted nuts, fruits, cheese and biscuits and coffee for dessert. One second-class passenger commented that 'no effort had been spared to give even the second-class cabin passengers… the best dinner that money can buy'.

Life for first-class passengers

Titanic’s first-class passengers, such as American socialite Molly Brown (pictured), expected the best and would feast like royalty every day. These rich and often celebrated guests could easily afford first-class, a ticket for which cost between £30 (around £2,700/$3,300 today) and £870 (£76,000/ $930,000 today). As was the fashion in upper-class circles, the food was French with some classic British and American dishes.

For first-class passengers the upper part of the Titanic was as sumptuously decorated as a high-class hotel. There were lavish staterooms, a grand staircase, swimming pool, Turkish bath, gym, squash court, leisure rooms and multiple dining rooms all resplendently decorated. Pictured is stateroom B-58 on the Titanic, decorated in Louis XVI style.

Dining in first class

The enormous Jacobean-inspired dining saloon was situated in the middle of the ship to give diners the smoothest passage. It was lined with white painted wood panelling, beautiful leaded-glass windows obscured the portholes and tables were laid for two to eight guests. A bugle sounded that signalled guests to head to the reception room, where they sipped cocktails before dinner. Breakfast was served 8-10am; lunch 1-2.30pm; and dinner 7-8.15pm. Pictured here is the first-class dining saloon on RMS Olympic.

For an extra cost, first-class passengers could book to dine at restaurateur Luigi Gatti’s intimate à la carte restaurant nicknamed the “Ritz” (pictured). The elegant space was fully carpeted with French walnut-panelled walls and picture windows. Small tables were lit by crystal lamps and guests could eat any time between 8am and 11pm, which made it a popular choice. Gatti and the majority of the kitchen staff died when the Titanic sank.

As well as the dining saloon and luxurious à la carte restaurant, first-class passengers had other places to eat including the Veranda Café and the Café Parisien (pictured). Both had wicker chairs and ivy coloured trellises, the former resembled the outdoor terrace of a country hotel and the latter a café on a Parisian sidewalk, despite being completely enclosed.

A first-class breakfast

The main difference between breakfasts in first and second class was that diners in the top tier could have food such as omelettes, chops and steaks cooked to order. There were also four types of cooked egg to choose from, three types of potato and more fish options including smoked salmon. 

A first-class lunch

On the 14 April, guests in the dining saloon could opt for one of four starters, including fillets of brill and egg à l'argenteuil, then choose items from the grill and the extensive buffet that included veal and ham pie, potted shrimps, galantine of chicken, Norwegian anchovies, beetroot and tomatoes. Pictured is a first-class menu on display in The Little Museum of Dublin, donated by the family of a Titanic survivor.

Dessert was a generous selection of English and French cheese that included Camembert, Roquefort, Cheddar and Stilton, washed down with a tankard of Munich lager (for an extra cost).

The last meal eaten by first-class passengers

The last meal for first-class diners was a grand affair that included starters of canapés and oysters, a second course of consommé Olga (a clear veal soup garnished with scallops), a third course of poached salmon with mousseline sauce, and a fourth course of filet mignon Lili or chicken Lyonnaise with marrow farci (stuffed vegetables).

The mains catered to most people’s tastes. There was lamb, duckling and beef, with buttery roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, minted peas, carrots and rice. After a rum-infused palate cleanser of punch romaine (the sixth course), guests moved on to roasted squab (pigeon) with wilted cress, asparagus salad with Champagne saffron vinaigrette and pâté de foie gras with celery. In fact, with a grand total of 11 courses, it’s hard to imagine how they fitted it all in.

To round off that fateful meal, there was Waldorf pudding, peaches in Chartreuse jelly, chocolate and vanilla éclairs, French ice cream, assorted fresh fruit and cheeses. While some first-class diners would have eaten in one of the cafés or the à la carte restaurant, for others this would have been their last meal – a few hours later, more than 120 first-class passengers died, mainly men. 

Titanic menus are worth a fortune today

People remain in awe of the Titanic, especially its glamour and opulence, so when a first-class menu of the first lunch aboard the ship went up for auction in 2018 it fetched £100,000 ($122,000). Dated 12 April, 1912, it belonged to Second Officer Charles Lightoller. In 2012, the last lunch menu sold for £76,000 ($92,800). Pictured is a first-class menu on display at Bonhams auction house, New York City, in 2012.

A grand commemoration dinner

In 2012, the Hullett House Hotel in Hong Kong (pictured) hosted a £1,470 ($1,800) per head dinner to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking. The 10-course dinner was inspired by the final meal served in the first-class dining saloon and included bottles of wine salvaged from the wreck. 

Taste the Titanic's cuisine today

Rayanne House in Belfast, Northern Ireland, (where the Titanic was built) usually offers a nine-course Titanic menu inspired by what first-class passengers would have eaten. Courses include poached salmon with mousseline sauce, filet mignon with foie gras and truffle, and spiced peaches in Chartreuse jelly.

Still intrigued? Read more…

To learn more about the food and drink served on the doomed liner read Rick Archebold’s The Last Dinner on the Titanic and RMS Titanic Dinner is Served by Yvonne Hulme, the great niece of musician John Law Hulme who died while working on the ship.

Get up close and personal

There are numerous exhibitions and memorials dedicated to the Titanic in the UK. Titanic Belfast, in Northern Ireland, offers the definitive Titanic Experience, while Seacity Museum, in Southampton, England, tells a tale of a town where more than 500 households lost a family member. Mersey Maritime Museum, in Liverpool, England, explains the city's place in the Titanic's story.

Now discover the most decadent airline menus throughout history

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AAA forecasts nearly 44M travelers for Memorial Day weekend: See best times to travel

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, which means people will be flooding highways and airports this weekend looking to get away for some rest and relaxation.

The American Automobile Association is projecting nearly 44 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Memorial Day holiday travel period, which is defined by the organization as the five-day period from Thursday, May 23 to Monday, May 27.

"We haven't seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, in a news release. "We're projecting an additional one million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we're exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead."

The organization projects over 38 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, over 3.5 million will travel by air and nearly 2 million will travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises and trains.

The 38 million drivers is the highest number for Memorial Day since AAA began tracking data in 2000 and is up 4% compared to last year. The 3.5 million air travelers is an increase of nearly 5% over last year and, according to AAA, this will be the most crowded Memorial Day weekend at airports since 2005.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

When is Memorial Day?: Here's when the holiday falls and what to know about its history.

Best, worst times to travel for Memorial Day weekend

Drivers leaving Thursday or Friday should hit the road early to avoid mixing with commuters, AAA said, citing data from transportation data and insights provider INRIX. Drivers going back home Sunday or Monday should avoid the afternoon hours when return trips will peak.

“Travel times are expected to be up to 90% longer than normal. Travelers should stay up to date on traffic apps, 511 services, and local news stations to avoid sitting in traffic longer than necessary,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, in the news release.

Here's a breakdown of the best and worst times to travel by car depending on which day you are traveling:

Thursday, May 23

• Best travel time: Before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m.
• Worst travel time: Between noon and 6 p.m.

Friday, May 24

• Best travel time: Before 11 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
• Worst travel time: Between noon and 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 25

• Best travel time: Before 1 p.m. and after 6 p.m.
• Worst travel time: Between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Sunday, May 26

• Best travel time: Before 1 p.m.
• Worst travel time: Between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Monday, May 27

• Best travel time: After 7 p.m.

Gas prices continue to decrease heading into Memorial Day weekend

According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of gasoline has fallen four cents since last week, to $3.60. The primary reasons are weak domestic demand and oil costs below $80 a barrel, according to the organization.

“Barring some unforeseen event, this pokey drop in pump prices is not likely to change anytime soon,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in a news release. “There are seven states with county gas averages at less than $3 a gallon. This trend will likely accelerate as more gas outlets east of the Rockies drop their prices.”

This Memorial Day weekend, drivers can expect similar gas prices as last year when the national average was about $3.57.

"Pump prices rose this spring but have held somewhat steady in recent weeks," AAA said in the news release, while also noting that prices may creep higher as the summer driving season gets underway.

The wildcard remains the cost of oil, according to the organization, and unlike last year, there are now two wars – in the Middle East and Ukraine – that could roil the oil market.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X  @GabeHauari  or email him at [email protected].

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Difference Between Passport Book And Card: Everything You Need To Know

Travelling requires different paperwork, and a passport is the most often needed travel document . They share the same main purpose as proof of U.S. citizenship and identity. But there are significant key differences between a passport book and a passport card that every traveller should know.

With its limitations, a passport card is sometimes preferred by travellers for various reasons. Less expensive and easier to get are two noticeable reasons. However, the passport book is a better choice when you want to travel to a foreign country.

Are you wondering whether you should get a passport book or a card? Continue to read and learn everything that you should know about the difference between a passport book and card before deciding.

Passport Books

Passport books are the most essential document needed for international air travel. Photo by Jeff McCollough on stock.adobe.com

A passport book is used in international trips by all modes of transportation such as by air, sea or land. When you speaks of a passport, you are mostly referring to the passport book. In the U.S, they are blue and has 28 or 52 pages (the Next Generation Passport has 26 or 50 pages).

A standardised passport includes identifying information such as a portrait photo , name, date of birth, place of birth, and passport number (mosty on the first or second page). The following pages will be blank for immigration officials to place visa stickers and stamps.

It is valid for up to 10 years for adults above 16 years old. For children under 16 years old, the validity of passport books is 5 years.

CABINZERO's Tips: If you travel frequently by air, it is useful to consider applying for a TSA Precheck to save time. 

How To Get A Passport Book?

Personal information is displayed on the first page of a passport book. Photo by bs_k1d on stock.adobe.com

If you are applying for a new passport book in the United States , you can apply in person and track your application status online. This is applicable for first-time applicants and citizens whose passports expired, lost or damaged. You will need to fill out Form DS-11 first, then provide valid documents as evidence of your U.S. citizenship.

Passport applications can be accepted on behalf of the U.S. Department of State in post offices, public libraries, clerks of court and other government offices. You should have an appointment at one of the nearest acceptance facilities in your area. 

The cost for first-time applicants of passport books is US$165 for adults and US$135 for minors. The cost for passport book renewals is US$130. For urgent needs, you can expedite your application by paying for special services of US$35. Different payment methods are accepted in an acceptance facility versus a passport agency.

If you are applying for a passport book from outside of the United States , you can apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate . It is useful to note that each U.S. embassy or consulate has a different processing time and procedures to follow. 

If you already have a passport book , you can renew your passport by mail or at a passport agency in-person in the United States. It is important to note that a passport agency is different from a passport acceptance facility. If you plan to apply in-person, making an appointment beforehand is a must.

Passport Cards

Passport cards are portable travel documents with the same size as credit cards and travel license that can fit conveniently in wallets. Photo by the U.S. Department of State

A passport card is a travel document issued by the U.S. Department of State since 2008. It is used for land and sea border entry from Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Bermuda. International travellers who arrive by air from the listed destinations cannot use passport cards to enter. 

Passport cards are designed to support the travel needs of communities in the northern and southern border in the United States, who cross the border frequently by land. Passport cards can be used at Ready Lanes for faster travel.

A passport card has a validity up to 10 years for adults and up to 5 years for minors who are under 16 years old. Personal information such as passport card number, nationality, portrait photo, name, date of birth and place of birth are listed on one side of passport cards.

How To Get A Passport Card?

Applicants should book appointments online beforehand and fill out passport forms to save time. Photo by Tierney on stock.adobe.com

To apply for a passport card, you need to fill out passport forms .

• Form DS-11 is used for minor applicants
• Form DS-82 is used for adult applicants.
• Additional documents such as proof of U.S. citizenship and a colour passport photo are required.

It is important to set up an appointment online before visiting the Consulate. Since citizens are not allowed to have two valid passport cards at the same time, be aware that all valid passport cards will be cancelled at your appointment.

The cost for first-time applicants of passport cards is US$65 for adults and US$50 for minors under the age of 16. The renewal cost of passport cards is US$30 for adults.

CABINZERO's Tips: Applying for both a passport book and passport card can save you US$35 with the cost for first-time adults is US$195 and the cost for first-time children is US$150.

Key Differences Between A Passport Book and A Passport Card

Passport cards can only be used for border entry via land and sea. Photo by knelson20 on stock.adobe.com

If you are a US citizen, getting a passport card can be adequate, depending on your travel needs. The U.S. Department of State issues two types of passports : passport books and passport cards for different travel needs.

A passport book can be used for international travel to most countries. A passport card can be used to travel to specific destinations and by certain modes of transportation from the United States.

Types of Border Entry

The key difference between a passport book and a passport card is the types of border entry allowed. A passport book can be used for all modes of transportation including international travel by air, sea and land. A passport card can only be used for international travel by sea and land.

Travel Destinations

Passport books allow global access to every country, whether via land, air or sea travel. Passport cards allow access to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and Caribbean countries via land and sea travel only. Another perk exclusive to the passport card is the access to designated Ready Lanes when crossing the U.S. and Mexico borders. 

Application Fees

Passport books are subjected to higher fees. The application fee for first-time applicants of passport books is US$165 per adult and US$135 per minor. Passport cards are less costly with the application fees of US$65 per adult and US$50 per minor.

Size and Format

A passport book can fit into your pocket with the standardised dimension of 5”x 3 ½”. Passport books are thicker in size as compared to passport cards. A passport card can fit into your wallet with a size similar to common credit cards.

Similarities Between A Passport Book and A Passport Card

The validity of passport books is the same with passport cards. Photo by Alla on stock.adobe.com

Issued by the U.S. Department of State, both travel documents have the same validity, in which adults have up to 10 years of validity whilst minors under 16 years old have up to 5 years validity. 

Processing time is both about 4 to 5 weeks, depending on individual cases. If you are planning to apply for both a passport book and a passport card at the same time, you can do so by using the same application.

Both passport books and passport cards are approved IDs for travellers with domestic flights within the United States . Passport books and passport cards are approved alternatives to state-issued ID s.

Is It Better To Get A Passport Book Or Card?

If you are an international traveller, especially by air, a passport book is a must. Furthermore, you will need it when your travel destinations require a visa, as visas are stamped directly into the book.

For cruise holiday enjoyers, having a passport book ensures you can fly back to the U.S. in case of emergencies. First-time traveller, or anyone who is unsure of their travel patterns, should starts with a passport book given its wide acceptance.

On the other hand, a passport card is good enough if you frequently make trips between the US and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda through land or sea ports-of-entry. It is cheaper than a passport book and can even be used as a federally recognised ID domestically

When Should You Get Both?

If you plan a mix of international air travel and  frequent land/sea travels to the specific regions (where the passport card is accepted), having both can offer the most flexibility.

Moreover, this option makes sense if you prefer a handy card for eligible land and sea travels while keeping your book safe at home. If you lose one, at least you still have the other for backup.

Just a reminder, applying for both of them at the same time save you $35. We recommend families, especially with young children, going for this route.

1. What Does A Passport Card Do?

A passport card is a form of passport available for US citizens since 2008. It is used by travellers who travel by land and sea, from the United States to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda and back. Passport cards are the size of a standardised credit card so it can fit conveniently in travellers' wallets. 

2. What Countries Can You Go To With A Passport Card?

Holders of passport cards can travel to these following countries: 

• Virgin Islands (British)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Caribbean Netherlands 
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Cayman Islands
• Dominican Republic 

3. Should I Get A Passport Book And Card Or Just The Book?

Depending on your travel needs, you can apply for a passport card if you frequently travel by land and sea to Canada, Mexico and other countries listed above. You can save more time by using a passport card in Ready Lanes at the United States and Mexico border. There is a Radio Frequency Identification technology that enables passport card reading at Ready Lanes.

If you travel internationally frequently and prefer to travel by flying, it is best that you get a passport book for worldwide access and visa application process. 

4. How Can I Change My Passport Card To Full Passport?

If you already have a valid passport card, you can try to apply for a passport book using the DS-82 form . You can submit this form via mail. DS-82 form is used for first-time applicants for a U.S. passport. 

If you already have a passport book and you want to renew your passport, you can use DS-82 form for adults and DS-11 form for children under age 16. 

5. How Long Does It Take To Process A Passport Book Or Card Application?

Processing times include the time that your application is received at a passport agency or centre. This excludes mailing times. This is helpful to keep in mind when applying for a passport card/ passport book and planning your trip.

For passport books and passport cards, routine processing time is from 10 to 13 weeks and expedited processing time is from 7 to 9 weeks. For passport cards,

Difference Between Passport Book And Card: What To Know

There are clear differences between a passport book and a passport card. From being used for different travel purposes to having different sizes and application fees, if you are a U.S. citizen, you can apply for either one or both documents.

For international air travel, a passport book is the travel document that you should get. For border crossings via land or sea between the United States and Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean or Bermuda, a passport card is a more portable and less expensive travel document to get. 

Be sure to use this guide to understand the key differences and know how to apply for passport cards and/or passport books. Have fun travelling and enjoy your stress-free trips!

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I've stayed in Airbnbs around the world by myself. My top tip for solo travelers is to book for 2 people — even if it costs more.

• I'm a frequent solo traveler who prefers to stay in Airbnbs over hotels. 
• When I book an Airbnb for a solo trip, I say it's for two people, so hosts don't know I'm alone. 
• Sometimes booking for two costs extra, but I'm willing to pay it because it makes me feel safer. 

Cozy cabins , unique tiny homes , luxury apartments — I've booked them all through Airbnb. 

As a travel reporter, I've stayed in accommodations around the world, from the US and Canada to Western Europe. I prefer staying in Airbnbs over hotels because they often bring me more unique experiences, such as sleeping in a treehouse in Canada and a livable barrel in Switzerland.

Usually, I travel solo . I've taken overnight trains in the US and Europe, spent seven nights on one of the world's largest cruise ships sailing the Caribbean Sea, and traveled by rail to Niagara Falls, Montréal, and Quebec City . On these trips, I explored new cities and unique accommodations — all by myself.

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Now that I'm a seasoned solo traveler , I have a lot of practices in place to ensure I feel as safe as possible when I'm traveling alone — especially in other countries.

When it comes to staying in Airbnbs solo, my best tip is to book accommodation for two people

When I make the reservation, I simply change the number of guests from one to two. Then, In my message to the host, I always say that I may have a friend joining me for my trip.

This way, my host doesn't think I'm traveling all by myself. Creating the illusion that I have someone else with me makes me feel more comfortable falling asleep at night in a stranger's place.

Booking for two sometimes comes with an additional fee, depending on the Airbnb.

For example, when I traveled to Rome and booked two nights in a livable art sculpture Airbnb , the price was $102 a night for one person and $145 a night for two people. In this case, my partner did end up joining me for the stay. But even if he hadn't, I would have been fine paying the additional fee to feel more secure about staying there alone. 

Solo travel can be daunting, especially when you're booking accommodation with an individual rather than directly through a company like you would at a hotel.

But after all my unique Airbnb experiences, I think it's worth booking them even when I'm alone. And booking for two makes me feel a little safer.  

Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Airbnb.

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