Dr Richard Howells publishes The Myth of the Titanic
Posted on 17/04/2012
Titanic expert Dr Richard Howells from the Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries has just published the Centenary Edition of his monograph The Myth of the Titanic. This is an updated and expanded version of the 1999 original, and is available for the first time in paperback.
Revised and expanded, this new edition of The Myth of the Titanic locates the centenary of the sinking of this most famous 'Unsinkable Ship' within its historical, mythical and intellectual context. Richard Howells demonstrates the important difference between the rusting remains of the physical ship and the mythical Titanic that has replaced it in popular culture. By tracing the mythology of the Titanic back to 1912, he shows how late Edwardian society began the process by creating a triumph out of a tragedy. In doing so, Howells not only provides an invaluable insight into the social values of the time, but also reflects upon the far broader relationship between myth, history and popular culture today.