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The Midnight Watch
The Midnight Watch: A Novel of the Titanic and the Californian | David Dyer
As the Titanic and her passengers sank slowly into the Atlantic Ocean after striking an iceberg late in the evening of April 14, 1912, a nearby ship looked on. Second Officer Herbert Stone, in charge of the midnight watch on the SS Californian sitting idly a few miles north, saw the distress rockets that the Titanic fired. He alerted the captain, Stanley Lord, who was sleeping in the chartroom below, but Lord did not come to the bridge. Eight rockets were fired during the dark hours of the midnight watch, and eight rockets were ignored. The next morning, the Titanic was at the bottom of the sea and more than 1,500 people were dead. When they learned of the extent of the tragedy, Lord and Stone did everything they could to hide their role in the disaster, but pursued by newspapermen, lawyers, and political leaders in America and England, their terrible secret was eventually revealed. The Midnight Watch is a fictional telling of what may have occurred that night on the SS Californian, and the resulting desperation of Officer Stone and Captain Lord in the aftermath of their inaction. Told not only from the perspective of the SS Californian crew, but also through the eyes of a family of third-class passengers who perished in the disaster, the narrative is drawn together by Steadman, a tenacious Boston journalist who does not rest until the truth is found. David Dyer's The Midnight Watch is a powerful and dramatic debut novel--the result of many years of research in Liverpool, London, New York, and Boston, and informed by the author's own experiences as a ship's officer and a lawyer.
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bookandbedandtea
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Pickpick

This is a heartbreaking account of the fact that on the night of April 14-15 1912, there was a ship close enough to have helped the Titanic. It's also a fictionalized exploration of what the Californian's crew actually saw, thought, and believed of the happenings that night and tries to explain why they didn't respond. It's interesting but also a little repetitive and it drags in places. Between a pick and a so-so.

MrBook Great review! 5y
20 likes1 stack add1 comment
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bookandbedandtea
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The beginning of a book, the end of the Bronco game (an actual win! 😲), and a warm blankie...I love Sunday afternoon.

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Reagan
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Quiet house, book about the Titanic, cat nearby 🥰 is anyone else super ready for the weekend?

KarouBlue Yaaaasss! 5y
39 likes1 comment
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bookandbedandtea
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I may not have been reading much recently but I've certainly been buying! I opened my kindle app and couldn't believe how many wonderful sounding books I've picked up recently. I'm so glad I've been able to find a little reading time in the last few days because I'm eager to get to some of these. 😊

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LittleMummyMe
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Pickpick

4/5.
I really enjoyed this book...a fictional book (That blends facts and fiction) that ponders and imagines the thoughts, emotions and backstories of members of the crew of The Californian, the ship that was nearby as the Titanic sunk, that could see the Titanic but did not go it it's aid.
#historicalfiction #titanic

19 likes1 stack add
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LittleMummyMe
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As the Titanic and her passengers sank slowly into the Atlantic Ocean after striking an iceberg late in the evening of April 14, 1912, a nearby ship looked on...the SS Californian.
The Midnight Watch is a fictional telling of what may have occurred that night on the SS Californian, and the resulting desperation of Officer Stone and Captain Lord in the aftermath of their inaction the night the Titanic sunk.

I'm LOVING this book so far.

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Cinfhen
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#AbbaInAugust Every since @emilyhaldi posted this book I‘ve been meaning to read it🤓As the Titanic struck an iceberg they sent out 8 emergency flairs hoping another ship would respond #SOS The SS California recognized the signs but did not comply. This is a historical imagining of what occurred.

emilyhaldi Gosh! And I still haven't read it!! 😆 but thanks for reminding me... It does sound good 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 6y
TrishB Sounds interesting 👍🏻 6y
Literary_Siren I enjoyed this book. Though it pissed me off. Such wonton disregard for life. 😡 6y
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tammysue Stacking! 6y
Reviewsbylola Good pick!! I think I gave this book five stars! 🚢 6y
arubabookwoman The California ended its life by sinking off the coast of Aruba. That end of the island now has a lighthouse called the California lighthouse. This was something I always heard while growing up. Not sure if it‘s true. 6y
CouronneDhiver I loved this book! 😊😊😊 6y
Cinfhen So glad you guys recommend this book @Reviewsbylola @CouronneDhiver @Literary_Siren I‘m gonna look for it next time I place a #BookOutlet order 😍 and what an interesting fact @arubabookwoman I‘m sure there‘s some karma in there??!?!!! 6y
Rissreads This book sounds so interesting! 6y
Mdargusch I already have this stacked or I would stack it! 😂😂😂 6y
121 likes4 stack adds10 comments
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Chelsibeau
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My first book outlet order. Have all my roomies addicted now too! How can you hate this for $37 #bookhaul #bookoutlet

TheWordJar I really need to check out Book Outlet. I'm just afraid I don't have the proper self-discipline. 😂 7y
Melissa_J I used Book Outlet for the first time last week, and it was all thanks to Litsy! I just put in another order tonight. 7y
Chelsibeau @TheWordJar clearly my self discipline is not my strong suit 😳 at least when it comes to books. 7y
EvieBee So much goodness! I've been wanting to read Pioneer Girl. 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Book Outlet and Thriftbooks are my favorite online shops now! 7y
42 likes5 comments
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emilyhaldi
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I won't lie, I didn't know that The Titanic was constructed in Belfast until I did a little research on the city this morning. It reminded me that I've has this book on my tbr for a long time! And it just happens to be on Book Outlet for $5. Seems like a sign...
#belfastchild
#junetunz

CouronneDhiver I liked this book a lot... it was on my "Top 3 of Winter 2017" (Jan, Feb, Mar) list ?? 8y
IamIamIam Any mention of the Titanic counts for an instant stack add!!! 8y
Suzze My memory is so bad. I went to look this up on Goodreads. Not only have I already marked it as Want to Read, it looks like I already bought it! 😜😜 8y
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britt_brooke Don't feel bad .... I didn't know that either! 8y
LauraBrook Oh no, only $5? 💸💸💸 8y
Cinfhen I had no idea either...that sounds phenomenal, stacked! 8y
EllieDottie I am planning to use this for my post too! 8y
Reviewsbylola I forgot that. And I agree with @CouronneDhiver , this is a fantastic book! 8y
91 likes6 stack adds8 comments
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Gillyreads
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Got some stuff today #fcbd

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KerriNTurner
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#feistyfeb #bestdebutsof2016 I didn't actually read too many debuts in 2016, but this one was pretty great. All about the Californian ship which saw the Titanic's distress signals and didn't come to her aid. #historicalfiction

RealLifeReading Sounds interesting! I've not heard of this book before! 8y
KerriNTurner @RealLifeReading it's a very interesting, unsettling read, and the author clearly did his research. 8y
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Suetara
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Pickpick

One of the most wonderful things about Litsy is finding out about books that I might not have encountered on my own. I saw a post by @Reviewsbylola about The Midnight Watch and had to read the book. I've been fascinated by the Titanic since I was a kid, and this book provided a new perspective on the disaster. A fascinating read.

jessberk13 Definitely need to read this! 8y
Louise In that case, you really ought to read this marvelous book by Jack Finney. 8y
Suetara @Louise I have, and it's delightful. 😊 8y
Louise @Suetara Great! I love that moment in the book when the reader suddenly realizes the outcome of what Sy and the young woman have done. It's such a shock of "Oh, noooo!" 8y
Reviewsbylola I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I thought it was so well done and it was an aspect of the Totanic disaster that I knew nothing about! 8y
34 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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KerriNTurner
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#readjanuary #readingequipment I don't need much, just my glasses and a couple of good bookmarks! And the book I'm currently reading, of course.

RealLifeReading Nice glasses 👓 8y
KerriNTurner @RealLifeReading thanks! 😊🤓 8y
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Reviewsbylola
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Pickpick

FANTASTIC. I haven't seen this book around much, but when I saw the prwmise, I was instantly intrigued. This book was heartbreaking and invoked a lot of outrage. It is the type of historical fiction I love--heavily steeped in facts. It is obvious that Dyer put in an endless amount of research. This book will stay with me for a long time.

Reviewsbylola @emilyhaldi @Mdargusch @Meredith3 I think all of you would love this book. I could even see dad enjoying it. 8y
AshleyS This sounds so interesting! 8y
EllieDottie This is on my tbr!!!! I'm really excited to start it! I love when you see a good review of a tbr book! 8y
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emilyhaldi Cool thanks!! Adding it to my stack 👍🏻love some good historical fiction 8y
Reviewsbylola It was fascinating. And obviously the Titanic is interesting but I felt like it could potentially be very difficult to write a book like this, so I was so relieved to see that Dyer did an exceptional job. @ashleys @EllieDottie 8y
Reviewsbylola You will love it. @emilyhaldi 😍😍 8y
rubyslippersreads I loved this book! Absolutely fascinating. 8y
Reviewsbylola I didn't want it to end! @rubyslippersreads 8y
Suetara Sounds amazing! I love a good Titanic book. 8y
RebeccasReading This might go to the top of my TBR- I'm obsessed with the Titanic! 8y
Reviewsbylola I'd love to hear any Titanic recs you may have! @suetara @Writergal 8y
RebeccasReading @Reviewsbylola Definitely read A Night to Remember- it's really fascinating and a good detailed account of that night. There's one other one I really like but can't think of right now but I'll get back to you. 8y
Debiw781 A Night to Remember is a classic! 8y
Reviewsbylola Awesome! I haven't read that. Thank you. 😊 @Debiw781 @Writergal 8y
minkyb Looks excellent! 8y
RebeccasReading @Reviewsbylola One more... Titanic's Last Secrets. Very interesting read that incorporates some new information from divers. 8y
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Joanne1
Pickpick

A fascinating tale of the ship who watched the Titanic sink and the men who failed to act. Though painfully slow in places and repetitive in others, the perspective, for me, was new and interesting.

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TheWellAccompaniedBook
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Really enjoyed this. The imagery evoked was awesome.

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TheWellAccompaniedBook
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Lying next to my three year old so she'll go to sleep and listening to this.

23 likes1 stack add
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Sydneyeditor1
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Pickpick

Quiet, good characterisation and an ending that left me going... Oh! But emotion reserved for ending and the book loses steam in parts, so somewhere between PICK & SO-SO.
Can't deny an original POV on the Titanic tho'...

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Joanne1
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My latest book club read is about the sinking of the Titanic as told by those on a nearby ship. It's a very different theme for me.

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Oblomov26
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Pickpick

The Midnight Watch is the story of a reporter in the aftermath of the Titanic sinking investigating the actions of the officers of the Californian a steamer in the region who saw the distress rockets from the Titanic but failed to respond. A fascinating tale of human nature and fallibility which offers a convincing explanation of the crews inaction.

Oblomov26 The image is of Captain Lord of the Californian 8y
Reviewsbylola So glad you enjoyed this because I have it checked out from my library! 8y
62 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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TheSloanRanger
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Pickpick

More reviews up on the blog, including the fantastic The Midnight Watch by David Dyer. Stunning story about the Californian, who saw the Titanic's distress signals the night she sank, yet did not go to her aid. A great cast of historical and fictional characters, all brought together beautifully by Dyer. Highly recommended.

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rubyslippersreads
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My #couldntputitdown was this fascinating novel about the Californian's captain and his failure to help #Titanic. #septphotochallenge #somethingforsept #day26

ValerieAndBooks Looks good! 8y
AudreyGreathouse What a premise! I love Titanic stories, I might have to check this one out. 8y
58 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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Readaholic1
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Pickpick

Really compelling and interesting. Generated a great discussion with my book club.

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Rabbitandraven
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Pickpick

Seeing the tragedy unfold through the eyes of the Californian's crew was, for me - a veteran consumer of Titanic-themed drama, a new and compelling perspective on the event. Original characters help make it a light(ish) summer read on a darkly fascinating subject.

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Rabbitandraven
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"So this, I thought, is what happens when you put the best of New York society onto a boat and run it into an iceberg." ? 28 pages in, Dyers is fighting a losing battle to make me believe his protagonist isn't just a modern man dumped in a historical setting, but I am really enjoying the book.

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TeR
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Pickpick

This was a very detailed & fascinating look into just why the 'Californian' did not help the Titanic that night. It left me with a feeling of fiction/nonfiction blur, is that a thing? (I still think that there really was room for Leo on that board!!!)

Lizpixie This has been on my bookbuy list for awhile now. I've been unsure about whether to buy it, but if it's as good as that, it's going in my next splurge. 9y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Oh, now I wanna read this next! And Im with you on the Leo assessment. Damn, Rose, just scoot over. 9y
21 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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hcmarks
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Got a chance to meet the author David Dyer yesterday. Had a lovely chat and he was kind enough to sign my copy of THE MIDNIGHT WATCH!

MrBook Lucky! 8y
5 likes1 comment
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hcmarks
Pickpick

A riveting story of the ship that watched the Titanic sink. I'd never heard about the SS Californian before, but Dyer made me feel like I was on the ship with the crew. Told from multiple POVs, TMW is a fascinating and heart-breaking look at one of history's greatest untold stories.

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KellyP
Pickpick

A really engaging read with a different perspective on the sinking of the Titanic and the social change that was taking place on both sides of the Atlantic.