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cover art for 'No Hero But No Coward: J. Bruce Ismay' with Clifford Ismay

Review It Yourself

'No Hero But No Coward: J. Bruce Ismay' with Clifford Ismay

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Sean is joined by author of 'Understanding J. Bruce Ismay: The True Story of the Man They Called The Coward of Titanic', Clifford Ismay, to look into J. Bruce Ismay.


Bruce Ismay was the Chairman of The White Star Line, who became infamous for getting into a lifeboat and surviving the sinking of the Titanic. But are things as one-sided as people think?


Listen in to this riveting discussion as Cliff and Sean bring their own insights into the debate.


They discuss:

-Thomas Henry Ismay and his relationship with his son, Bruce.

-Parental expectations.

-Bruce Ismay's introverted personality and how it ended up working against the public's perception of him, both before and after the Titanic tragedy.

-Myths around Bruce and Captain Smith.

-The impact of TV and film depictions of real-life people on public memory.

-The cultural impact of Titanic (1997).

-The "ram-shackle" evacuation of Titanic.

-How surprisingly quickly the attacks on Ismay's character began.

-The bravery of Titanic's Engineers and Postmen.


Raised Questions:

-Who did Cliff really want to write a book about?

-Did you know that Bruce's Dad was a world-renowned businessman and self-made man?

-Are we all a product of our parents?

-Did Bruce's façade alienate people around him?

-Has Bruce Ismay been portrayed factually and fairly?

-What was the last song played by Titanic's band?

-Can we ever corroborate Ismay's version of events?

-Do the Public and the Press love a villain when a disaster occurs?

-Does the sacrifice of wider Titanic's crew get forgotten?


Correction:

-It was Lifeboat number 13, which almost had Lifeboat number 15 dropped on it.

-Enclosed A Deck Promenade* not "Enclosed Boat Deck" as Sean put it.


Further Reading:

-Understanding J. Bruce Ismay: The True Story of the Man They Called 'The Coward of Titanic' (The History Press, 2022) by Clifford Ismay.

-How To Survive the Titanic; or The Sinking of J. Bruce Ismay (Bloomsbury, 2011) by Frances Wilson.

-The Triumvirate: Captain Edward J. Smith, Bruce Ismay, Thomas Andrews and the Sinking of Titanic (The History Press, 2024) by George Behe.


Chapters:

0:32 Introduction

1:17 The Power of Film

3:24 J. Bruce Ismay's Perception

4:48 Thomas Ismay: A Legacy

6:45 Father and Son Dynamics

10:33 The Politics of Perception

12:49 Portrayals of Bruce Ismay

15:48 The Myths of Titanic

17:51 The Last Moments

21:42 Lifeboat Decisions

23:53 The Reality of Survival

26:29 The Impact of Inquiry

29:02 The Press and Public Perception

34:45 The Legacy of Bruce Ismay

38:09 Life After Titanic

44:35 New Perspectives on History

48:17 The Real Heroes of Titanic

51:45 Unfinished Stories of Titanic

56:59 Future Works and Collaborations


Thanks for Listening!


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Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

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