6:30 pm
Tuesday Night Talk, free
More than half the children aboard Titanic died in the sinking, calling into question the notion of “women and children first.”
In The Lucky and the Lost: The Lives of Titanic’s Children, historian John Boileau tells the stories of the children who fortunately escaped in lifeboats and those who tragically did not. It also examines the heart-breaking circumstances of the victims’ deaths as well as the fascinating stories of survivors’ lives.
Uniquely, The Lucky and the Lost tells the stories of ten yet-unborn children whose mothers survived to give birth. This includes the children of Madeleine Astor, wife of John Jacob Astor—the richest man to perish in the disaster—and Juliette Laroche, wife of Joseph Laroche, the only Black man onboard, as well as the stories of twenty-three Lebanese children onboard, another largely unknown feature of the disaster. The Lucky and the Lost includes compelling stories of survivors in later life (an aspect not included in most Titanic books) and the lasting effect the sinking had on them. With forty black-and-white images as well as numerous maps and illustrations, The Lucky and the Lost offers the most complete accounting to date of the fates of the children aboard the doomed ocean liner.
Retired Canadian Army colonel John Boileau is the author of fifteen books and some 650 articles. This is his second book about Titanic. John served as chair of the Halifax Military Heritage Preservation Society, Commissionaires Nova Scotia, and the National Council of Honorary Colonels. He is a recipient of several awards, including the Order of Nova Scotia, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Vice-Regal Commendation, and Commander Canadian Army Commendation. John lives in Bedford, Nova Scotia.
Patricia Boileau Theriault, a native of Moncton, New Brunswick, has degrees in English and education from the University of New Brunswick and the University of Maine. Retired from a career in adult education, she continues to be a lifelong learner. Her interests include exploring national parks, volunteering at an art museum, and visiting her grandchildren—each a learning experience in its own way. Pat lives in Waterville, Maine.