Today we are doing a book review on the brand new hardcover book titled “A Titanic Love Story: Ida and Isidor Straus” by author June Hall McCash. This book is filled with forty pages of photographs and extensive notes and is based on the love story of Ida and Isidor Straus, both German Jewish immigrants who arrived as children in America in the early 1850’s. Isidor’s father, Lazarus, was an itinerant peddler in Georgia, but within one generation the family became the wealthy owners of Macy’s Department Store in New York.
This book follows the Strauses’ life from Talbotton, Georgia, where an anti-semitic incident caused them to move to nearby Columbus. The devastation of Columbus at the end of the Civil War brought the family to New York, where Isidor met and eventually married the young Ida Blun. Ida and Isidor balanced the demands of business, family, and service to others and carved out their individual roles in those domains.
A Titanic Love Story emphasizes their work together as a couple, focusing not only on Isidor’s important roles as a businessman, member of congress, and philanthropist, but also on Ida’s contributions as an intelligent partner, the soul of the household, and matriarch of the family, as well as a stalwart supporter of her husband and one who engaged in philanthropic and creative activities of her own.
The Strauses were wealthy Jews within their New York community, and as people committed to the welfare of their family, their city, their country, and those less fortunate than themselves, they dealt with their own grief, illness, and occasional brushes with anti-Semitism. Ironically, their final happy days in the south of France lead to their unexpected sailing on the Titanic. Both died as they had lived, with dignity, honor, loyalty to one another, and compassion for others. The public outpouring of grief at their deaths, even by today’s standards of over-the-top journalism, was remarkable.
The Book’s ISBN: 978-0-88146-277-7, Cover Price of $29.00.
This wonderful hardcover book has 268 pages with over 40 pages of photographs and extensive notes. The first chatper starts out with Coming to America and provides great insight on their very early years as children. The book has 10 full chapters with the last chapter being about their journey on the Titanic and their deaths. One of my favorite parts of the book is indeed all of the black & white photos of them back in the old days. I have always loved looking at period photographs so I was really impressed to see them included in this book.
The book flows really well and makes for a very easy read. I have always enjoyed reading “True” love stories and this one is exactly that. You can tell when you read this book that this couple totally were in love with one another and they died together. As a long-time married woman, I found their story to be truely inspirational. I think you would all enjoy reading this book and since receiving it…my mother is now reading it too!
* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!
Disclaimer: Shelly has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. Two Classy Chics is not responsible for delivery of any giveaway items won from this blog. We are not responsible for injury or mis-use of any products won from the Two Classy Chics Blog. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering our giveaways. Thanks!