Remembering Survivors in the Wake of the Titanic Anniversary: A Book Review of "The Last Leaf" by Stuart Lutz

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Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "There is properly no history; only biography,” a point which author and historian Stuart Lutz nicely illustrates in his vastly interesting book The Last Leaf. Each chapter grants the reader a fresh look at a historic moment, person, place, or movement through the eyes of the sole surviving eye-witness. In so doing, Lutz has preserved for all generations to come a new and vital perspective on history; The Last Leaf covers such diverse episodes in history as the Suffrage Movement, the creation of Social Security, the Holocaust, the development of radio, the sinking of the Lusitania, and the General Slocum fire.


Today is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and I think it's a good time to draw attention to the kind of history Lutz has recorded in The Last Leaf. There have been many first-hand accounts of Titanic survivors in the media this week. The voices recorded in The Last Leaf are equally moving, illuminating and fascinating and lend a deeper understanding of history and, thus, the world around us.



Click above to purchase The Last Leaf on Amazon.com

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