Titanic

The Canadian Connection

AUTHOR: Lanny Boutin
FORMAT: 5.5 x 8.5 pb / 144 pages
ISBN-10: 1-55439-126-1
ISBN-13: 978-155439-126-4

The ill-fated maiden voyage of the great "unsinkable ship," carrying with it the hopes and dreams of humankind in its massive decks and luxurious cabins, may have started in England, but it ended in catastrophe and despair off the coast of Halifax, Canada. A touching reminder of the fallibility of man-made machines, the repercussions of the loss of the Titanic are still felt today. This heart-warming collection of stories tells of the intimate connection that Canada has with one of the most resounding tragedies of the twentieth century.

Prologue

For a sheltered young woman from Winnipeg, Manitoba, it was the trip of a lifetime traipsing around the world, visiting exotic locales such as Algeria, Monaco, Egypt, and Greece. And, being accustomed as she was to luxury, Alice Elizabeth Fortune was right at home among the throngs of wealthy travellers at the Shepheard Hotel, in Cairo, Egypt.

The Shepheard, with its lotus-topped pillars modelled after those of the legendary Karnak Temple, was one of the city's most celebrated landmarks. Located in the heart of British Cairo, it was a popular destination for the well-heeled. As for Cairo, in the early 1900s, it was a metropolitan oasis ‹ the "Paris of the Nile." One of the world¹s largest cities, it was a vibrant mix of old and new. Modern tramways ran down ancient streets, with noisy, metallic wheels muZing the cries of merchants who still sold their wares in the Khan el Khalili souk, a fixture in the city since the 14th century.

Yes, Cairo was a magical, mystical place. Alice and her friend William T. Sloper (a young stockbroker from New Britain, Connecticut, whom Alice had met on the trip over) set out in search of a shady spot where they could escape Cairo¹s muggy February heat and enjoy a cool drink. They found both at the hotel's vibrant Veranda Café.

But their shady spot overlooking the Nile was not as private as they might have hoped. Shortly after they sat down, a weathered little man begged Alice to come closer. Taking her hand, he slowly and meticulously examined her palm. Then, to her surprise, he declared that she was in grave danger, she would be in peril every time she travelled the sea. He saw her cast adrift in an open boat.

Not one to believe superstitious tales, Alice paid the soothsayer and shrugged off his ominous warning. He vanished as quickly and as quietly as he had come.

It was indeed a fateful day, for little did Alice Fortune know that just two short months later, with the words of the fortuneteller all but forgotten, she would board a grand new ship: the Titanic.

About the Author

Lanny Boutin is a freelance writer who specializes in health, environmental, and family-oriented stories. She writes for magazines including Canadian Living, Treehouse Canadian Family, and Canadian Geographic. A prairie girl, born and raised in Alberta, Lanny's first book, John Diefenbaker: The outsider who refused to quit, was a warts-and-all chronicle of the life and times of Canada's 13th prime minister. Her second book was about mummies the dead kind and is called Mummies: All Wrapped Up. Titanic: The Canadian Connection is Lanny's third book.

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