A moving account not just of the sinking of the Titanic, but of the long-term impact on survivors and dependants... a terrific read.
Alastair Campbell

A moving homage to all of the men, women and children who heard the last music played on board the SS Titanic, and to the people they left behind.
The Scotsman

A gripping human story of the Titanic disaster... a major contribution to family and social history.
Professor Asa Briggs

And The Band Played On is chock full of revelations that hold your attention. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the Titanic and in her heroic bandsmen who earned their place in history.
The Titanic Commutator (written by Ed Kamuda, founder of the Titanic Historical Society).

This extraordinary book was borne out of Christopher Ward's research into the history of the sepia-tinted figures in his family photos, revealing the enduring shadow that a tragedy like the Titanic casts over the future generations of those involved.
Woman's Weekly.

Christopher Ward's book is fuelled by anger against 'corporate callousness and cover ups' and a 'corrosive class system that was as ruthless in its discrimination in death as it was in life'. Tragedy has a long reach, and heroism is a great burden... the story, plainly told, is intended as a parallel to the events of 9/11 and the consequences for so many lives thereafter.
The Times, London.

A poignant memorial, Ward's book contains new information on the retrieval of Titanic corpses from the ocean, with macabre details about freezing to death.
Richard Davenport-Hines, author of 'Titanic Lives' in The Spectator

A gripping account of the Titanic story told through reallife family history. Ward brings together personal stories from his own family with the wider history of the famous ship and its passengers. He excels in researching the period after the tragedy and revealing the way in which those who lost their lives were treated according to class.
Your Family Tree magazine

Ward's book is compelling, with a novelised style and a clear focus on the best stories. His details are sharp-edged: appalling musicians' contracts, a shipping line that bills relatives to transport the bodies home... the saga gets even more dramatic after the Titanic sinking when Jock Hume's sister takes revenge on their dreadful father.
The Listener, New Zealand

Christopher Ward's new book on the Titanic disaster sets a high benchmark for the competition to follow... this is an interesting piece of genealogical research, as well as a gripping individual story about the tragedy.
Family History Monthly

"It's so packed with human drama, it's irresistible. Spine-tingling observations of the final moments of the young musicians' final moments include players strapping their instruments to their chests in the vain hope of keeping them close... Jock's body being identified by the mute still in his pocket.

"The core of the book is devoted to the man cast as the villain - surprisingly, not someone who can be blamed for the disaster itself, but Jock's father, Andrew. He's a musician and violin maker whose attempts to profit from his son's death, and his callousness towards Jock's fiancé, provide a dramatic story that extends the book past the sinking of the Titanic.

"This book is an insightful and gripping account of the effects of the sinking on just one family out of a thousand others. It has taught me a lot, not just about the disaster itself but also about my own profession and its place in society."
John Dilworth, The Strad magazine