Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Crown (2016), Edition: Reprint, 480 pages
Description
On May 1, 1915, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were anxious. Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone, and for months, its U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era's great transatlantic "Greyhounds" and her captain, William Thomas Turner, placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack. He knew, moreover, that his ship -- the fastest then in service -- could outrun any threat. Germany, however, was determined to change the rules of the game, and Walther Schwieger, the captain of Unterseeboot-20, was happy to oblige. Meanwhile, an ultra-secret British intelligence unit tracked Schwieger's U-boat, but told no one. As U-20 and the Lusitania made their way toward Liverpool, an array of forces both grand and achingly small -- hubris, a chance fog, a closely guarded secret, and more -- all converged to produce one of the great disasters of history.… (more)
Media reviews
If creating “an experience” is Larson’s primary goal, then “Dead Wake” largely succeeds. There are brisk cameos by Churchill and Woodrow Wilson, desperate flurries of wireless messages and telegrams, quick flashes to London and Berlin. These passages have a crackling, propulsive energy
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that most other books about the Lusitania — often written for disaster buffs or steampunk aficionados — sorely lack. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
The extent of my knowledge of the sinking of theLusitania was that it was a ship that sunk, sometime soon before or after the Titanic, that a lot of people died and that it had something to do with WWI. Which is, admittedly, very little. So when Erik Larson wrote a book about it, I was happy to
During WWI, the German navy was far smaller than the famous British equivalent, except that they had invested in U-Boats that could travel undetected and sink ships without being discovered. These early submarines were not the safest of environments, and their weapons were not entirely reliable. Still, they had a huge impact on naval warfare, leading to the end of large battles involving many ships. Instead, submarines patrolled the waters around harbors and shipping lanes, sinking merchant vessels carrying armaments and supplies. The problem came when British ships began flying the flags of neutral countries when moving through high-risk areas, and American ships began carrying armaments and other supplies.
The British were desperate for the US to join the war. Americans were just as determined to avoid Old World conflicts. Germany was angry about their ships being held in American ports. The Lusitania's planned voyage from New York to Liverpool in May, 1915 was a risky one, given that the Germans had posted warnings in the New York papers that directly mentioned her. But the travelers on board, as well as the crew, were confident that the ship's speed (much faster than that of any submarine) as well as the expectation of an escort of British destroyers as soon as the ship reached British waters, protected the ship from any potential harm.
The actual sinking of the Lusitania occurred only because of an unlikely conflux of events, not the least of which were confusing information sent to the ship, the British government's need for American involvement in the war, the weather, and the randomness of timing. Still, it was a disaster, with nearly 1,200 people dead as a result. The book's most interesting chapters naturally surrounded the events during and immediately after the ship was hit by a German torpedo. Despite the high number of dead, including many Americans, it would be another two years before the US entered WWI, but the sinking of the Lusitania did have a great affect on changing American attitudes towards that war.
Larson writes ably, and certainly researched the subject in an exhaustive manner. This sometimes resulted in a book that tried to pack too much in, with superfluous information about random passengers bogging down the narrative rather than enhancing the story. Still, this is a very readable and accessible book about an important event that is not well remembered. It was certainly worth the time it took to read and I enjoyed it.
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pick up a copy and start reading. Larson writes accessible and interesting books of social history, and I'd read and enjoyed a few of his previous titles. During WWI, the German navy was far smaller than the famous British equivalent, except that they had invested in U-Boats that could travel undetected and sink ships without being discovered. These early submarines were not the safest of environments, and their weapons were not entirely reliable. Still, they had a huge impact on naval warfare, leading to the end of large battles involving many ships. Instead, submarines patrolled the waters around harbors and shipping lanes, sinking merchant vessels carrying armaments and supplies. The problem came when British ships began flying the flags of neutral countries when moving through high-risk areas, and American ships began carrying armaments and other supplies.
The British were desperate for the US to join the war. Americans were just as determined to avoid Old World conflicts. Germany was angry about their ships being held in American ports. The Lusitania's planned voyage from New York to Liverpool in May, 1915 was a risky one, given that the Germans had posted warnings in the New York papers that directly mentioned her. But the travelers on board, as well as the crew, were confident that the ship's speed (much faster than that of any submarine) as well as the expectation of an escort of British destroyers as soon as the ship reached British waters, protected the ship from any potential harm.
The actual sinking of the Lusitania occurred only because of an unlikely conflux of events, not the least of which were confusing information sent to the ship, the British government's need for American involvement in the war, the weather, and the randomness of timing. Still, it was a disaster, with nearly 1,200 people dead as a result. The book's most interesting chapters naturally surrounded the events during and immediately after the ship was hit by a German torpedo. Despite the high number of dead, including many Americans, it would be another two years before the US entered WWI, but the sinking of the Lusitania did have a great affect on changing American attitudes towards that war.
Larson writes ably, and certainly researched the subject in an exhaustive manner. This sometimes resulted in a book that tried to pack too much in, with superfluous information about random passengers bogging down the narrative rather than enhancing the story. Still, this is a very readable and accessible book about an important event that is not well remembered. It was certainly worth the time it took to read and I enjoyed it.
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LibraryThing member niquetteb
This is an excellent in-depth non-fiction work about the sinking of the Lusitania, which I knew nothing about prior to reading. While slow in parts, the author succeeds in bringing so many parts surrounding and leading up to the ship's sinking that engage the reader.
LibraryThing member Unkletom
Once in a while I hear from readers who claim they do not like to read nonfiction. Often they claim that it is boring to read a story when you already know what will happen. Where is the suspense?
With his latest work, ‘Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania’, Erik Larson has proven that
It is this great storyteller’s ability to take dry words from telegrams, court depositions and government reports and turn them into lenses that we can use to see, and even relive, the past that makes Larson one of the very few authors whose books I would preorder sight unseen. One scene towards the end was described in such poignant detail that it engaged all of my senses.
As President Woodrow Wilson drove to the Capitol to ask Congress for a declaration or war, “a spring rain fell, soft and fragrant; the streets gleamed from the ornate lamps along Pennsylvania Avenue. The dome of the Capitol was lit for the first time in the building’s history [and] stood in solemn splendor against the dark wet sky. Despite the rain, hundreds of men and women lines the avenue. They removed their hats and watched with somber expressions as the president passed slowly in his car, surrounded by soldiers on horseback, as clear a sign as any of what was to come.”
Larson’s other books, ‘The Devil in the White City’ and ‘Isaac’s Storm’; reside in a place of honor on my bookshelf. Now they will be joined by With ‘Dead Wake’. Now all that remains is to wonder what historic gem will spark his curiosity next.
*Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
With his latest work, ‘Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania’, Erik Larson has proven that
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he is one of those few talented authors who can tell such a story, a story of tragedy and loss, and do it in such a way that for a few seconds the reader almost believes that it might end differently. His narrative skill is such that the reader finds himself watching the magnificent liner approach through a periscope knowing that it must change direction and sail away at the last instant. Then we are up on the boat deck of the Lusitania, enjoying the warm blue sky and watching the coast of Ireland slide by in the distance. We stand with the passengers and watch a torpedo as it streaks through the crystal waters and disappears below the edge of the deck thinking, like the passengers, for a brief second that nothing bad could happen in such an idyllic setting. Then the second passes and reader and passenger are wrenched from that scene of pastoral beauty into a Boschian chaos of twisted metal and broken bodies.It is this great storyteller’s ability to take dry words from telegrams, court depositions and government reports and turn them into lenses that we can use to see, and even relive, the past that makes Larson one of the very few authors whose books I would preorder sight unseen. One scene towards the end was described in such poignant detail that it engaged all of my senses.
As President Woodrow Wilson drove to the Capitol to ask Congress for a declaration or war, “a spring rain fell, soft and fragrant; the streets gleamed from the ornate lamps along Pennsylvania Avenue. The dome of the Capitol was lit for the first time in the building’s history [and] stood in solemn splendor against the dark wet sky. Despite the rain, hundreds of men and women lines the avenue. They removed their hats and watched with somber expressions as the president passed slowly in his car, surrounded by soldiers on horseback, as clear a sign as any of what was to come.”
Larson’s other books, ‘The Devil in the White City’ and ‘Isaac’s Storm’; reside in a place of honor on my bookshelf. Now they will be joined by With ‘Dead Wake’. Now all that remains is to wonder what historic gem will spark his curiosity next.
*Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
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LibraryThing member Lisa2013
The spoilers below really are spoilers, so don’t read them if you haven’t read the book but think that you might someday read it and you dislike spoilers.
I was interested in the topic (for decades I’ve been interested in the Titanic) and knew I’d previously enjoyed books by this author so
I love this author’s writing style; his nonfiction books are great for readers who think they don’t enjoy nonfiction. I also appreciate how his nonfiction is 100% factual. For instance, what is in quotes was really said or written, and he does extensive research.
I recommend if reading this book going in as ignorant as possible and resisting urges to do research until after finishing the book – even looking up maps, deck plans, and definitely people provided spoilers I’d rather have done without. I still really enjoyed the book. Re the non-fiction, I’d read a lot outside that book that didn’t make it into the book. I suspect that information didn’t pass muster with the author. He writes at the end how there is a lot of misinformation out there about the Lusitania. But the map provided is not at all sufficient. I would have appreciated more maps and images, including photographs. I got those in the other two books I’ve read so far by this author. If all this had been included I wouldn't have felt such a strong urge to do further research outside the book and wouldn’t have found out more than I wanted to know. At 39% through the book I stopped looking up information and just read the rest of the book.
The book read quickly and easily and completely held my interest.
I appreciated that so much general history of the era was covered. I got a much better sense of historical figures as people (President Wilson, Winston Churchill, etc.) and enjoyed the cameos (Hitler and Captain Von Trapp, etc.); it did give me insight into the time and the Lusitania’s place within that time and place(s). However, by the end of the book I wasn’t completely satisfied by how it all worked. For some people/events it felt as though there was not enough and for others too much.
I did care a great deal about most of the people the reader gets to know. There was great suspense. I felt as though I got a good feel for how it must have felt to be involved. I liked all the details; it helped me understand everyone and everything. I was surprised at how calm people seemed, how accepting, and also surprised that for several people this sinking was not their first shipwreck. I can’t imagine getting back on a ship if I’d gone through the trauma of surviving something like this, though some did even after this sinking. I knew that when the Titanic sunk there were new rules put in place about having enough lifeboats and life vests for all people on board. Well that sure didn’t work well. I’m assuming they learned even more from the Lusitania and future sinkings too.
I felt infuriated by this event, as there were so many ways it could have been prevented, and I think that there was plenty of blame to go around. Obviously, this particular U20 submarine commander and the German’s enthusiasm/willingness to kill women and children take the most blame. Churchill and English didn’t come across so well either, to me. The communication mishaps from Room 40 were also inexplicable to me. I don’t blame Captain Turner. It’s a miracle he survived given that he did stay with his ship.
It’s a very sad story, but there is humor, and I didn’t find most of it depressing. One person who was depressed anyway, in a way I found those parts harder to read than reading about the actual tragedy. The kids were hard to read about, and because I got invested in the characters early on, I correctly guessed that it would be difficult to read about what happened after the ship was attacked.
The book proper goes through only page 359. That’s all I’ve read so far and all I’d planned to read, until darn it re the author, the last line of page 359 has me about to read the notes, or at least skim and read them. They go from pages 361-410. (Pages 411-418 is the index.)
For any reader interested in the Lusitania, this is the book I’d recommend, at least as the first book.
I was interested in the topic (for decades I’ve been interested in the Titanic) and knew I’d previously enjoyed books by this author so
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I was excited to read the book as an informal buddy read in my favorite Goodreads group. I wasn’t disappointed. I could have assigned this book 5 stars, or maybe even 3, so I went with 4 stars. I love this author’s writing style; his nonfiction books are great for readers who think they don’t enjoy nonfiction. I also appreciate how his nonfiction is 100% factual. For instance, what is in quotes was really said or written, and he does extensive research.
I recommend if reading this book going in as ignorant as possible and resisting urges to do research until after finishing the book – even looking up maps, deck plans, and definitely people provided spoilers I’d rather have done without. I still really enjoyed the book. Re the non-fiction, I’d read a lot outside that book that didn’t make it into the book. I suspect that information didn’t pass muster with the author. He writes at the end how there is a lot of misinformation out there about the Lusitania. But the map provided is not at all sufficient. I would have appreciated more maps and images, including photographs. I got those in the other two books I’ve read so far by this author. If all this had been included I wouldn't have felt such a strong urge to do further research outside the book and wouldn’t have found out more than I wanted to know. At 39% through the book I stopped looking up information and just read the rest of the book.
The book read quickly and easily and completely held my interest.
I appreciated that so much general history of the era was covered. I got a much better sense of historical figures as people (President Wilson, Winston Churchill, etc.) and enjoyed the cameos (Hitler and Captain Von Trapp, etc.); it did give me insight into the time and the Lusitania’s place within that time and place(s). However, by the end of the book I wasn’t completely satisfied by how it all worked. For some people/events it felt as though there was not enough and for others too much.
I did care a great deal about most of the people the reader gets to know. There was great suspense. I felt as though I got a good feel for how it must have felt to be involved. I liked all the details; it helped me understand everyone and everything. I was surprised at
I felt infuriated by this event, as there were so many ways it could have been prevented, and I think that there was plenty of blame to go around.
It’s a very sad story, but there is humor, and I didn’t find most of it depressing. One person who was depressed anyway, in a way I found those parts harder to read than reading about the actual tragedy. The kids were hard to read about, and because I got invested in the characters early on, I correctly guessed that it would be difficult to read about what happened after the ship was attacked.
The book proper goes through only page 359. That’s all I’ve read so far and all I’d planned to read, until darn it re the author, the last line of page 359 has me about to read the notes, or at least skim and read them. They go from pages 361-410. (Pages 411-418 is the index.)
For any reader interested in the Lusitania, this is the book I’d recommend, at least as the first book.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Book on CD narrated by Scott Brick.
The subtitle is all the synopsis you need: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania.
As he did in Isaac’s Storm, Larson uses tidbits found in research materials from a variety of sources to flesh out a narrative tale of a great disaster. This time, the disaster is
Larson shifts perspective from the Lusitania, her passengers and crew, to U-20 (the German submarine that would successfully sink her), to Room 40 (the British intelligence office that had information that might have avoided the disaster if it had been properly shared. In this way the reader gets a much more complete picture of what was happening – and why – than the poor souls who lived (or died) through this tragedy. It’s a compelling story, which completely captured my interest despite my knowing how it would turn out.
Scott Brick does a good job reading the audiobook. His delivery is rather dry, but this is fine for a work of nonfiction. He was still able to lend a sense of the panic and distress of the passengers, Captain and crew of the Lusitania, though this is probably more attributable to Larson’s writing than to Brick’s performance.
The subtitle is all the synopsis you need: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania.
As he did in Isaac’s Storm, Larson uses tidbits found in research materials from a variety of sources to flesh out a narrative tale of a great disaster. This time, the disaster is
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man-made, however. Larson shifts perspective from the Lusitania, her passengers and crew, to U-20 (the German submarine that would successfully sink her), to Room 40 (the British intelligence office that had information that might have avoided the disaster if it had been properly shared. In this way the reader gets a much more complete picture of what was happening – and why – than the poor souls who lived (or died) through this tragedy. It’s a compelling story, which completely captured my interest despite my knowing how it would turn out.
Scott Brick does a good job reading the audiobook. His delivery is rather dry, but this is fine for a work of nonfiction. He was still able to lend a sense of the panic and distress of the passengers, Captain and crew of the Lusitania, though this is probably more attributable to Larson’s writing than to Brick’s performance.
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LibraryThing member wdwilson3
I wasn't taken with the audiobook version of "Dead Wake" by Erik Larson. Some authors of history aimed at a general audience (McCullough, Winchester, Bryson, and Tuchman come to mind) have a way of intriguing you with their diversions and side trips. Larson demonstrates the depth of his research,
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but didn't engage me in the same way. While the monotone narration doesn't help, some of this was a slog into minutia that really didn't have any relevance to the narrative. Show Less
LibraryThing member Romonko
I was given an early review copy of this wonderful book as part of the "Read it Forward" program. The book will be coming out in May of this year to mark the 100 anniversary of the sinking of the HMS Lusitania, which occurred at 2:30 P.M. on May 7, 1915. This iconic passenger ship was sunk by a
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German U-boat just off the Irish coastline. It was a tragedy of tremendous proportion, as 1,198 souls were lost on that day. Only 761 people survived the disaster. The question has always been - how could one U-boat firing one torpedo bring down the mighty Lusitania in 18 minutes? Mr. Larson does a marvelous job of telling this very sad story, and it is told from two viewpoints - that of the hunter and the hunted. The people that were involved in this story are brought to life on the pages of this book. Unfortunately, the Cunard Shipping Lines and the British Admiralty do not fare so well in the telling of this tale. There were a lot of mistakes and missteps made by both august bodies that resulted in the tragic loss of so many lives. Mr. Larson has researched his topic thoroughly, and has presented as full a story behind this tragedy as any that I've read. It is a thrilling book to read - exciting and terrible, and one that I will never forget. I intend to read more of Mr. Larson's narrative non-fiction books after reading this one. It reminded me of why I love the genre and made me regret that I've let the reading of non-fiction slip from my repertoire. This is a book that I will be happy to move onto new readers, thus fulfilling the "Read it Forward" mandate. Show Less
LibraryThing member Meredy
Six-word review: Maritime calamity that shouldn't have happened.
Extended review:
Without realizing it at the time, I took this book out of the library on the one-hundredth anniversary of the sinking of RMS Lusitania. Reading of the events leading up to, during, and following this major marine
Larson's book bears comparison to Walter Lord's A Night to Remember, a narrative account of the loss of the Titanic just three years earlier. Both present a description of the ship, a sketch of key personnel and a selection of passengers, and a minute-by-minute account of the climactic events as they happened. Both bring an up-close-and-personal perspective to our comprehension of a tragedy that is very difficult to encompass on the large scale.
And, significantly, both of them catalogue a staggering list of if-only's, all the factors that had to happen just so in order for the disaster to occur, a minor variation in which--even by a matter of only a few seconds--might have averted the fatal outcome.
The crucial difference, of course, is that whereas the Titanic disaster came about as the result of a collision with an iceberg, with an ample helping of human error and hubris in the mix, the Lusitania was deliberately sunk by a German U-boat committing an act of war. And, as the text makes very clear, that act could have been prevented if a number of people possessed of critical information had taken the necessary steps. Accident, error, delay, miscalculation, design flaws, inattention, stupidity, coincidence, and many other everyday mishaps had their part to play; but worst of all was the conscious choice on the part of certain officials to leave the vessel unescorted and issue a vague, ambiguous warning about the presence of danger. Whatever rationale guided that course of action, nearly 1200 passengers and crew on a commercial ocean liner paid the price, along with their families, friends, and fellow countrymen.
Larson's telling sets a solid framework on both sides of the Atlantic, from an emotionally preoccupied American president to the high-stakes military operations of Britain and Germany. Personal effects and diaries of victims along with records of survivors and eyewitnesses bring the story home. A hundred years is not such a long time; it's much too soon to forget.
Extended review:
Without realizing it at the time, I took this book out of the library on the one-hundredth anniversary of the sinking of RMS Lusitania. Reading of the events leading up to, during, and following this major marine
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catastrophe as they unfolded in the hours and days surrounding her torpedoing on May 7th of 1915 added an unexpected measure of drama to the experience.Larson's book bears comparison to Walter Lord's A Night to Remember, a narrative account of the loss of the Titanic just three years earlier. Both present a description of the ship, a sketch of key personnel and a selection of passengers, and a minute-by-minute account of the climactic events as they happened. Both bring an up-close-and-personal perspective to our comprehension of a tragedy that is very difficult to encompass on the large scale.
And, significantly, both of them catalogue a staggering list of if-only's, all the factors that had to happen just so in order for the disaster to occur, a minor variation in which--even by a matter of only a few seconds--might have averted the fatal outcome.
The crucial difference, of course, is that whereas the Titanic disaster came about as the result of a collision with an iceberg, with an ample helping of human error and hubris in the mix, the Lusitania was deliberately sunk by a German U-boat committing an act of war. And, as the text makes very clear, that act could have been prevented if a number of people possessed of critical information had taken the necessary steps. Accident, error, delay, miscalculation, design flaws, inattention, stupidity, coincidence, and many other everyday mishaps had their part to play; but worst of all was the conscious choice on the part of certain officials to leave the vessel unescorted and issue a vague, ambiguous warning about the presence of danger. Whatever rationale guided that course of action, nearly 1200 passengers and crew on a commercial ocean liner paid the price, along with their families, friends, and fellow countrymen.
Larson's telling sets a solid framework on both sides of the Atlantic, from an emotionally preoccupied American president to the high-stakes military operations of Britain and Germany. Personal effects and diaries of victims along with records of survivors and eyewitnesses bring the story home. A hundred years is not such a long time; it's much too soon to forget.
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LibraryThing member Schmerguls
On July 7, 2002, I read Diana Preston's book on the sinking of the Lusitania and felt it was probably the definitive book on that event, so i did not intend to read this book, especially since I felt Larson's Isaac's Storm (read 9 Dec 1998) and his book The Devil in the White City (read 2 Aug 2004)
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constructed inferiorly, with much extraneous matter having little to do with the subject. But when a book club I attend picked it I had to read it. I found it really does insert much material only tangentily related to the subject or mere trivia, but the chapters on the actual sinking I found were riveting and emotion-packed. So the book was better than I expected, . But don't expect much insight in regard to the political or diplomatic significance of the event. Show Less
LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
Another excellent history from Larson. My favorite thing about his books is the way he describes all the various pieces surrounding the central issue, both large and small; it's like watching a historian do their work, and it gives so much context. I love history that explains context. I knew a
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little bit about the Lusitania before I read this (acquired during the course of my teenage Titanic obsession; they tend to be talked about in the same breath) but I certainly didn't know that there's a very good chance that Winston Churchill let it happen, or that it took two years for Wilson to give his famous speech about making the world safe for democracy, or just how very close it came to not happening at all. Show Less
LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
I found this non-fiction account of the sinking of the Lusitania vastly instructive, not least because Erik Larson helps to dispel popular rumours about the ship and its fate. Before I started reading, I was under the impression that the Lusitania was an American passenger ship, carrying mostly
Larson does much more than set facts straight, however, he tells the story - of the passengers, the crew of the Lusitania (including poor maligned Captain Turner) and the U-boat which sank her, and the powers behind the disaster, including naval intelligence and President Wilson. Sharing the tragedy, if not the fame, of the Titanic three years earlier, over a thousand men, women and children lost their lives when the Lusitania was attacked off the coast of Ireland on 7 May 1915, and all because the Admiralty would not risk drawing attention to 'Room 40', the secret code-breaking team who knew ahead of the attack that Captain Schweiger and his U20 were lying in wait, but refused to send warning or assistance.
A dramatic, personal and educational account, well worth reading.
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American passengers, whose sinking by torpedo in 1915 brought the States into World War One. Wrong, wrong and wrong. She was a British ship, carrying most British passengers (only 189 of 1,959 were American), and Woodrow Wilson took another two years to declare the USA at war. Larson does much more than set facts straight, however, he tells the story - of the passengers, the crew of the Lusitania (including poor maligned Captain Turner) and the U-boat which sank her, and the powers behind the disaster, including naval intelligence and President Wilson. Sharing the tragedy, if not the fame, of the Titanic three years earlier, over a thousand men, women and children lost their lives when the Lusitania was attacked off the coast of Ireland on 7 May 1915, and all because the Admiralty would not risk drawing attention to 'Room 40', the secret code-breaking team who knew ahead of the attack that Captain Schweiger and his U20 were lying in wait, but refused to send warning or assistance.
A dramatic, personal and educational account, well worth reading.
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LibraryThing member countrylife
[Dead Wake] is the story of the sinking of the Lusitania.
”The track lingered on the surface like a long pale scar. In maritime vernacular, this trail of fading disturbance, whether from ship or torpedo, was called a “dead wake.” . . . The smoothness of the sea presented some passenger with a
The Lusitania’s passenger list is not just dry facts; Larson fleshes out many of the passengers from the memories of survivors and from their own journals. He brings a bit of the story of President Wilson – his wife’s death, his subsequent courting of another, and his new marriage – into the history of WWI, and without saying so explicitly, how his personal life interfered with the country’s needs.
A crucial part of the story of the catastrophe was the work of Room 40 in England, a secret corner of British Naval Intelligence, where they would receive 20,000 intercepted U-boat messages during the war. They knew their paths, their quadrants, their codes, each commander, and his kills. They knew U-20 was directly in the path of the Lusitania, that it had already sunk 3 other ships that day, and that 23 other merchant vessels had been torpedoed and sunk by U-boats in the previous 7 days along that portion of the coast.
“… the question remains, why was the ship left on its own, with a proven killer of men and ships dead ahead in its path?”
A fascinating story of that piece of history, engagingly told.
”The track lingered on the surface like a long pale scar. In maritime vernacular, this trail of fading disturbance, whether from ship or torpedo, was called a “dead wake.” . . . The smoothness of the sea presented some passenger with a
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view of the torpedo that was startling in its clarity.”The Lusitania’s passenger list is not just dry facts; Larson fleshes out many of the passengers from the memories of survivors and from their own journals. He brings a bit of the story of President Wilson – his wife’s death, his subsequent courting of another, and his new marriage – into the history of WWI, and without saying so explicitly, how his personal life interfered with the country’s needs.
A crucial part of the story of the catastrophe was the work of Room 40 in England, a secret corner of British Naval Intelligence, where they would receive 20,000 intercepted U-boat messages during the war. They knew their paths, their quadrants, their codes, each commander, and his kills. They knew U-20 was directly in the path of the Lusitania, that it had already sunk 3 other ships that day, and that 23 other merchant vessels had been torpedoed and sunk by U-boats in the previous 7 days along that portion of the coast.
“… the question remains, why was the ship left on its own, with a proven killer of men and ships dead ahead in its path?”
A fascinating story of that piece of history, engagingly told.
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LibraryThing member vpfluke
A quick note that the author ties in the story of Woodrow Wilson, his second wife, and his reluctance to get into World War I rather well. Also, the super secrecy of the British government which worked against warning or help being rendered to the Lusitania. Lauriat of Boston bookstore distinction
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is mentioned, who survived the sinking. Good footnotes, bibliography and index. Show Less
LibraryThing member EmScape
This detailed account of the sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-Boat doesn't read like fiction, but isn't dryly boring, either. Larson has certainly done his homework, using correspondence, military records and even a film made of the departure to enhance his narrative. Captain Turner, various
Larson does include an epilogue concerning the survivors, which is welcome information. Although, it would have been interesting for him to also include some information about any attempts to explore or salvage the wreckage.
Overall, this was a thorough and factual historical text that was not tedious or tiresome to read. Recommended.
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passengers, members of the British Admiralty, President Woodrow Wilson, and U-Boat Commander Schweiger come alive for the reader as the action moves back and forth from one to another. As Larson mentions in his afterword, I, too, thought this disaster was the impetus for the US to enter WWI, but that didn't happen until nearly 2 years later. Also, it is almost uncanny how any number of seemingly innocuous events could have prevented this disaster had they happened just a bit differently. It's surprising to me as well that there hasn't been a blockbuster movie made regarding the event, particularly since scenes set inside the U-Boat, in Room 40, and on the ship itself would be quite cinematic. Particularly after the success of the film about that other sunken cruise ship. Larson does include an epilogue concerning the survivors, which is welcome information. Although, it would have been interesting for him to also include some information about any attempts to explore or salvage the wreckage.
Overall, this was a thorough and factual historical text that was not tedious or tiresome to read. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member -Cee-
Loved this book! Researched and pieced together in the masterful style of Erik Larson, "Dead Wake" is an absolutely astonishing and detailed account of the sinking of the Lusitania. Whatever I thought I knew about this event previously was simply meager and somewhat wrong... as I suspect is true
Looking back through history from a distance allows secret documents to be declassified, as well as physical evidence and key personalities to be exposed. Larson's surprising (at least to me) revelations of what he found pose some very important questions about international politics and how nations conduct themselves. One cannot ignore the price of war on all sides that is so vivid and heartbreaking. This book has it all.
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for many. With a perfect balance of historical documentation and human interest stories I found the pace moderate and complete, but never boring. Every bit contributed to the rising drama and carried through to the very end of the book - including Larson's acknowledgments.Looking back through history from a distance allows secret documents to be declassified, as well as physical evidence and key personalities to be exposed. Larson's surprising (at least to me) revelations of what he found pose some very important questions about international politics and how nations conduct themselves. One cannot ignore the price of war on all sides that is so vivid and heartbreaking. This book has it all.
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LibraryThing member bookworm12
Whoa, what a ride! Larson’s fourth book is a doozy. After reading but not loving his last work, In the Garden of the Beasts, I was nervous about this one. It more than exceeded my expectations! Larson has a talent for pairing his meticulous research with compelling stories and salacious details.
The author made the voyage and disaster come alive by choosing a few individuals to focus on. We followed them through their entire journey. We see them board, learned their background and the reason why they were traveling. We knew who was waiting for them at home and then we watched the inevitable unfold.
We also learned about the Lusitania’s captain (Turner) and the captain of the U-boat that brought their destruction. Larson took us all the way through the sinking and into the aftermath. We learned who lived and died and what happened in the years that followed. Structuring the book this way put a few faces onto the historical event. It gave the book a depth of emotion that would have been missing if he’d only focused on factual details instead of personal details too. By the time we reach the critical moment you are so invested in the characters that you’ve met that the suspense is palpable.
In the opening chapters we’re introduced to Theodate Pope, a female architect and suffragette, Dwight Harris who carried both an engagement ring and custom life belt on board the ship. Then there was a Vanderbilt who had narrowly missed sailing on the Titanic. There was also a bookseller named Lauriat, carrying a priceless copy of A Christmas Carol that Dickens himself had owned!
A few interesting tidbits:
- Georg von Trapp (he of The Sound of Music fame) was an Austrian U-boat commander and torpedoed a French cruiser, killing 684 sailors!
- Captain Turner testified in the Titanic trial to determine who should receive compensation for their losses.
- There was a Confederate submarine during the Civil War and three crews were killed just trying to get it to work.
- During WWII the Russians managed to get three copies of the German code book and gave one of them to the British
BOTTOM LINE: Just fantastic. Some nonfiction authors have a hard time restraining themselves from telling readers EVERY single detail that they discovered about a subject. But the best ones leave you fascinated with the subject and even wanting to know more about it. Erik Larson is one of the best and this particular book was a great example of his skill combining with an enthralling story.
"When Death is as close as he was then, the sharp agony of fear is not there; the thing is too overwhelming and stunning for that." – One of the survivors.
*I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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The tale of the Lusitania was ripe for the telling and he timed it perfectly with the 100 anniversary of the sinking. The author made the voyage and disaster come alive by choosing a few individuals to focus on. We followed them through their entire journey. We see them board, learned their background and the reason why they were traveling. We knew who was waiting for them at home and then we watched the inevitable unfold.
We also learned about the Lusitania’s captain (Turner) and the captain of the U-boat that brought their destruction. Larson took us all the way through the sinking and into the aftermath. We learned who lived and died and what happened in the years that followed. Structuring the book this way put a few faces onto the historical event. It gave the book a depth of emotion that would have been missing if he’d only focused on factual details instead of personal details too. By the time we reach the critical moment you are so invested in the characters that you’ve met that the suspense is palpable.
In the opening chapters we’re introduced to Theodate Pope, a female architect and suffragette, Dwight Harris who carried both an engagement ring and custom life belt on board the ship. Then there was a Vanderbilt who had narrowly missed sailing on the Titanic. There was also a bookseller named Lauriat, carrying a priceless copy of A Christmas Carol that Dickens himself had owned!
A few interesting tidbits:
- Georg von Trapp (he of The Sound of Music fame) was an Austrian U-boat commander and torpedoed a French cruiser, killing 684 sailors!
- Captain Turner testified in the Titanic trial to determine who should receive compensation for their losses.
- There was a Confederate submarine during the Civil War and three crews were killed just trying to get it to work.
- During WWII the Russians managed to get three copies of the German code book and gave one of them to the British
BOTTOM LINE: Just fantastic. Some nonfiction authors have a hard time restraining themselves from telling readers EVERY single detail that they discovered about a subject. But the best ones leave you fascinated with the subject and even wanting to know more about it. Erik Larson is one of the best and this particular book was a great example of his skill combining with an enthralling story.
"When Death is as close as he was then, the sharp agony of fear is not there; the thing is too overwhelming and stunning for that." – One of the survivors.
*I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member willoughby
With "Dead Wake" Erik Larson proves yet again that he is a master story-teller. He has a fantastic knack for knowing what details we want to know, not just sorting out what we need to know. You get the impression he tells his stories the way he'd like stories to be told to him.
For example, he
Those sorts of detail means nothing to the plot but everything to the story, and Larson has shown himself again as an expert in finding them.
The only drawback with this book is Larson's concern with bouncing the narrative back and forth between locations. While most of these scenes play a pivotal role in the story, some drag down the pacing, especially the U-Boat scenes. While they're all interesting, I couldn't help that a few of the U-Boat chapters could have been cut and their most salient points added to other chapters. (That's more a matter of opinion than real criticism, however. There are probably some readers who would want more of the U-Boat scenes and less of the political landscape, for example.)
If you know someone who loves history books in general, and war or sailing books in particular (or who just enjoys being exposed to great names: Theodaet Pope! Lothrop withington!) then Dead Wake would likely make an excellent addition to their library.
For example, he
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quotes a few times from a sailor with the last name Hook. Most 'serious' history writers would leave it at that, but Larson takes the time to tell us, in an aside, that Hook would later go on to make Captain. Yup, he interviewed Captain Hook.Those sorts of detail means nothing to the plot but everything to the story, and Larson has shown himself again as an expert in finding them.
The only drawback with this book is Larson's concern with bouncing the narrative back and forth between locations. While most of these scenes play a pivotal role in the story, some drag down the pacing, especially the U-Boat scenes. While they're all interesting, I couldn't help that a few of the U-Boat chapters could have been cut and their most salient points added to other chapters. (That's more a matter of opinion than real criticism, however. There are probably some readers who would want more of the U-Boat scenes and less of the political landscape, for example.)
If you know someone who loves history books in general, and war or sailing books in particular (or who just enjoys being exposed to great names: Theodaet Pope! Lothrop withington!) then Dead Wake would likely make an excellent addition to their library.
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LibraryThing member hollysing
Erik Larson is a master of narrative historical nonfiction. His new release, Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, is slated to release March 2015 coinciding with the anniversary of the tragic sinking of the ship. The book examines the curious circumstances surrounding the luxury ocean
In the middle of World War I, the Lusitania, a British luxury ocean liner made its ill-fated voyage from New York City to waters near Ireland in 1915 despite warnings about German interference. On board were American, Irish and British citizens, including many children. It’s captain, Thomas Turner, confident in the ship’s speed and “gentlemanly strictures of warfare”, sailed on. A German U-boat silently tracked the ship. The rest is history.
Most of us think we know this story. After you read Dead Wake, you will learn secrets never before revealed. Larson’s book is a high-intensity page-turner, written not just as history, but also as mystery and several human-interest stories.
How did US President Woodrow Wilson’s personal life affect his reaction to the tragedy?
Was a conspiracy involved between Britain and Germany?
How long did it take for the United States to decide that the deaths of Americans on-board called for US involvement in the war?
Dead Wake is an important read, not just because of its content. Larson’s sensitive treatment of persons involved draws the reader into the emotion before and after the incident. The pace of the story is thrilling. Copious notes and references document the amount of research used for this book. Don’t miss this propulsive and compulsive contribution to World War I history. It comes highly recommended for all history and maritime lovers.
LibraryThing supplied the advance reader’s copy for my unbiased review.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
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liner’s fate.In the middle of World War I, the Lusitania, a British luxury ocean liner made its ill-fated voyage from New York City to waters near Ireland in 1915 despite warnings about German interference. On board were American, Irish and British citizens, including many children. It’s captain, Thomas Turner, confident in the ship’s speed and “gentlemanly strictures of warfare”, sailed on. A German U-boat silently tracked the ship. The rest is history.
Most of us think we know this story. After you read Dead Wake, you will learn secrets never before revealed. Larson’s book is a high-intensity page-turner, written not just as history, but also as mystery and several human-interest stories.
How did US President Woodrow Wilson’s personal life affect his reaction to the tragedy?
Was a conspiracy involved between Britain and Germany?
How long did it take for the United States to decide that the deaths of Americans on-board called for US involvement in the war?
Dead Wake is an important read, not just because of its content. Larson’s sensitive treatment of persons involved draws the reader into the emotion before and after the incident. The pace of the story is thrilling. Copious notes and references document the amount of research used for this book. Don’t miss this propulsive and compulsive contribution to World War I history. It comes highly recommended for all history and maritime lovers.
LibraryThing supplied the advance reader’s copy for my unbiased review.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
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LibraryThing member Bandersen
Eric Larson is the master of narrative non-fiction. What a researcher! I learned so much about submarines and living conditions in the early 1900s ( and I didn't even know I wanted to learn about it). Although, this wasn't as gripping as some of his earlier books, I was still invested emotionally
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in the characters and events. This would be a great read for high school students-great connections to science and technology. If schools could move away from textbooks and use primary source material and this kind of non-fiction. No one would think history class is boring! Show Less
LibraryThing member tymfos
I always enjoy Erik Larson's books, and this one was no exception. Larson has a way of bringing suspense to the reader even when recounting seemingly familiar historical events. I'd read two other books about the sinking of the Lusitania, but I learned a lot more about it from Dead Wake, and was
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enthralled the entire time. His narrative fiction style and his way of looking at the event from disparate viewpoints made the book a real page turner, and the obvious level of research, evidenced by the numerous notes and massive bibliography, made me trust Larson's account in those details where it diverged from viewpoints I'd read in another book on the subject. Even the endnotes (not yet numbered in my ER edition) contained interesting nuggets to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Darcia
Erik Larson has a gift for putting readers right in the moment. This is nonfiction that reads like the best fiction. I could see the ship, smell the ocean, hear the tinkling china and the laughter on board, and feel everything as it happened. Larson is truly a master of research. Here he is able to
The climactic scene all this leads up to, the one history tells us will certainly occur, still manages to take me by surprise. The detail Larson provides is both fascinating and horrifying.
I need to emphasize that, while Larson provides incredible detail, we are not weighed down by facts. This story is woven together so that it never feels like a history lesson.
If you aren't familiar with the Lusitania and how the ship relates to US involvement with WWI, then you'll likely be astounded by what you learn here. And if you think you do know the story, you might be shocked by all you were never told.
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provide us with personal touches so that we feel we know the people through their background and their daily interactions. And when we know the people involved, we care more about what happens to them.The climactic scene all this leads up to, the one history tells us will certainly occur, still manages to take me by surprise. The detail Larson provides is both fascinating and horrifying.
I need to emphasize that, while Larson provides incredible detail, we are not weighed down by facts. This story is woven together so that it never feels like a history lesson.
If you aren't familiar with the Lusitania and how the ship relates to US involvement with WWI, then you'll likely be astounded by what you learn here. And if you think you do know the story, you might be shocked by all you were never told.
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LibraryThing member ewhatley
I received an advanced reader's copy.
We all know what happened 100 years ago, so this is not a mystery book. This is more than just the story of the sinking of the Lusitania, so it is not just a dry historical book. This book was extremely well-researched and provides deep background on the crew
We all know what happened 100 years ago, so this is not a mystery book. This is more than just the story of the sinking of the Lusitania, so it is not just a dry historical book. This book was extremely well-researched and provides deep background on the crew
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and passengers of the Lusitania, as well as the strategy employed by the captain of the U-20 that sank her. We also gain insight into what was happening in the personal life of the American president. So even though this is non-fiction, it reads like an award winning novel. It held my interest from the first page to the last; it was thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommend. Show Less
LibraryThing member mysterymax
It is difficult to find new words to use in reviewing Dead Wake. Erik Larson continues to write superbly, in an easy-flowing style that makes non-fiction come alive, creating tension even though we all know the outcome. His research is, as always, thorough and detailed. A mark of how good he is, is
As always, he is careful to present all sides of the event, showing up the ideas that are believed, yet false.
Coming through clearly is how those who steer a country in time of war consider objectives more important that the lives that will be lost. The British Admiralty clearly considered keeping the secret of their ability to monitor German transmissions more important than keeping over a thousand civilians safe. One wonders what they were saving the information for.
Dead Wake is an excellent read.
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that I find myself also reading the 60 pages of notes he documents his story with.As always, he is careful to present all sides of the event, showing up the ideas that are believed, yet false.
Coming through clearly is how those who steer a country in time of war consider objectives more important that the lives that will be lost. The British Admiralty clearly considered keeping the secret of their ability to monitor German transmissions more important than keeping over a thousand civilians safe. One wonders what they were saving the information for.
Dead Wake is an excellent read.
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
Larson writes wonderful narrative non fiction, and in this book he has surpassed his own self. The amount of research that went into this book is staggering. It doesn't just cover the bombing of the Lusitania, it covers everything going once at the time and more.
What it is like inside a submarine,
There is only one Larson book I was not crazy about, that one remains half finished, but this is an author whose books I buy to reread and savor. By the end of the book, I had a clear and concise picture of so many things I had never knew before. Also had gotten to know some of the people on the ship and was devastated that some of them were the ones who died. A horrible tragedy bought to life, to be remembered and learned from, if only. Amazing.
What it is like inside a submarine,
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the roles of the crew members, how it feels and even how it smells. president Wilson's grief at the death of his wife and his courting of his second wife. The career of the Captain of the Lusitania and the quirks in his personality. What the ship looked like, inside and out, the decorations, the food, the labor involved. The passengers, the famous and those not. The politics of the day, what secrets were known when and how. It is extraordinarily detailed but I was never bored, found it all fascinating. So much history set down for me to enjoy.There is only one Larson book I was not crazy about, that one remains half finished, but this is an author whose books I buy to reread and savor. By the end of the book, I had a clear and concise picture of so many things I had never knew before. Also had gotten to know some of the people on the ship and was devastated that some of them were the ones who died. A horrible tragedy bought to life, to be remembered and learned from, if only. Amazing.
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LibraryThing member karenweyant
I am a big fan of Erik Larson's work, and I finished Dead Wake in record time. Larson's latest collection thoughtfully investigates the last trip of the Lusitania before it was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat. Featuring an interesting cast of characters, Dead Wake is a must read for history
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buffs everywhere! Show Less
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Best Male Narrator — 2016)
Washington State Book Award (Winner — 2016)
Indies Choice Book Award (Honor Book — Adult Nonfiction — 2016)
ALA Notable Book (Nonfiction — 2016)
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year (Nonfiction — 2015)
Library Journal Top Ten Book (2015)
Notable Books List (Nonfiction — 2016)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Non-Fiction — 2015)
LibraryReads (Annual Voter Favorite — March 2015)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2015)
RUSA CODES Listen List (Selection — 2016)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2015-03-10
Physical description
480 p.; 7.95 inches
ISBN
0307408876 / 9780307408877