By the time the Lusitania sets sail, it’s easy to feel as though one is actually on board as so many details are given about its captain, crew and many passengers. Larson doesn’t just serve as a narrator he uses many quotes from the people involved in the disaster, adding a depth to this historical read that is usually only enjoyed in novels. Larson recounts this fascinating account in his highly researched nonfiction volume that reads more like an epic novel than a history book.
But 18 minutes later, with its entourage of nearly 2,000 stranded in the water, the ship submerged. Even though there was a gaping hole in its side, many still believed the Lusitania wouldn’t sink. Most assumed the Germans would leave the Lusitania alone because it was filled with civilian passengers, including many women and children.Īuthor Erik Larson tells of the ship’s final voyage and its ultimate sinking in his captivating book “Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania.”Ī single torpedo fired by a German submarine sunk the Lusitania with only a day left on its journey and within sight of land.
It departed from New York in the spring of 1915 but did so after a warning had been issued by the German government. The Lusitania was regarded as unsinkable not only because of its tremendous size but also because it was blazingly fast. " DEAD WAKE : The Last Crossing of the Lusitania," by Erik Larson, Broadway Books, $17, 452 pages (nf)
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