Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson is an absorbing account of the sinking of the passenger liner, RMS Lusitania, by a German U-boat in 1915. Larson dives into the details of the fateful voyage and its aftermath with the same level of narrative detail and vivid prose that made his bestselling book, The Devil in the White City, a classic.

The story begins with a brief overview of the Lusitania and its place in British passenger shipping history. Before World War I, the Lusitania was the world’s largest and most luxurious ocean liner and a symbol of British superiority on the seas. Larson draws on this historical backdrop to show why the ship, her passengers and crew were so important to both sides in the conflict.

Larson then dives into the narrative of the Lusitania’s voyage from New York to Liverpool, the last voyage in her history. He writes vividly of all the passengers aboard, from wealthy Americans seeking to escape the war’s ravages to unique characters traveling for different, unimaginable reasons. He uses these vivid scenes to illustrate the panic and terror that later follows.

Larson then builds suspense as he reveals the details of the failing British naval intelligence leading up to the ship’s demise. He tells of telegrams warning of German submarine activity, which were ignored by both First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, and the captain of the Lusitania, William Turner.

The climax of the book is the description of the Lusitania’s sinking. Larson describes the terror of the passengers and crew, drawing on firsthand sources to illustrate the heartbreaking reality of the scene. He discusses the tragedy that befell the many innocent victims and the frightening aftermath.

In the aftermath, Larson reveals how the event was presented to the world, and how it shifted the balance of public opinion in the United States from Neutrality to allied with the allies. He frames the sinking of the Lusitania as a pivotal event in World War I, and an ending to the “Age of Innocence.”

Throughout the book, Larson gives stunning accounts of the people involved in the tragedy of the Lusitania and the many important implications of the sinking. He ties together history and narrative to produce a compelling read that will intrigue readers of both popular history and dramatic non-fiction. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania is an emotional and gripping read that will stay with readers even after its dramatic conclusion.