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

emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.0

As as avid Erik Larson fan, I was happy to read another one of his works of narrative nonfiction. I did not know much about the Lusitania going into this book, so I had a lot to learn from Larson. His writing style pairing first-hand accounts, letters, etc. with the strictly fact-based descriptions adds emotion, personality, and humanity to historical events, especially something so significant with such great impact. I enjoyed the sections on Captain Turner quite a lot. He had a very compelling story, and I think he handled himself quite honorably, especially considering the aftermath of the sinking and the personal attacks against him. I also did not know much about early submarines, so I found Larson's insights on the conditions within them very interesting. There are a lot of people included in this book, both significant on a global scale and average joes, highlighting how acts of war impact a wide range of people both with and without power. Overall, I was pleased with Larson's work, and I learned a lot, which is exactly what I'd expect from him. I would still rank "The Devil in the White City" as my favorite book by Larson, but I did have a good reading experience with this one. Now I just have to go learn the rules of whist to really connect to those who sailed on the Lusitania.
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