Erik Larson's has taken on killer hurricanes, a serial killer at the Chicago World's Fair, and the Nazis It seems entirely appropriate that his latest book is on the sinking (by the Nazis's forebears, no less) of the Lusitania.
Larson undertakes his research and engages his readers with the same gusto I have come to expect. He provides a detailed accounting of all aspects of the Lusitania disaster, from the U-boat captain's logs to passenger letters and the accounts of those who witnessed the sinking from the Irish coast. He provides a historically accurate recreation, while infusing the story with his own commentary, for which his work is always the richer. The Luck family has booked passage on the doomed liner, for example, which causes Larson to add, "Why in the midst of great events there always seems to be a family so misnamed is one of the imponderables of history."
Larson deftly captures the smallest details - such as the preponderance of men and boys wearing pink while at sea - while simultaneously creating a portrait of the larger world: the unrelenting blood-letting of the Western Front, the unwavering neutrality of the United States, the espionage and counterespionage measures undertaken by all sides. He also does a great job of placing u-boats within their time: that is, as the bridge between the old days of naval warfare and as a prelude to both bigger naval battles and unconventional warfare.
The release of Dead Wake coincides with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania later this spring and Larson notes that some aspects of the ship's last voyage have been debated for the better part of a century. Whether Dead Wake will be the last word is for those more learned on the topic to say, but it is certainly a comprehensive and enlightening read for the casual reader.
Four stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment