Rae Colley
asked
Erik Larson:
Like you appear to be, I am fascinated by oceans and their possibilities. I went through a huge Titanic fixation many years ago. Why do you think the Lusitania has never provoked a similar level of international obsession?
Erik Larson
Excellent question. I suspect had the Titanic not sunk, the Lusitania might in fact have a higher romantic profile. But, part of the issue with the Lusitania is that over the years it's been tucked into a dusty nook on high-school timelines as merely a geo-political event on the path toward war. The human dimension of the saga has been largely discarded. But that's the part of the story that interested me. What was it like to be aboard that ship? What would I have done, and how would I have felt, especially if I'd brought my whole family with me? My main goal was to capture the real-life suspense involved in the crossing, from beginning to end.
More Answered Questions
Robyn
asked
Erik Larson:
As a mother of two babies, I can't help but be drawn to the parent-child bonds you describe in books like Isaac's Storm and Garden of Beasts. Reading about Isaac awakening to a strange feeling and listening for sounds from his sleeping children prompted me to get up and check on my own! Do you find yourself drawn (intentionally or subliminally) to topics that highlight the love of parent for child?
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