Dead Wake / Erik Larson - 4****

[Book Concierge]

Dead Wake – Erik Larson
Book on CD narrated by Scott Brick.
4****

The subtitle is all the synopsis you need: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania.

As he did in Isaac’s Storm , Larson uses tidbits found in research materials from a variety of sources to flesh out a narrative tale of a great disaster. This time, the disaster is man-made, however.

Larson shifts perspective from the Lusitania, her passengers and crew, to U-20 (the German submarine that would successfully sink her), to Room 40 (the British intelligence office that had information that might have avoided the disaster if it had been properly shared. In this way the reader gets a much more complete picture of what was happening – and why – than the poor souls who lived (or died) through this tragedy. It’s a compelling story, which completely captured my interest despite my knowing how it would turn out.

Scott Brick does a good job reading the audiobook. His delivery is rather dry, but this is fine for a work of nonfiction. He was still able to lend a sense of the panic and distress of the passengers, Captain and crew of the Lusitania, though this is probably more attributable to Larson’s writing than to Brick’s performance.

[Nicole R]

Must. Get. To. This.

I have it in paperback sitting by my bed just staring me down. I have an odd appreciation of Brick's narration and think you hit it on the head: he is good for serious nonfiction works. I still think I would rather read this one in print.

[Joi]

I have this in paperback on my table as well. I feel like I should do some wikipedia-ing to get me into the subject and then delve into the book.

[annapi]

This was a 4-star book for me too.

[Nicole R]

Joi wrote: "I have this in paperback on my table as well. I feel like I should do some wikipedia-ing to get me into the subject and then delve into the book."

I am also a wikipedia-er on nonfiction books to refresh me on the background details!