Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson (2015)

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

                The seas around Britain were a war zone. The German U-boats had sunk more than one ship in the last few months in an attempt to disrupt trade in Britain and stop them from receiving any goods that would help them in the war. The captain of the Lusitania, William Turner, was well aware of the risk but he was navigating the fastest liner being used at that time. He could achieve 25 knots with all four boiler rooms running, which could easily outstrip any U-Boat. The Lusitania set sail on May 1^st from New York to Britain hoping to make the transatlantic ship without any issues. Walter Schweiger, the captain of the submarine U-20, was on the other side of the ocean. He and his crew were in the water on their own, free to make decisions of what ship to torpedo and eventually he would set his sights on the Lusitania.

                Intense, well researched, well written and emotional, Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, is a story that was waiting to be told. Larson reveals the many instances leading up to the Lusitania disaster: the secrets being kept in British Intelligence, the orders to have only three boilers running on the Lusitania along with its late departure, and the ability of German Captains to determine their targets without risk of punishment for attacking civilian vessels. Over 1,000 passengers died, including over 100 Americans, many of which were women and children. Larson begins this nonfiction novel detailing the struggles over Britain’s water with the continued used of U-Boats by Germany. He then chronologically details the factors leading up to the disaster, with the narrative changing between the activities on the U-20, Lusitania¸ the United States, and Great Britain.

                I am a huge fan of Larson because he never disappoints. His nonfiction novels are so easy to fall into with his descriptive language, and the ease in which he relays history brings the story to life. My heart ached throughout most of the book because I was so painfully aware of the fate of many of those on board. But even with this knowledge, I would never have imagined the last few minutes of so many. The history Larson provided throughout this book was a great introduction to the political climate and the tension that was palpable during that time. I give this novel 4.5 out of 5 stars. Extremely well done by Larson recreating so vividly the crossing of the Lusitania and the state of the war during that time.