Dead Wake by Erik Larsen

Dead Wake is Erik Larsen's account of the last voyage of the Lusitania. Just like the Titanic, the Lusitania was a luxurious ocean liner that met its demise on the high seas. It was sunk by a man-made torpedo and not an iceberg in nature. But their stories have similar elements. Surrounding both tragedies are so many "what ifs" and unheeded warnings. 

The book begins as preparations for the voyage are being made in New York. The reader begins to meet passengers, learn the reasons for their sailing, and the work of Captain Thomas Turner. Then the action shifts to a German U-20 submarine where Captain Walther Schwieger is introduced. Despite his orders to watch for cargo ships that may be about to invade from the North Sea, he was also presented as a kind and pleasant may. The young man, Winston Churchill and his advisers waver on the protection of the Lusitania as a means to draw the United States into the war. Woodrow Wilson, an isolationist, is distracted by his love for Edith Galt and is adamant that his country would not be so enticed. Other well drawn characters that appear as major persons in the book are Charles Lauriat of book store fame and Theodate Pope, an eccentric but talented architect, suffragette, and spiritualist. 

As the ocean liner crosses the Atlantic, the reader is well aware of the fate that will befall it as it nears the coast of Ireland. The description of the torpedoing and the subsequent sinking are dramatically told. The loss of life, the rescues, and the theories as to what happened are articulated in riveting descriptive chapters. Even in the 21st century, the actual events have been topics of discussion and scrutiny.


Erik Larsen is one of the most engaging authors of our time. His books are researched to a degree that is almost unbelievable. He manages to write history with the aplomb of writing a novel. This book is no exception and can keep one turning the pages to discover what will happen, even tho the turn of events are known by all.