Reviews

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

sarful's review against another edition

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5.0

This book goes from before Lusitania was launched to the point of rescue and into WWI, and all in between. We are taken onto the journey of Captain Turner’s background as the master, to Schwieger as commander of U-20, and through Pres. Wilson as well. We meet many of the passengers and even into the secret Room 40, that knew about U-20 long before they torpedoed the Lusitania.

This is the 4th book by Larson I’ve read and I expect and am granted an in-depth look at his topic each time, and this is no exception. Quite the story from beginning to end, he makes history come alive.

kalliegrace's review against another edition

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adventurous informative sad medium-paced

4.0

This is the story of a ship being torpedoed, but more than that it's the story of how the US got into world war one. It's not quite the gruesome tale of the Wager, but it's still a tragedy of massive loss of life that could have been avoided with more foresight and precautions. There's a lot more politics and less adventure in this than other shipwreck stories, but it's still an informative and fascinating read.

leeleeinok's review against another edition

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informative sad medium-paced

4.25

findyourgoldenhour's review against another edition

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5.0

The best kind of non-fiction! Well-researched and well-paced, I learned a ton about an event in history that I knew little about while turning the pages of a compelling read. I read Devil in the White City years ago, but I haven't read anything else by Larson; time to remedy that!

agmaynard's review

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adventurous dark informative slow-paced

2.0

procyonid1312's review against another edition

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dark informative tense medium-paced

5.0

kaulyjo's review against another edition

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4.0

This one was started and then stopped - for a loooong while - before I picked it up again, restarted and sped through.

I don’t think anything Larson writes will beat “Devil in the White City,” but of the several I’ve read of his, this comes in second.

usskrantz's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

nicolepzak's review against another edition

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adventurous informative sad

3.5

whitneydziurawiec's review against another edition

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3.0

Long-winded but well-done chronicle of the attack on the Lusitania.