Dead Wake by Erik Larson

Once again Erik Larson does a superb job of making an event in history come alive. One of my all time favorite books is "The Devil in the White City." "Dead Wake" comes in as a close second in my non fiction favorites. Larson has a way of coming at an event from all different angles and weaving personal stories along with the facts to make for a fascinating read.

The luxury ocean liner, Lusitania, sets sail from New York to Liverpool, England on May 1, 1915 in the midst of the war between England and Germany. President Woodrow Wilson is hesitant to enter the United States in the battle again Germany even though neutral American ships have been torpedoed by German U Boats and lives of Americans lost. Wilson is also reeling from the death of his wife in the previous year and has embarked on a new relationship with a younger woman.

Meanwhile England is hoping to get the United States involved with them in the war against Germany. Some of the leaders in the government and the navy seem to be hoping for some act of Germany involving the lost of American lives to be the impetus for the U.S. to support England in their war efforts. England's intelligence bureau has information about the German U Boats in the vicinity of where the Lusitania will be traveling. That information does not seem to have been adequately communicated to the captain of the ship prior to the tragedy of the torpedoing of the Lusitania. Questions are raised if England could have done more to prevent the tragedy.

The U Boat's commander and his submarine's travels are also highlighted leading up to the torpedoing of the Lusitania. U Boat Commanders were rewarded for how much tonnage they destroyed and the Lusitania destruction contributed greatly to his total.

Finally insights into the lives of the passengers aboard that ill fated voyage make the people come alive for the reader. All these aspects, the backdrop of the war, the politics in the United States and the personal life of President Wilson, the U Boat Commander, the intelligence information obtained by the British and the innocent lives who boarded the Lusitania on May 1, 1915 are woven together to make a fascinating look at that time in history and a tragedy that possibly could have been prevented.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.