Book Review: "Dead Wake" by Erik Larson

Now, I've read quite a bit by Erik Larson including his books The Devil in the White City and In the Garden of the Beasts and I can tell you that though me and him have had our differences, his writing is a bit more interesting than that of David Grann who takes a similar, if not more droning approach. Dead Wake investigates the final crossing and eventual sinking of the Lusitania ship on the 7th May 1915. To be honest, I wasn't expecting so much from this book as it is one of the author's lesser known works and yet, it was so completely immersive. If you loved books like The Terror by Dan Simmons and The Night Ship by Jess Kidd, then you will love Dead Wake by Erik Larson.

The book opens with an introduction to the luxurious RMS Lusitania, which set sail from New York to Liverpool on May 1, 1915, amidst World War I. Erik Larson provides background on the Lusitania as a symbol of British pride and a technological marvel of its time. It was widely regarded as one of the fastest and most luxurious ships in the world. Larson establishes the political context, with the United States remaining neutral in the war, while tensions between the UK, Germany, and the US are escalating. The ship’s tragic fate will soon become one of the key turning points of the war. I loved learning about the backstory to this strange and horrifying event and the way it was written gave the whole thing real depth. It really was a marvel that people wanted to go upon the sea for luxury travel so soon after the sinking of the Titanic.

Larson introduces several key figures aboard the Lusitania, including Captain William Thomas Turner, a seasoned and cautious officer, and various passengers. The book profiles both the famous and the ordinary people on board, including wealthy passengers like Alfred Vanderbilt and the young, lower-class travelers. Larson paints a vivid picture of the contrasts aboard the ship, with a mix of aristocratic passengers, families, and immigrants seeking a new life in America. He explores their backgrounds, fears, and ambitions, and how their lives intersect on the ill-fated voyage. The characters were interesting to learn about as well. Once we have overcome the politics of things we need to be reminded that there were actual people with families and lives that were upon this ship. The author does well to keep that in our minds.

At 2:10 pm, the U-20 fires a single torpedo into the Lusitania’s starboard side, striking below the waterline. Larson captures the harrowing moments that follow, detailing the confusion, panic, and disbelief that grip the passengers. The ship lists severely, and within moments, a second, more catastrophic explosion occurs—likely due to munitions that were secretly carried aboard the ship for the British war effort. This explosion sinks the ship in just 18 minutes, causing enormous loss of life. Larson uses survivor testimonies to paint a vivid, tragic picture of the chaos during the sinking.

After the sinking, the international response is one of outrage, particularly in the United States, where 128 Americans are among the dead. Larson delves into the political ramifications of the disaster, exploring how it exacerbates tensions between the US and Germany. The sinking is used as a rallying cry for those advocating for American involvement in the war, and public opinion begins to shift toward support for the Allies. Larson examines how American media outlets sensationalise the event, stirring up anti-German sentiment and framing the attack as an act of barbarism. This is where we see it become political. I loved the way Larson went back and forth over the torment of the survivors, the horrors of the deaths and the political backdrop of outrage.

In conclusion, I was very surprised that I enjoyed this book. It is chaotic and scary, a frightening representation of reality in which very real people died as a result of political shifts gone horribly wrong. It is where people, who had no knowledge that they were involved in any way, got horrifically blown up in the worst way, sent to their deaths because of the pencil-pushing button-hitting suits sitting at their desks shouting at each other.