This book chronicles the last voyage of the ill-fated Lusitania, a luxurious ocean liner that sailed into a war zone and was targeted by a German U-boat. A few years ago, I read Dead Wake by Erik Larson, which covers much of the same ground as this book. In the case of this book, I wish the author had done more to connect the sinking of the Lusitania to World War I, which felt like important context which was skimmed over in this history. Overall, a decent history of the Lusitania, although I would recommend Larson's Dead Wake over this book. ( )

Lusitania: Triumph, Tragedy, and the End of the Edwardian Age by Greg King is another audiobook I took in this last week. The Lusitania has that mythical quality to it almost equal to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The sinking had vilified the Germans and has been credited for bringing the US into World War I. First the easy explanation, the sinking of the Lusitania happened May 7, 1915. The US did not enter the war for almost another two years; Government moves slowly, but not that slow. Under the Hague Convention, merchant ships could be stopped during the time of war and searched. The submarine would surface give warning up to fire a shot across the bow. The merchant ship would stop, perform no hostile act or run, and allow the search. If nothing was found the ship would be free to go. Otherwise, adequate time would be given for passengers to board lifeboats and the ship could be sunk.

Britain was the first country to break the Hague convention. The admiralty told captains to run, or better ram submarines, if stopped. Furthermore, Britain created armed decoy ships. These were merchant ships with hidden weapons. When stopped by a German sub they opened fire. Other captains would hoist a neutral flag and continue on. Ships also hid their names to avoid identification. In retaliation, Germany declared the British coast a war zone. The Lusitania, itself, was officially registered as an auxiliary cruiser or armed merchant ship. At the time of the sinking, the Lusitania was not flying a flag and the usually red smokestacks had been painted a military grey. It was sunk without warning for the above reasons. Had the Germans spent a bit more time looking at the situation, the result may have been different, but it was war. If the British had followed the Hague Convention, this result could also have been avoided.

Lusitania: Triumph, Tragedy, and the End of the Edwardian Age is as much about an end of an era as it about the Lusitania. It describes the Edwardian Era as the Indian Summer before the beginning of the war. In modern terms, however, it was an era of the 1%ers. Greg King uses recorded interviews and journal entries from mostly the first class passengers. Some second class passengers are included too, but no third class since no one would have written about them and very few would have had any written record of the trip. The book goes into personal stories of the passengers like the Alfred Vanderbilt and prominent Canadians like the Ryerson’s are included. There is even a tie-in to the shootout at the OK Corral. Included are many interesting stories of people on the Lusitania and a bit of the ship’s history, but it is mostly a who’s who of the ship’s last voyage. The reader will also become more that familiar with the word gilded: Gilded Age, gilded trim, gilded this and that. Lusitania is an interesting book, but one that is not a typical history. It’s a history the E! TV would have written. The celebrities of the times written about with the backdrop of the war. Entertaining and with some historical value. ( )

I read this book right after I read Erik Larson's book "Dead Wake." One thing that this book has that Larson's book doesn't is better illustrations; in fact, it has illustrations, whereas Larson's does not, a weakness on his part. The story is pretty familiar, and Larson's narrative is actually better done than this one, though King and Wilson do a decent job. Worth reading. ( )

When writing a book about a known event, the hardest part is often keeping up interest until the known event happens. You have no buildup of tension because you know what the outcome will be. Greg King has done a masterful job of keeping up interest and explaining the goings on of a ship at the end of the Edwardian age. From the daily betting of how far the ship has travelled, to the onboard newspaper, to the rules and manners of ship life, Mr King covers it all. Before you know it you've arrived at the end of the book and you regret it's over. I love history books and even I had a few new things to learn. ( )

This was a very thoughtful gift from coworkers who knew that I love all things boats and all things British history. What better book than one that combines the two? This is a look at the human cost of the Lusitania disaster: we learn a great deal about the lives of selected first- and second-class passengers (because, sadly, their lives were much better documented than those of third-class passengers) and about how they each cope with the unfolding disaster. Naturally, we also hear from the captain and some of the other crew members, and we are presented with a set of shocking circumstances that seem to suggest monumental hubris and folly, rather than any overt conspiracy, caused the Lusitania to be sunk. The parts about the crew preparedness (or lack thereof), the shoddy lifeboat drills, and the every-man-for-himself attitude among the crew when the vessel was torpedoed are astounding. I could have done with a few more pictures of the ship in happier days, and maybe some pictures or maps showing where the vessel sank, but overall I enjoyed this book (as much as one can claim to "enjoy" a book about a disaster).

Recommended for those who like to hear about the human side of history, those who like unexpected Canadian content, and those who like to read about life on the glamorous high seas. ( )