A 15-minute Summary & Analysis of Erik Larson's Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania

Wow, what a book. I bought Dead Wake because I was intrigued by the story of the sinking of the Lusitania in 1914. The book was long, over 500 pages, and the middle started to sag a bit. I bought this Instaread because I wanted to skip over some of the parts in the book I didn't like, but I didn't want to miss out on key points. This Instaread was an amazing companion to this book. It had a well-written, insightful, and very thoughtful analysis along with key takeaways that helped me focus. I really love these Instareads. I belonged to a great reading group last year, but with my new job, I had to give that up. I miss the motivation of the group to finish books I start. This Instaread helped me hang in there. The story itself is so heartbreaking, especially when you read about some of the passengers. I was especially taken by a young boy whose pregnant mother died but he survived. He was such a brave little man. The other thing that really got my attention was the possibility that Winston Churchill at the Admiralty deliberately didn't warn Lusitania that U-Boats were near.The Admiralty to failed to divert the Luistania around the West Coast of Ireland, and around Belfast and then down the Irish Sea to Liverpool. That would have totally avoided the U-Boats. But Churchill wanted President Wilson to enter America into the first world war, and Wilson refused. The Lusitania manifest had many Americans onboard, and it seems Churchill was hoping the sinking would bait Wilson into declaring war. But Wilson didn't take that bait. He entered the war much later, and with disastrous results.The book is a fascinating read, but it does have slow parts, If you want to get the gist of what happened and learn all the important points about the fate of the ship and its passengers, then get this Instaread. It's really well written and helped focus my reading. I highly recommend it.

This was my first reading of an Instaread book. Full disclosure, I received a free copy in exchange for a review. I was not familiar with the Instaread line. It was a pleasant surprise. This is a short effective, concise summary of Erik Larsen's best seller "Dead Wake." The reader is taken through the major events, introduced to the major characters and relationships and focuses on key dates. After the main narrative summation, key characters and relationships are explained and the book ends with a citing of sources. I enjoyed the summary, and particularly the easy to understand explanations of critical events that led to the sinking of the ship. The book presents the facts and doesn't take sides, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. While some readers may not want key plot points spoiled if they haven't read the book yet, (I have not yet) I believe this is a great resource for either before or after reading the actual novel. Many books nowadays can be difficult to follow and the Instaread series, helps the reader keep the characters and situations straight. A great new resource.

Dead Wake tells a fascinating story. The details and aftermath of this ship is fascinating. The details are insightful, and you truly get a sense for the voyage and the sinking that occurred. You truly are taken back through a time machine in this one. The historical facts are there, the narrative is definitely there, and the bigger story unfolds here in a great manner. Go beyond what you learn in school, and truly get a glimpse at history through the a new historical vantage point. This is a great summary, and gives you the truth of the matter without sacrificing narrative. I recommend it highly.

Well worth the read. Fast moving and well written.

a comprehensive look at a shop's disaster

Interesting, but a (good) bit longer than it needed to be.

Excellent read.

Extremely helpful