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Thunderstruck
by Erik Larson
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$14.95 |
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$10.17 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. |
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$4.78 (31%) |
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Paperback
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
ISBN13: 9781400080670
Condition: NEW
Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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A true story of love, murder, and the end of the world’s “great hush”
In Thunderstruck, Erik Larson tells the interwoven stories of two men—Hawley Crippen, a very unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive creator of a seemingly supernatural means of communication—whose lives intersect during one of the greatest criminal chases of all time.
Set in Edwardian London and on the stormy coasts of Cornwall, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia, Thunderstruck evokes the dynamism of those years when great shipping companies competed to build the biggest, fastest ocean liners, scientific advances dazzled the public with visions of a world transformed, and the rich outdid one another with ostentatious displays of wealth. Against this background, Marconi races against incredible odds and relentless skepticism to perfect his invention: the wireless, a prime catalyst for the emergence of the world we know today. Meanwhile, Crippen, “the kindest of men,” nearly commits the perfect crime.
With his superb narrative skills, Erik Larson guides these parallel narratives toward a relentlessly suspenseful meeting on the waters of the North Atlantic. Along the way, he tells of a sad and tragic love affair that was described on the front pages of newspapers around the world, a chief inspector who found himself strangely sympathetic to the killer and his lover, and a driven and compelling inventor who transformed the way we communicate. Thunderstruck presents a vibrant portrait of an era of séances, science, and fog, inhabited by inventors, magicians, and Scotland Yard detectives, all presided over by the amiable and fun-loving Edward VII as the world slid inevitably toward the first great war of the twentieth century. Gripping from the first page, and rich with fascinating detail about the time, the people, and the new inventions that connect and divide us, Thunderstruck is splendid narrative history from a master of the form.
From the Hardcover edition.
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| Another interesting book |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Love how Mr. Larson keeps two interesting stories going connected only by time and a small incident.
Have read Isaac's Storm and Devin in the White City and looking forward to reading another book by Erik Larson
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| Great story! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This was the second book I have read by Erik Larson. In my opinion, he is a phenomenal writer and holds the reader's interest throughout the book. He writes with a great deal of detail which I like. The Devil in the White City was also great, and probably one of the best books I have ever read. Not everyone who reads these books likes them as much as I do, but one has to enjoy history and true crime. When I finished his book, I was very depressed as I did not want the journey to end.
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| The stories within stories get laborious and boring |
| Customer Rating: 3 out of 5 |
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I'll echo other reviews -- I had high expectations after reading other Larsen books. But, the text lost steam less than a 1/3 into the book, only to regain energy near the end. At times I felt like the story line had the excitement (and feel) of my college science textbooks 20 y ago --> boring! I'd only give it 2 stars, except he gets one extra star for effort!
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| A well-written and deeply-researched, yet quick read, about two intriguing historical figures |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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THUNDERSTRUCK, in the vein of Erik Larsen's previous bestseller, THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, is the true story of how two famous people, who never met, had their lives intersect in a way neither would have ever imagined.
Larsen tells the story of Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of wireless telegraphy and interweaves it with the story of Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, a Michigan homeopath who was convicted of killing his wife while they lived in London. Crippen would be the first criminal caught with the help of wireless communication, invented by Marconi.
While the story is true, Larsen's writing style gives the material the feel of a fast-paced mystery novel. The book moves very quickly with very short chapters and the staccato writing of a journalist. It's an easy read and probably a good beach book, although as I don't do the beach money, your mileage may vary.
While the Marconi piece of the book is interesting, what really grabbed me was the part about Crippen. Crippen is the classic killer that no one would ever imagine could do such a thing. And, on top of that, he commits a nearly perfect crime. Scotland Yard is stumped--to the point that they almost drop the issue thinking that no crime was even committed. But one small mistake (and there is always one small mistake) clues the police to what happened and the chase in on.
A good history writer can create tension in a story where the reader already knows the outcome. Larsen does that well here. As Crippen's escape across the Atlantic with Inspector Dew of Scotland Yard in hot pursuit is recounted, you get caught up in the moment--will Dew, on the faster liner, beat Crippen to Canada so he can arrest the Doctor? We know the answer and yet, Larsen makes the reader suspend what they know and wonder about the outcome.
All in all, this is what every book on history should be: informative, enlightening, entertaining, deeply-researched and well-written. Highly recommended.
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| two stories in one story? |
| Customer Rating: 3 out of 5 |
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From reading the dust jacket, my interest was piqued instantly. I knew little about the invention of wireless and that alone was enough for me to be interested. What more, I did not realize that the invention or invetor of wireless was also intricately involved in some infamous London murder. As I read the book, I awaited to see how the two stories (that of Marconi and that of Crippen) would be interwoven. Alas, it was only too late that I realized that this would not happen.
The story of Marconi and Crippen are in fact two distinct stories and their overlap is tenuous at best. I found myself much more interested in the Crippen affair than Marconi's radio. As a man of science, I would have been interested in more details of wireless i.e. the physics of it all - but such were lacking. Instead of learning about what wireless really is, I was left with the impression that Marconi's contemporaries were left with: amazement in how such a device could work.
Overall, a disappointing work. Two interesting plots in turn of the century England that I don't think were laid out as well as they should have been.
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