Title: Thunderstruck

Author: Erik Larson

Publisher: Crown 2006

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 463

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction; 52 Books - W30

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 murder.

Oh man. Another awesome Erik Larson book that I can't believe took me this long to read. And it's on a subject that I knew little to nothing about. Amazing! It took me a bit to really get into this volume, but once I did, I was hooked. Larson has an amazing way of making the reader care about the characters and keep us on the edge of our seat throughout. My favorite parts of this volume were the politics of Marconi's business dealings. So very very interesting and complicated! The ending was a bit abrupt for a Larson book, but I was still satisfied by the story and conclusion.