Thunderstruck
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An “irresistible” (The Washington Post) true story of love, murder, and the last moments of the “great hush” before wireless radio connected the world, from the renowned author of The Devil in the White City and The Demon of Unrest
“Gripping . . . an edge-of-the-seat read.”—People
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 at the turn of the twentieth century 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: wireless communication, 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 innovator who transformed the way we communicate.
Thunderstruck presents a vibrant portrait of the 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 . . . an edge-of-the-seat read.”—People
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 at the turn of the twentieth century 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: wireless communication, 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 innovator who transformed the way we communicate.
Thunderstruck presents a vibrant portrait of the 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.
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Community Reviews
Good story. The sections about Marconi's invention I sometimes skimmed through bc it was way over my head, but it was interesting to learn all of the controversies and the competition that was going on between the different scientists, inventors during that time. And of course the story about the murder of Dr. Crippen's wife was the one that really grabbed me to begin with. Great read.
A compelling read. He weaves a suspenseful enough tail to keep you engaged, despite his penchant for very detailed (including numbers) history. Glad I read it. Learned some history. Great characters.
I never even heard of the Crippen murder even though it's the basis for my favorite Hitchcock film, Rear Window. Also, enjoyed learning about the creator of wireless transmissions. All of this combined into one book that's completely true and a page turner.
3 stars.
This was a solid read. Not as strong as Larson's recent works but follows the general design so many love about "The Devil in the White City." I enjoyed reading about Marconi, wireless communication, and all of the drama that ensued while also reading about Dr. Crippen. I was definitely more interested in the Crippen pieces than the Marconi but it was all interesting and I appreciated the build-up to the great intersection of both.
I do think this work could have gone in with a lighter hand when discussing literally any woman, but particularly Crippen's victim. The way Crippen's wife was discussed throughout, painted her as a woman who deserved to die so her husband could be happy with his typist. Even how Marconi's wife is discussed and Crippen's mistress had a tinge of misogyny. Misogyny and strict gender roles were very much a way of life when these events took place but writing them as such needn't be required to convey time and place. This irked me throughout my time with this book.
This was a solid read. Not as strong as Larson's recent works but follows the general design so many love about "The Devil in the White City." I enjoyed reading about Marconi, wireless communication, and all of the drama that ensued while also reading about Dr. Crippen. I was definitely more interested in the Crippen pieces than the Marconi but it was all interesting and I appreciated the build-up to the great intersection of both.
I do think this work could have gone in with a lighter hand when discussing literally any woman, but particularly Crippen's victim. The way Crippen's wife was discussed throughout, painted her as a woman who deserved to die so her husband could be happy with his typist. Even how Marconi's wife is discussed and Crippen's mistress had a tinge of misogyny. Misogyny and strict gender roles were very much a way of life when these events took place but writing them as such needn't be required to convey time and place. This irked me throughout my time with this book.
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