Genre: Historical
Book Type: Audio
Author: Erik Larson
Narrator: Bob Balaban
Pages / Length: 480 pages / 11 hours and 56 minutes
Publisher: Broadway Books (September 25, 2007) / Random House Audio
Book Description:
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 murder.
With his unparalleled narrative skills, Erik Larson guides us through a relentlessly suspenseful chase over 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.
Thoughts:
First audio in the books!
I’m not typically non-fiction, let alone historical non-fiction, but a friend asked me to attend a book club she’s hosting and this was the book selected. I decided to give audible a try, and I’m so glad I did.
At first, this was very outside my typical genre, so it took me awhile to get into, but once the book got going, I was extremely impressed with how this book was written and how entertained I was. There were times some of the information was a bit overwhelming and factual, but I couldn’t believe how Erik Larson was able to tell a story of how long distance communications as started, while incorporating a love affair and murder story into it, as well. I was equally entertained learning about a time when communication wasn’t as readily available as it is today (as I write this from my phone), and how it got its start, as well as following the relationships Crippen had with his wife and mistress (and how it all tied together). I was so impressed with the talent this took to write!
This had history, drama, love, loss, and I am glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I’m so excited to have discovered the audio books, as there are so many I can listen to instead of a podcast. This was a great experience!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Comentarios