Lusitania

An Epic Tragedy

By: Diana Preston

Narrated by: Anne Twomey

A brilliantly sunny day, and then the explosion; on what had been an ordinary weekday, there is suddenly fire, smoke, confusion, bodies, panic...

On May 7, 1915, the ocean liner Lusitania was struck by a terrifying new weapon-and became a casualty of a terrible new kind of war. This is a vivid account of the event that shocked the world; of the heyday of the luxury liner and the first days of the modern submarine; a critical chapter in the progress of World War I; and a remarkable human drama. With first-person survivor accounts and a cast of characters ranging from Winston Churchill and Alfred Vanderbilt to the crew of the German U-boat that torpedoed a ship full of civilians, this is a true tale of terror and tragedy, of heroism and miraculous survival.Produced by Robert Kessler and Orli Moscowitz
Abridgment by David Rosaler
Original jacket concept and design: Krystyna Skalski
Creative collaboration: Jan Glinski
©2002 by Diana Preston
(P)2002 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Unforgettable...the definitive account of the Lusitania."
The Philadelphia Inquirer

"As majestic as its subject...extraordinarily readable."
Chicago Sun Times

"Broad in scope and rich in devastating detail."
New York Magazine

"Tugs at the emotions...substantial and colorful."
The Washington Post Book World

"Compelling and comprehensive."
The Wall Street Journal

Lots of research resulted in an excellent book

Diana preston did an excellent job of capturing the fate of the Lusitania. I was not well informed of the disaster before listening to the book, but found myself fully engaged by the story line. Anne Twomey did a stellar job of narrating the book.

An excellent 'read'

This is a facinating book, filled with the drama of a war time tragedy, filled with human suffering and also of tragic errors that resulted in the loss of so many.

Narrated in a voice, tone and style that is not only easy to listen to - and that places further emphasis on the tragedy that unfolds, this is a must read, even for those otherwise not interested in historical events.

interesting

An interesting mix of historical info and drama. Worth the money

Compelling account

Not as long as other accounts but good summary of the events surrounding the sinking of the Lusitania. I do wish audiobooks would learn NOT to play loud background music over the narrator's voice.

John Jacob Astor

Highy inflated reviews. This is the Ann Landers version of the sinking. The author provides no analysis of information but instead dwells on the personal adpects of individuals involved in this tragic event. Certainly the horror of this early terrorist act is captured but there is no overarching theme to the book other than the human tragedy.