Thunderstruck: Library Edition

Larson, Erik

ISBN 10: 1598954539 ISBN 13: 9781598954531

Synopsis

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.

About this title

Review:

Praise for "The Devil in the White City"
"[Larson] relentlessly fuses history and entertainment to give this nonfiction book the dramatic effect of a novel. . . . A dynamic, enveloping book." --Janet Maslin, "New York Times"
"Hugely engrossing . . . exceedingly well-documented, exhaustive without being excessive, and utterly fascinating . . . deserves to be popular everywhere." --Rosellen Brown, "Chicago Tribune"
"An irresistible page-turner that reads like the most compelling, sleep-defying fiction." --"Time Out New York"
"A great story, recounted with authority, entertainment, and insight . . . Larson writes with marvelous confidence, enthusiasm, polish, and scholarship." --"New York Daily News"
"Everything popular history should be." --"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Gripping drama, captured with a reporter's nose for a good story and a novelist's flair for telling it . . . Superb." --"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
"So good, you find yourself asking how you could not know this already." --"Esquire"

Praise for "Isaac's Storm"
"A gripping account . . . fascinating to its core, and all the more compelling for being true." --"The New York Times Book Review"
"Superb . . . Larson has made [Isaac] Cline, turn-of-the-century Galveston, and the Great Hurricane live again." --"Wall Street Journal"
"[Larson] vividly captures the devastation that an unnamed hurricane inflicted on Galveston." --"New York Newsday"
"[A] powerful story . . . a classic tale of mankind versus nature." --"Christian Science Monitor"
"[A] graphic, heart-shattering reconstruction of the most lethal natural disaster in U.S. history." --"Miami Herald"
"Compelling . . . [a] brilliant exploration of the hurricane's deadly force . . . Larson has the storyteller's skill of keeping the reader spellbound." --"Times-Picayune"
"Gripping. . . The "Jaws" of hurricane yarns." --"Washington Post"

Praise for "The Devil in the White City"
"ŬLarson¨ relentlessly fuses history and entertainment to give this nonfiction book the dramatic effect of a novel. . . . A dynamic, enveloping book." --Janet Maslin, "New York Times"
"Hugely engrossing . . . exceedingly well-documented, exhaustive without being excessive, and utterly fascinating . . . deserves to be popular everywhere." --Rosellen Brown, "Chicago Tribune"
"An irresistible page-turner that reads like the most compelling, sleep-defying fiction." --"Time Out New York"
"A great story, recounted with authority, entertainment, and insight . . . Larson writes with marvelous confidence, enthusiasm, polish, and scholarship." --"New York Daily News"
"Everything popular history should be." --"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Gripping drama, captured with a reporter's nose for a good story and a novelist's flair for telling it . . . Superb." --"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
"So good, you find yourself asking how you could not know this already." --"Esquire"

Praise for "Isaac's Storm"
"A gripping account . . . fascinating to its core, and all the more compelling for being true." --"The New York Times Book Review"
"Superb . . . Larson has made ŬIsaac¨ Cline, turn-of-the-century Galveston, and the Great Hurricane live again." --"Wall Street Journal"
"ŬLarson¨ vividly captures the devastation that an unnamed hurricane inflicted on Galveston." --"New York Newsday"
"ŬA¨ powerful story . . . a classic tale of mankind versus nature." --"Christian Science Monitor"
"ŬA¨ graphic, heart-shattering reconstruction of the most lethal natural disaster in U.S. history." --"Miami Herald"
"Compelling . . . Ŭa¨ brilliant exploration of the hurricane's deadly force . . . Larson has the storyteller's skill of keeping the reader spellbound." --"Times-Picayune"
"Gripping. . . The "Jaws" of hurricane yarns." --"Washington Post"

Prais for "Thunderstruck"
"Larson's gift for rendering an historical era with vibrant tactility and filling it with surprising personalities makes "Thunderstruck" an irresistible tale...He beautifully captures the awe that greeted early wireless transmissions on shipboard...he restores life to this fascinating, long-lost world."
-Washington Post
Praise for "The Devil in the White City"
"ŬLarson¨ relentlessly fuses history and entertainment to give this nonfiction book the dramatic effect of a novel. . . . A dynamic, enveloping book." --Janet Maslin, "New York Times"
"Hugely engrossing . . . exceedingly well-documented, exhaustive without being excessive, and utterly fascinating . . . deserves to be popular everywhere." --Rosellen Brown, "Chicago Tribune"
"An irresistible page-turner that reads like the most compelling, sleep-defying fiction." --"Time Out New York"
"A great story, recounted with authority, entertainment, and insight . . . Larson writes with marvelous confidence, enthusiasm, polish, and scholarship." --"New York Daily News"
"Everything popular history should be." --"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Gripping drama, captured with a reporter's nose for a good story and a novelist's flair for telling it . . . Superb." --"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
"So good, you find yourself asking how you could not know this already." --"Esquire"

Praise for "Isaac's Storm"
"A gripping account . . . fascinating to its core, and all the more compelling for being true." --"The New York Times Book Review"
"Superb . . . Larson has made ŬIsaac¨ Cline, turn-of-the-century Galveston, and the Great Hurricane live again." --"Wall StreetJournal"
"ŬLarson¨ vividly captures the devastation that an unnamed hurricane inflicted on Galveston." --"New York Newsday"
"ŬA¨ powerful story . . . a classic tale of mankind versus nature." --"Christian Science Monitor"
"ŬA¨ graphic, heart-shattering reconstruction of the most lethal natural disaster in U.S. history." --"Miami Herald"
"Compelling . . . Ŭa¨ brilliant exploration of the hurricane's deadly force . . . Larson has the storyteller's skill of keeping the reader spellbound." --"Times-Picayune"
"Gripping. . . The "Jaws" of hurricane yarns." --"Washington Post"

" Larson's gift for rendering an historical era with vibrant tactility and filling it with surprising personalities makes "Thunderstruck" an irresistible tale...He beautifully captures the awe that greeted early wireless transmissions on shipboard...he restores life to this fascinating, long-lost world."
-" Washington Post"
" Of all the non-fiction writers working today, Erik Larson seems to have the most delicious fun...for his newest, destined-to-delight book, "Thunderstruck," Larson has turned his sights on Edwardian London, a place alive with new science and seances, anonymous crowds and some stunningly peculiar personalities"
-- "Chicago Tribune"
" [Larson] interweaves gripping storylines about a cryptic murderer and the race for technology in the early 20th century. An edge-of-the-seat read."
-- "People"
" Captivating...with "Thunderstruck," Larson has selected another enthralling tale--two of them, actually--...[he] peppers the narrative with an engaging array of secondary figures and fills the margins with rich tangential period details...Larson has once again crafted a popular history narrative that is stylistically closer to a smartly plotted novel."
--"Miami Herald"
" As he did with "The Devil in the White City," Larson has created an intense, intelligent page turner that shows how the march of progress and innovation affect both the world at large and the lives of everyday people."
--"Atlanta Journal-Constitution"
" Larson's gift for rendering an historical era with vibrant tactility and filling it with surprising personalities makes "Thunderstruck" an irresistible tale."
--"The Washington Post Book World"
" An enthralling narrative and vivid descriptions...Larson has done a marvelous job of bringing the distinct stories together in his own unique way. Simply fantastic!"
--"Library Journal"
" Larson is a marvelous writer...superb at creating characters with a few short strokes."
--"The New York Times Book Review"
" Splendid, beautifully written..."Thunderstruck" triumphantly resurrects the spirit of another age, when one man's public genius linked the world, while another's private turmoil made him a symbol of the end of " the great hush" and the first victim of a new era when instant communication, now inescapable, conquered the world."
--"Publishers Weekly"
" [Larson] captures the human capacity for wonder at the turn of the century...[he] has perfected a narrative form of his own invention."
--"The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)"
THUNDERSTRUCK - By Erik Larson - Three Rivers Press - ISBN 978-1-4000-8067-0 - $14.95 - - By Erik Larson - Three Rivers Press - ISBN 978-1-4000-8067-0 - $14.95 - OSD 9/25/2007
THUNDERSTRUCK - By Erik Larson - Three Rivers Press - ISBN 978-1-4000-8067-0 - $14.95 - OSD 9/25/2007

"Larson's gift for rendering an historical era with vibrant tactility and filling it with surprising personalities makes Thunderstruck an irresistible tale...He beautifully captures the awe that greeted early wireless transmissions on shipboard...he restores life to this fascinating, long-lost world."- Washington Post "Of all the non-fiction writers working today, Erik Larson seems to have the most delicious fun...for his newest, destined-to-delight book, Thunderstruck, Larson has turned his sights on Edwardian London, a place alive with new science and seances, anonymous crowds and some stunningly peculiar personalities"-- Chicago Tribune"[Larson] interweaves gripping storylines about a cryptic murderer and the race for technology in the early 20th century. An edge-of-the-seat read."-- People"Captivating...with Thunderstruck, Larson has selected another enthralling tale--two of them, actually--...[he] peppers the narrative with an engaging array of secondary figures and fills the margins with rich tangential period details...Larson has once again crafted a popular history narrative that is stylistically closer to a smartly plotted novel."--Miami Herald"As he did with The Devil in the White City, Larson has created an intense, intelligent page turner that shows how the march of progress and innovation affect both the world at large and the lives of everyday people."--Atlanta Journal-Constitution"Larson's gift for rendering an historical era with vibrant tactility and filling it with surprising personalities makes Thunderstruck an irresistible tale."--The Washington Post Book World"An enthralling narrative and vivid descriptions...Larson has done a marvelous job of bringing the distinct stories together in his own unique way. Simply fantastic!"--Library Journal"Larson is a marvelous writer...superb at creating characters with a few short strokes."--The New York Times Book Review"Splendid, beautifully written...Thunderstruck triumphantly resurrects the spirit of another age, when one man's public genius linked the world, while another's private turmoil made him a symbol of the end of "the great hush" and the first victim of a new era when instant communication, now inescapable, conquered the world."--Publishers Weekly"[Larson] captures the human capacity for wonder at the turn of the century...[he] has perfected a narrative form of his own invention."--The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)THUNDERSTRUCK - By Erik Larson - Three Rivers Press - ISBN 978-1-4000-8067-0 - $14.95 - - By Erik Larson - Three Rivers Press - ISBN 978-1-4000-8067-0 - $14.95 - OSD 9/25/2007THUNDERSTRUCK - By Erik Larson - Three Rivers Press - ISBN 978-1-4000-8067-0 - $14.95 - OSD 9/25/2007

Book Description:

The New YorkTimes bestselling story of the notorious murderer, Dr Crippen, whose life (and eventual death) were inexorably interwoven with that of Marconi and his miraculous invention: the wireless.

About this edition

• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1598954539
• ISBN 13: 9781598954531
• Binding: Preloaded Digital Audio Player