REVIEW: Thunderstruck

Thunderstruck
Author: Erik Larson

Sensationalism. It's nothing new. If it's shocking, scandalous, or over-the-top, it sells. Sometimes it's nefarious deeds that make a story compelling....sometimes it's celebrity status that makes humanity follow every move some people make. More than 100 years ago, the lives of several very disparate people combined both those elements into the biggest news story of 1910. A quiet, passive man. A young woman in love. A failed, difficult actress. And, an egotistical but determined inventor. One violent action would intertwine the lives of these people. Murder. It made the career of one....and ripped apart the lives of all the others. And the public ate it up.

Thunderstruck tells the story of how a new invention -- the Marconi wireless -- helped catch a murderer.....and how the sensational arrest of that murderer and his lover was the ultimate, very public test Marconi needed to prove his wireless technology worked. The pursuit of Dr. Crippen was one of the first instances of instant news. The public was able to follow the story as law enforcement literally chased Dr. Crippen across the ocean. Because of wireless messages sent from the ship they were on, the public knew what books Crippen and  his lover Ethel LeNeve were reading, what they ate, that she was dressed as a boy, their activities....and that they had absolutely no idea police were in pursuit and would arrive in Quebec ahead of them. It was all exciting, scandalous and completely new.

What a story! It is so true that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!

I have read two of Erik Larson's other nonfiction books -- Dead Wake and The Devil in the White City -- and completely loved both of them! Larson goes into great detail when he relates a story, but does so in an interesting, compelling way. But, a word of caution -- these books are narrative non-fiction. Larson goes into minute detail about every aspect of his subject. The stories aren't fictionalized depictions, but a factual account of the lives and events he is writing about. For readers who don't enjoy nonfiction, these books might be tedious or too drawn out. But for those of us who love a true story, Larson's books are a gold mine of awesome information! Just be forewarned --- there is lots of detail,  copious amounts of background on every key player involved. If you enjoy that, these books are for you. If not -- best move on, as Larson's books will not be enjoyable for you.

Going into Thunderstruck, I didn't know much about Marconi and wireless telegraphy. Or the details about Dr. Crippen, his wife Cora and Ethel LeNeve. I knew the bare minimum about Crippen and the crime he was hanged for. I found the story incredibly interesting and compelling.

Awesome book! Larson never fails to entertain me. He is a master of narrative non-fiction! I listened to the audio book version of Thunderstruck. The audio, narrated by Bob Balaban, is just under 12 hours long. Balaban reads at a nice pace and he has a pleasant voice. All in all, an excellent listening experience!