#1 New York Times BestsellerFrom the bestselling author and master of narrative nonfiction comes the enthralling story of the sinking of the LusitaniaOn May 1; 1915; with WWI entering its tenth month; a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York; bound for Liverpool; carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were surprisingly at ease; even though Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone. For months; German U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era’s great transatlantic “Greyhoundsâ€â€”the fastest liner then in service—and her captain; William Thomas Turner; placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack. Germany; however; was determined to change the rules of the game; and Walther Schwieger; the captain of Unterseeboot-20; was happy to oblige. Meanwhile; an ultra-secret British intelligence unit tracked Schwieger’s U-boat; but told no one. As U-20 and the Lusitania made their way toward Liverpool; an array of forces both grand and achingly small—hubris; a chance fog; a closely guarded secret; and more—all converged to produce one of the great disasters of history. It is a story that many of us think we know but don’t; and Erik Larson tells it thrillingly; switching between hunter and hunted while painting a larger portrait of America at the height of the Progressive Era. Full of glamour and suspense; Dead Wake brings to life a cast of evocative characters; from famed Boston bookseller Charles Lauriat to pioneering female architect Theodate Pope to President Woodrow Wilson; a man lost to grief; dreading the widening war but also captivated by the prospect of new love. Gripping and important; Dead Wake captures the sheer drama and emotional power of a disaster whose intimate details and true meaning have long been obscured by history.
#137210 in Books Sattareh Farman Farmaian 2006-06-27 2006-06-27Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .95 x 5.22l; .70 #File Name: 0307339742432 pagesDaughter of Persia A Woman s Journey from Her Father s Harem Through the Islamic Revolution
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. There is a scene where she is on an American vessel and is dumbfounded by the amount of food that she sees wasted. As a generalBy bookclubberThis was a very satisfying read. Sattareh is an inspiring person who cares deeply about her native country and worked very hard to improve the condition of the people in Iran. Ultimately it was a losing battle but she did not give up on her country until forced to do so. It was interesting to read her mixed feelings about Americans and she realized it is hard for people to truly understand how another country lives without experiencing it for themselves. There is a scene where she is on an American vessel and is dumbfounded by the amount of food that she sees wasted. As a general rule; Americans truly do not understand what it is like to go hungry. It again made me feel grateful to live in such a blessed and abundant country. Also I realized that democracy works (of course not perfectly) in America because it is founded on Christian principles. Other countries that try democracy but without such moral principles as a base; tend to fail again and again because self interest ends up ruling the day.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The Life of an Amazing WomanBy J. V. SimsonThis is an eye-opening story of a very brave Iranian woman who manages to cope with unbelievable obstacles in pursuing a life that is significant both for herself and her country. She was born in a harem; saw a revolution and the displacement of her aristocratic family from a position of power and prestige; took an amazing solo journey to the United States to study Social Work; experienced personal harassment while trying to improve the lot of her fellow Iranians; and lived through another revolution in which religious authorities seized power from the Shah. She exhibits extraordinary determination and flexibility in the face of obstacles and disappointment. Her life is an inspiration (and a cautionary tale) for women in male-dominated societies.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Insightful and inspiringBy JDEI read this years ago and plan to reread it. It provides great insight into the modern history of Iran. She is a very inspiring and appealing narrator. I understood that history much better in light of her oersonal experiences.
