Wilful Murder: The Sinking of the Lusitania: Amazon.co.uk: Diana Preston: 9780552998864: Books

Product Description

Sunday Telegraph - Alan Judd

'The most comprehensive and accessible account of the sinking there has been or perhaps will be'

New Yorker - John Updike

'A fitting monument to a multitudinous loss'

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4.7 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, 17 Jun 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Wilful Murder: The Sinking of the Lusitania (Paperback)

I'd never heard of the Lusitania before visiting Cobh in Co Cork Ireland a few years ago. Since then I'd looked for an accessible account of the tragedy and have now found it.
The book is comprehensively sourced and researched, covering a lot of unseen material. However, the book's true strength is its accessibility, it is objective yet highly empathic, the story telling is like a thriller and once you start reading, it is impossible to put down.
Whether you are interested in this period of history or simply looking for a facinating read about a little known episode, I would highly recommend this. You will not be disappointed.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wilful Murder: The Sinking Of the Lusitania, 23 Jan 2012

By

S Riaz "S Riaz" (England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Wilful Murder: The Sinking Of The Lusitania (Kindle Edition)

Before I read this book I knew very little about the sinking of the Lusitania. However, this excellent book certainly answers any questions I may have had. I knew the basic facts that on May 7th 1915 the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German u-boat in the Atlantic and over 1,200 people died. I was, though, unsure of why a passenger ship was a target. The author answers that question and more - why didn't Cunard heed the warnings that the ship was a target? Was the ship armed? Did international outrage change the outcome of WWI? Was she even sacrificed with the hope that American would come into the war?

The author begins with background on the war and American neutrality. German submarines disrupted transatlantic trade and challenged the accepted rules of war. The Germans issued a warning about the danger to shipping just before the Lusitania travelled, but most passengers ignored the warning, feeling the ship could easily outrun submarines and would be protected when she neared England and escorted to safety. There are excellent chapters about the passengers and life on board and, of course, as we are told about the various people on board, you cannot help but feel empathy for them. It seems almost inconceivable that a ship of passengers was seen as a viable target, but this was the beginning of war coming to the lives of ordinary people. Within eighteen minutes of being torpedoed, the ship had gone down. We follow the stories of chaos, of people unsure what to do, of the ship listing so badly lifeboats could not be lowered, of the horrible loss of life. Some passengers thought the efforts to launch the boats disgraceful, yet there are also stories of immense bravery and courage.

The stories of the survivors and the reaction of the press are also given great detail and make fascinating reading. The German press applauded the attack, but were surprised at the worlds reaction. The book shows the far reaching political and propaganda implications of the sinking of the Lusitania and how the Americans reacted to the attack. Overall, this is a wonderfully written, in-depth, yet readable, account of the disaster. Lastly, I read the kindle edition of this book and it included illustrations.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the most comprehensive account there ever will be., 25 Aug 2011

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Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)

This review is from: Wilful Murder: The Sinking Of The Lusitania (Kindle Edition)

As a leading reporter from the Sunday Times said about this work; "It is not easy, nowadays, to write an original book on the First World War... but Preston has succeeded." My own view is equally as supportive in that I recognise a thorough and competent job of research when I see it and this book is at least that!

As I have said on several previous occasions, not all so-called authors understand the complexities of research. Such an undertaking is not just a matter of reading (perhaps translating) and understanding whatever information comes to hand and then producing an accurate and unbiased account, it is also a matter of finding that information - which might be located anywhere in the world and in any format. In the case of the Lusitania, four countries were directly involved; UK, USA, Germany and, of course, Ireland where she was sunk. Personal theories, expert analysis', political intrigue, survivors accounts, photographs, cemeteries, newspaper articles and official findings (to mention but a small number of areas of interest) are, therefore, spread far and wide. Add to that the passage of time (with little or none of the information being readily available on the Internet), and you might just begin to appreciate the amount of work which has gone into making this book an absolute triumph of dedicated research.

With almost 600 pages ofn text plus extensive index and bibliography supported by a good selection of black and white photos, cartoons of the day and press cuttings, this is probably the most comprehensive account of the loss of the Lusitania there will ever be. First published in 2002, Preston draws on hitherto previously unpublished British, USA and German archive material in a successful bid to answer so many questions which refused to go away after the loss of this magnificent ship on 7 May 1915 with over 1,200 of those who were on board at the time.

Why did Cunard ignore those German advertisements which warned that they regarded the ship as a legitimate target of war? Had Cunard been infiltrated by German agents? Was the ship carrying military, warlike stores? Was the ship armed? Was it the loss of the ship which heralded America's entry into WW1 or overwhelming public outrage? Conversely, was the Lusitania deliberately sacrificed in order to get the USA into that war to support the Allies at a critical time?

Those are just a few of the questions which have been asked over the years and I earnestly believe that this book is the one single work which will help every reader arrive at their own conclusions.

On top of that, Diana Preston is an author who has the gift of arranging words in such a way as to make the entire product a thoroughly enjoyable read and there is no better commendation for any book than that.

NM

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4.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of the 20th century
This is a fascinating book which I have read twice now - there's a lot of detail to absorb. I think the book does have the merit of getting the reader totally involved with the... Read more

Published on 27 Dec 2008 by Brian D