Thunderstruck

By: Erik Larson

Narrated by: Bob Balaban

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. Their 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 20th century.

Gripping from the start, 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.

©2006 Erik Larson (P)2006 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Larson has a knack for creating genuine suspense in his writing, and his latest is thoroughly enthralling." (Booklist)

"Splendid, beautifully written.... Thunderstruck triumphantly resurrects the spirit of another age." (Publishers Weekly)

Excellent

Larson never disappoints. A great story. Truth is stranger than fiction. Fast paced with great characters.

Glitch in chapter 23

Fairly good story and interesting history. Devil in the White City was better, though. Also, there is a glitch in chapters 23 and 24 (acknowledged b the publisher) that causes you to miss an unknown amount of time. Good, but not great.

Another solid history

Any additional comments?

Another solid outing by Larson. This time, he examines Marconi and the invention/development/deployment of wireless telegraphy, and how that cutting edge technology led to the apprehension of Dr. Crippen (famous for murdering his wife). Larson, as always, has done his historical homework, and he builds the suspense by tracking both Marconi and Crippen from early adulthood to their convergence (or at least the convergence of Marconi's device and Crippen's fate) by laying out what was happening in their lives and the world. You come away feeling pity for Crippen and his poor choice of life partner, and with admiration tinged with some annoyance for Marconi, who had character flaws aplenty. An interesting look at how technology shrunk the world and a reminder that the public's breathless voyeurism is not a 21st century invention.

Informative & Entertaining

I always enjoy Erik Larson's way of blending historical facts and events with the seedy, sometimes gory details of true crime. While the subject matter is not as sinister as Devil in the White City, the book does not disappoint. Exploring Marconi's invention of the radio, something which we take for granted in today's world as practically passe, Larson weaves in a tale of murder which would seemingly have nothing to do with it. And yet, as ever, it all comes together in the end. A very good listen to anyone who enjoys true crime, biographies, or both.

solid but could have been better

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but the interweaving and convergence of two historical threads was less impactful here than in Devil In The White City. I do thoroughly reccomend this, but it will not be nearly as compelling.

Another Masterwork by Larson

Erik Larson weaves seemingly coincidental events into a story that not only educates but fascinates. I’ve read several of Larson’s books, and they never disappoint.

An interesting review of historic events

The author has juxtaposed two stories which are essentially unrelated except for the time in which they occurred. However, both are interesting.
I am nonplussed by some of the comments about the narrator. I have listened to hundreds of audiobooks and no longer listen to those whose narrator does not appeal. Bob Balaban does a fine job with this book. He does not "act" it, he reads it. If some find the narration too fast, just slow the speed to 0.9x.

very good

very good story, but i think the book is misconstructed in a couple of important ways and might have moved quicker. non-fiction buffs will still enjoy it i should think

Excellent Book, Narration is fine

While perhaps not up to the level of Devil in the White City, I found Thunderstruck completely captivating. Just as in his previous book, both plots are very engaging. As the author admits in the prologue, sometimes the detail is just a bit over the top, but the vast majority of the time the extra bits of trivia are quite interesting.

While the narrator starts out speaking quickly at the very beginning (and only the beginning), I had no other issues with the narration. It was clear and never detracted from the story.

Perfect History Story with Intrigue!

This is a NON-FICTION story. However, there is a intriguing twist that makes it a page-turner. The author apologizes for going into extreme details at times, but this engineer (by profession) feels that facet ADDS to the storyline rather than detracts.