The Book Club Online is the oldest book club on the Internet, begun in 1996, open to everyone. We offer cordial discussions of one book a month, 24/7 and enjoy the company of readers from all over the world. Everyone is welcome.October Book Club Online
Dead Wake
by Erik Larson
 | "Few tales in history are more haunting, more tangled with investigatory mazes or more fraught with toxic secrets than that of the final voyage of the Lusitania, one of the colossal tragedies of maritime history. It’s the other Titanic, the story of a mighty ship sunk not by the grandeur of nature but by the grimness of man." - ~ New York Times.
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DISCUSSION SCHEDULE:
Week 1: to "Lusitania a Cavalcade of Passengers" p.89
Week 2: to "Lusitania: Helpful Young Ladies: p.191
Week 3: to "All Points Rumor p. 279
Week 4: to end p.353 For Your Consideration:
1. which of the passenger's experiences during the sinking made the most impression on you?
2. Some passengers reported a calm, almost idyllic experience while waiting for rescue. have you ever experienced anything like that in a situation of danger?
3. How much do you believe Schweiger was affected by what he had done? How much was Turner?
4. What were the political reasons for blaming Turner? which decisions of his did they question? Do you agree?
5. What do you think of Larson's explanation for the second explosion? Was it what sank the Lusitania?
6. Were you surprised at the timing of the US entering the war? Why has the entry become linked to the sinking of the Lusitania? Did Wilson deserve blame for being so slow?
7. Now that we've finished the book, overall what are the strengths and weaknesses of Larson's account. If you've read other accounts, have they added significantly to his?
"It took more persistance than I thought, but I finally found it: dead wake is "the trail of a fading disturbance in the water"- PATH---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
