Dead Wake: the last crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

Erik Larson has a way of making history come alive.  Even though we know the ending,  it's almost impossible not to root for those passengers who have roles in the story.  Larson of course goes beyond the individual miracles and tragedies;  he sets the stage with the top secret British Room 40--a place where German wireless transmissions to its naval fleet were routinely captured and translated.  (The catch to having such a valuable trove of information was that if the British showed what they knew by their reactions, the Germans would soon realize their codes were broken.)    We can see inside of submarine U-20 as it travels from its home base around the Irish coast to take up a position along the highly traveled routes to Liverpool.  We become acquainted with life aboard ship, the degree of preparations for emergencies, and the general mood that no one could sink the Lusitania, one of the fastest  non-military vessels in service. News to me--Larson writes of how distracted President Wilson was at this point of the European War--mourning his dead wife and becoming involved with another woman.  How many American deaths would have to occur before he takes notice?  Tension builds as the strands of the story come together, and the details of the eventual torpedo attack and sinking are filled with drama and pathos.  This is a great way to absorb history.  Recommended