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Thunderstruck Audiobook
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(3.00) - 12,132 listener ratings
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An “irresistible” (The Washington Post) true story of love, murder, and the last moments of the “great hush” before wireless radio connected the world, from the renowned author of The Devil in the White City and The Demon of Unrest
“Gripping . . . an edge-of-the-seat read.”—People
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—whose lives intersect at the turn of the twentieth century 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: wireless communication, 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 innovator who transformed the way we communicate.
Thunderstruck presents a vibrant portrait of the 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 twentieth century.
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"Interconnected tales of a London murder suspect fleeing across the Atlantic, and Marconi's efforts to build a cross-ocean wireless system. Not as strong as Larson's other books: the connection between the two tales feels forced, and neither is especially strong on their own. 3.5 stars."
— Stacy (4 out of 5 stars)
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Larson's gift for rendering an historical era with vibrant tactility and filling it with surprising personalities makes Thunderstruck an irresistible tale...He beautifully captures the awe that greeted early wireless transmissions on shipboard...he restores life to this fascinating, long-lost world.
— Washington Post "Of all the non-fiction writers working today, Erik Larson seems to have the most delicious fun...for his newest, destined-to-delight book, Thunderstruck, Larson has turned his sights on Edwardian London, a place alive with new science and seances, anonymous crowds and some stunningly peculiar personalities
Thunderstruck Listener Reviews
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" This was not my favorite Larson book. The story of the possible murder interested me much more than the parts about Macaroni. I felt that Larson spent too much time on the technicalities of radio waves which is a subject a non-science major like myself has trouble understanding. Unlike "Murder in the White City, the connection between the two stories in this book seemed more forced. It was interesting to find out that Marconi had little formal education and that his success was largely achieved through trial and error. Lots of trials and lots of errors! "
— Catherine, 2/17/2014 -
" Very interesting. While on one hand it gives a fascinating history of two men, Marconi the inventor and Crippen the murderer, on the other it jumps between these two men so much, that it is hard to keep track of both. And the connection between the two doesn't become apparent until nearly the end of it (which isn't much of a connection at all between the actual men). Overall, kind of confusing. "
— Alyssa, 2/7/2014 -
" I've read other books by Larson. This was not my favorite... "
— Suz, 2/7/2014 -
" great interweaving of 2 disparate yet ultimately linked stories "
— Mark, 2/6/2014 -
" Exciting and interesting but not as good as Devil and the White City. Still my husband LOVED it. We later read an article which addresses his guilt or innocence "
— Rysiegel, 1/26/2014 -
" I like his 'history as a novel' books. "
— Julie, 1/26/2014 -
" Another excellent read - if you're into historical non fiction, you'll enjoy this book. "
— David, 1/20/2014 -
" Erik Larson writes an interesting book, always, and Thunderstruck, about Marconi, is no exception. Nevertheless, this book is a far cry from Devil in the White City, and there were parts I had to force myself to read because I found the long, detailed descriptions of radio wave technology tedious. I also didn't like the way he skipped around in time; that took some getting used to. This is a worthwhile read, but not the most exciting book by Larson. "
— Judi, 1/20/2014 -
" 3 and a half to 3 and 3/4. This is an interesting book. I just didn't like it as much as Larson's other books I have read (Devil in the White City and Isaac's Storm). "
— Alice, 1/10/2014 -
" Even though the book highlighted Marconi and even mentioned Tesla a couple of times, I still liked "Devil in the White City" quite a bit more. I do enjoy the perspective Larson uses to weave moments in history together. "
— Terri, 12/7/2013 -
" It was kind of hard to read because it was slow and technical when it talked about Marconi. Overall, I'm glad I read it though. I would say it's worth reading. "
— Shirley, 12/3/2013 -
" Crippen the murderer was a nice guy, Marconi the inventor was a dick. "
— Kent, 11/30/2013 -
" Second Larson book I have read, and I really enjoyed it. I even read the notes in the end. The murder in the book is sufficiently wicked. "
— Katy, 11/9/2013 -
" Transposes the development of wireless technology with a murder mystery. The two stories were well balanced and equally interesting. "
— Dan, 10/15/2013 -
" Erik Larson is amazing! His research is intense allowing him to write detailed books about events in history and make it sound like a novel. "
— Cathy, 6/14/2013 -
" I always enjoy Larson's masterful weaving of fact and interlinking stories. Well done. "
— Joyce, 5/9/2013 -
" I think the story of Marconi was very long. I did not enjoy this as much as In the Garden of the Beasts "
— Carol, 4/22/2013 -
" This is two stories strangely connected but only at the end. One is the bloody and disturbing story of a murder, and one is the struggle of a well known figure in technical history. The connection only becomes clear toward the end, but that does not detract from the fascination. "
— Michael, 1/3/2013 -
" Maybe 3 stars is too low, more like 3.5. I didn't like it as much as Devil in the White City, though I did very much like the story of Marconi. "
— Elena, 5/25/2012 -
" I learned about the birth of wireless communication and a gruesome murder. What's not to like? "
— Charlie, 1/26/2012 -
" Not as good as Devil in the White City "
— Amayz, 1/2/2012 -
" Wow! What a collision of circumstances. It's a murder mystery wrapped up in a short history of the invention of wireless and the dawning age of media. A bit dry in the middle, but a triumph nonetheless. "
— Johnvano, 9/2/2011 -
" Interesting story, but a bit slow in the middle. "
— Anne, 8/9/2011 -
" Erik Larson is one of my favorite authors!! His books are riveting and I can't put them down until I'm done. Being a history nut, I love that everything he writes is historically accurate. "
— Aubree, 5/24/2011 -
" Not as whiz-bang as "Devil," but still up my alley. Oh, those treacherous Edwardians! "
— Greg, 5/6/2011 -
" Definitely was kept interested by the crippen storyline but Marconi was a bit of a snore. Larson is an amazing nonfiction writer though that makes you feel like you are reading fiction! "
— Jenn, 5/3/2011 -
" A fascinating read about a murder and the development of the technology that would ultimately allow police to apprehend him. The first seeds of wireless communication were largely the result of a bit of knowledge and a lot of trial and error. "
— Karen, 5/2/2011 -
" Identical in structure to Devil and the White City, this book is not quite as gripping. But the murder tale is a good one and Larson makes the invention of wireless telegraphy more interesting than it has a right to be. "
— Jennifer, 5/1/2011 -
" Same setup as The Devil in the White City - a juxtaposition of two histories and how they butterfly effected each other. Very cool. The author definitely does his research. "
— Beth, 4/26/2011 -
" Getting through the first few hours of regurgitated trivia was tough, but it ended up being a good story in the end. "
— Nicholas, 4/26/2011 -
" Not nearly as good as "The Devil in the White City." The last 50 pages were the best; they went by much faster than the rest of the book. "
— Barbara, 4/23/2011 -
" This author really researches his books-maybe a little more information than I wanted about the first telegraph invention, but since I was listening to it, I didn't mind at all. The is a second story going on at the same time-a murder. B oth are true accounts and interesting! "
— Thebarrys10, 4/16/2011 -
" Another true crime story from Erik Larson (Devil in the White City) and a social history as well. A sympathetic murderer, a trans-Atlantic crossing, a newfangled invention--it all adds up to an absorbing read. "
— Katherine, 4/14/2011 -
" In general, I liked the story and I would and will read anything Larson writes because he is a superb storyteller. However, this got a little dry and I have no choice but to chock it up to faulty editing. Incidentally, am looking forward to his forthcoming book. "
— Donna, 4/14/2011 -
" Love everything from Erik Larson. Has a unique way of mixing scientific breakthroughs and history. Loved this book! "
— Jeff, 4/13/2011
About Erik Larson
Erik Larson is the author of six previous national bestsellers—The Splendid and the Vile, Dead Wake, In the Garden of Beasts, Thunderstruck, The Devil in the White City, and Isaac’s Storm—which have collectively sold more than ten million copies. His books have been published in nearly twenty countries.
About Bob Balaban
Bob Balaban is the author of the McGrowl series for young readers, and he has appeared in nearly one hundred movies, including Midnight Cowboy, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Waiting for Guffman, and Moonrise Kingdom. He has been nominated for an Oscar, a Tony, four Emmys, a Producers Guild Award, two Directors Guild Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, one of which he won for his appearance in Gosford Park, a film he also produced. A Chicago native, he now lives in Bridgehampton, New York.