Thunderstruck

I spent the New Year's holiday weekend engrossed by Erik Larson's Thunderstruck. It renewed my delight in historical nonfiction, persisted in its tediousness at times, and told the story of an awful murder in the wake of Jack the Ripper's assault.

Thunderstruck intertwines the history of the invention of wireless communication with a story of murder most foul in Edwardian London. Set at the turn of the twentieth century, the prime players include an obsessive and scientifically haphazard Italian in his pursuit of trans-Atlantic wireless communication, a bodacious and outrageous babe who manhandles her husband to a tipping point, a mild-mannered and timid doctor with the capacity to astonish, and his lover: Ethel.

If one can find their way through technical descriptions of discovering something the inventor simply has a hunch is there, the story of the relationship that leads to murder is quite compelling. It was clear to me that the book was written by a gentleman due to its focus on the detail of methods and technologies used. A female writer might have spent more time on exploring the characters in the various relationships, but the lack of sensationalism is refreshing. The distilled view is direct, complete, and quite gripping.

Thunderstruck would be a very frustrating read for someone looking for just a good story. A good story it certainly is, but there is some effort involved. A "beach read" this is not. It would suit the fancy of those interested in the pursuit of progress and the development of communication. They would find themselves engrossed in the weird and very gruesome deception of Dr Crippen.