New Releases by Erik Larson

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Splendid and the Vile brings to life the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War in this “riveting reexamination of a nation in tumult” (Los Angeles Times). “A feast of historical insight and narrative verve . . . This is Erik Larson at his best, enlivening even a thrice-told tale into an irresistible thriller.”—The Wall Street Journal A PARADE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the fluky victor in a tight race for president. The country was bitterly at odds; Southern extremists were moving ever closer to destroying the Union, with one state after another seceding and Lincoln powerless to stop them. Slavery fueled the conflict, but somehow the passions of North and South came to focus on a lonely federal fortress in Charleston Harbor: Fort Sumter. Master storyteller Erik Larson offers a gripping account of the chaotic months between Lincoln’s election and the Confederacy’s shelling of Sumter—a period marked by tragic errors and miscommunications, enflamed egos and craven ambitions, personal tragedies and betrayals. Lincoln himself wrote that the trials of these five months were “so great that, could I have anticipated them, I would not have believed it possible to survive them.” At the heart of this suspense-filled narrative are Major Robert Anderson, Sumter’s commander and a former slave owner sympathetic to the South but loyal to the Union; Edmund Ruffin, a vain and bloodthirsty radical who stirs secessionist ardor at every opportunity; and Mary Boykin Chesnut, wife of a prominent planter, conflicted over both marriage and slavery and seeing parallels between them. In the middle of it all is the overwhelmed Lincoln, battling with his duplicitous secretary of state, William Seward, as he tries desperately to avert a war that he fears is inevitable—one that will eventually kill 750,000 Americans. Drawing on diaries, secret communiques, slave ledgers, and plantation records, Larson gives us a political horror story that captures the forces that led America to the brink—a dark reminder that we often don’t see a cataclysm coming until it’s too late.

What if the answers to life’s biggest questions could be found in just four words? BE: Who am I? DO: What am I doing? GIVE: What difference does it make? LOVE: Why does it matter? Be Do Give Love is a father–daughter memoir born in the aftermath of a winter funeral, a spring reboot, and a summer of road trips and reflection. What began as grief, trauma, and crisis became an unexpected opportunity to work together, launch a publishing imprint, and complete the work of bringing a grandfather’s World War II memoir to a wider audience. At the heart of their journey is a framework, not invented, but revealed through lived experience. With honesty, humor, and vulnerability, Erik Larson and Maddie Larson share stories of loss and renewal, breakdowns and breakthroughs, faith and doubt. Rediscover the simplicity of timeless truths all too easily overlooked, and use the insights and questions in this book to align your Actions with your Identity to make a positive Impact in the world.

Après Dans le jardin de la bête et La Splendeur et l'Infamie, le nouveau chef-d'œuvre d'Erik Larson ! 6 novembre 1860 : Abraham Lincoln devient président des États-Unis. Cinq mois plus tard, c'est le début de la guerre de Sécession. Si, durant cette période, la crise est alimentée par les positions du Nord et du Sud sur l'esclavage, la fracture s'avère beaucoup plus profonde au sein du pays. En quelques semaines, les opinions des uns et des autres deviennent inconciliables, même au sein des familles. L'époque est marquée par les tragédies et les trahisons, la guerre se profile et personne ne semble avoir le pouvoir de l'empêcher. En dépit de sa personnalité unique, Lincoln lui-même se sent impuissant. Ces cinq mois, écrit-il, ont été " tellement incroyables que si j'avais pu les anticiper, je n'aurais pas cru possible de pouvoir y survivre ". Avec un sens de l'intrigue et du suspense digne des plus grands auteurs de thrillers, Erik Larson nous raconte, à partir de nombreux documents inédits, l'histoire de cette période exceptionnelle où les positions tranchées de chacun vont peu à peu mener à une catastrophe à endiguer. Il nous offre également ici, en creux, l'occasion d'une réflexion passionnante sur l'époque moderne.

„Jedna z najlepszych książek non-fiction, jaką przeczytałem w życiu”. Mariusz Szczygieł Rok 1933. Serce hitlerowskiego Berlina. Wielki, epicki spektakl życia i śmierci widziany oczyma amerykańskiej rodziny dyplomatów. Amerykański ambasador William E. Dodd przyjeżdża do Niemiec z żoną, synem oraz pełną temperamentu córką Marthą. Początkowo Martha jest urzeczona licznymi przyjęciami i towarzyszącą im pompą, oczarowana przez przystojnych młodych mężczyzn, obywateli III Rzeszy, z ich zaraźliwym entuzjazmem dla uczynienia z Niemiec światowej potęgi. W miarę jak prześladowania Żydów przybierają na sile, a główni bohaterowie książki stają się ich naocznymi świadkami, ambasador Dodd zaczyna alarmować amerykański Departament Stanu. Ten jednak pozostaje obojętny… W czasach gęstniejącego mroku, Doddowie przeżyją dni pełne ekscytacji, intryg i romansów – aby ostatecznie z przerażeniem ujrzeć kulminację przemocy i morderstw, demaskujących prawdziwy charakter Hitlera i jego bezwzględnych dążeń. „Opierając się na listach i pamiętnikach z tamtego okresu, Larson – mistrz prawdziwych historii, które czyta się niczym najlepszą fikcję – stworzył naoczną relację ojca i córki, którzy otwierają oczy dopiero w chwili, gdy terror na dobre zaciska wokół nich swe szpony”. People

Wie had kunnen voorzien dat een storm op zee de geschiedenisboeken in zou gaan als de dodelijkste natuurramp van de Verenigde Staten? Isaac Cline, een van de eerste meteorologen in het begin van de vorige eeuw, registreert op een zomerse dag een zware storm boven de Golf van Mexico. Hij voorziet geen gevaar voor het stadje Galveston in Texas, want dat is immers geen risicogebied voor orkanen. Maar wanneer de storm de kust nadert, realiseert Cline zich dat het menens is en dringt hij er bij de bewoners op aan om alsnog te vertrekken. Helaas is de orkaan sneller en sterker dan de mens en eist het achtduizend mensenlevens. In ‘De meteoroloog en de storm’ vertelt New York Times-bestsellerauteur Erik Larson op meeslepende wijze het waargebeurde verhaal van de allesverwoestende Galvestonorkaan op basis van Cline's eigen documenten. Erik Larson is een Amerikaanse bestsellerauteur die wereldwijd bekendheid heeft verkregen met meerdere New York Times-bestsellers. Kenmerkend voor Larsons werken is de manier waarop hij historische gebeurtenissen op meeslepende wijze weet te transformeren in verhalen om te verslinden, een stijl die ook wel narratieve non-fictie wordt genoemd. ‘De duivel in de Witte Stad’ won de Edgar Award, en zijn boeken zijn in meer dan zeventien landen uitgegeven.

DISCLAIMER Please note that this book contains a summary of the original content, which is a condensation of the key ideas and information found in the original book. Therefore, it is recommended to read the original book for a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the topics discussed. This summary is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to infringe upon the intellectual property rights of the original book. Summary of The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War IN THIS SUMMARIZED BOOK, YOU WILL GET: Chapter provides an astute outline of the main contents. Fast & simple understanding of the content analysis. Exceptionally summarized content that you may skip in the original book Erik Larson's book, The Splendid and the Vile, chronicles the pivotal period between Lincoln's election and the Civil War, highlighting tensions between the North and South, with slavery fueling the conflict. It uses diaries, secret communiques, and plantation records.

Hyllad skildring av Churchill, London & motståndet under blitzen Vald till en av Årets bästa böcker av The New York Times, Time, Vogue, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, New York Post, NPR och Bloomberg. »Upplysande och fascinerande för dem som vill läsa om krigets aspekter utifrån annat än ren militärhistoria.« Betyg: 4 av 5 - Linus Björk, BTJ »En perfekt bok för vår tid.« Time Under Winston Churchills första dag på jobbet som premiärminister invaderade Hitler Holland och Belgien. Vid det laget hade Polen och Tjeckoslovakien redan fallit och två veckor senare evakueras Dunkerque. De följande tolv månaderna släpper Görings Luftwaffe lös sitt raseri över Storbritannien i en skoningslös våg av flyganfall som kommer att döda 45.000 britter och förstöra två miljoner hem. Churchills jobb var att hålla samman landet och samtidigt övertyga Franklin Roosevelt om att Storbritannien var en värdig allierad, redo att strida till slutet. Med filmisk detaljrikedom och med hjälp av tidigare hemligstämplat material målar Erik Larson upp en livfull bild av hur Churchill mot alla odds lyckades ingjuta mod i sitt folk - av hur nationens mörkaste timma på detta sätt också blev dess »stoltaste stund«. Vi följer det storpolitiska dramat från vecka till vecka, men får även en unik inblick i den intrigtäta privatsfär som dolde sig bakom statsmannen Churchill. Sammantaget är Det praktfulla och det onda en verklig tour de force som sätter en av 1900-talets stora politiska ledare och hans agerande i ny blixtbelysning. ERIK LARSON är en amerikansk författare som haft sex böcker på New York Times bestsellerlista. Det praktfulla och det onda tog sig rakt in på förstaplatsen när den kom ut i USA. Erik Larson har bland annat nominerats till en National Book Award och tilldelats en Edgar Award. Hans bok The Devil in the White City planeras att bli tv-serie med Leonardo DiCaprio och Martin Scorsese som exekutiva producenter, med Keanu Reeves i en av huvudrollerna. »Erik Larson är en av USA:s stora historieberättare.« NPR

Erik Larson, autorul bestsellerului Siajul morții, ne oferă o poveste remarcabilă din timpul ascensiunii lui Hitler la putere. Momentul este plasat în 1933, locul – Berlin, când William E. Dodd devine primul ambasador al SUA în Germania nazistă a lui Hitler, într-un an care s-a dovedit a fi un moment de cotitură în istorie. Profesor în Chicago, Dodd își aduce cu el și soția, fiul și fiica, Mar - tha. La început, Martha este fascinată de petreceri și de fast, de tine - rii chipeși din cel de-al Treilea Reich, cu entuziasmul lor contagios pentru readucerea Germaniei într-o poziție de importanță mondială. Îndrăgostită de „Noua Germanie“, ea are aventuri una după alta, in - clusiv cu primul șef al Gestapoului, Rudolf Diels. Dar, pe măsură ce apar dovezile persecuției evreilor, confirmate cu înfrigurare de martori, tatăl ei telegrafiază îngrijorările către un Departament de Stat în mare măsură indiferent. Dodd urmărește alarmat în timp ce evreii sunt atacați, presa este cenzurată și încep să circule proiecte de legi înspăimântătoare. Pe măsură ce primul an curge și umbrele se adâncesc, familia Dodd experimentează zile pli - ne de entuziasm, intrigă, romantism – și, în cele din urmă, groază, când un spasm sfâșietor de violențe și crime dezvăluie adevăratul caracter al lui Hitler și ambiția sa nemiloasă. Scăldată în atmosfera tensionată a perioadei și oferind portrete de neuitat ale bizarului Göring și ale fermecătorului – deși sinistrului – Goebbels, În grădina fiarelor oferă o perspectivă uimitoare, de martor ocular al evenimentelor ce se desfășoară în timp real, dezvăluind o eră cu nuanțe și o complexitate surprinzătoare. Rezultatul este o lucrare extraordinară, ușor de citit, care spune multe despre motivul pentru care lumea nu a recunoscut amenințarea gravă reprezentată de Hitler până când Berlinul și Europa nu au fost înecate în sânge și în teroare.

Morderstwo, magia i szaleństwo podczas Światowej Wystawy. Erik Larson, bazując na rzetelnej dokumentacji, stworzył niezwykle wciągającą opowieść o fascynujących czasach i ludziach. Prawdziwa historia dwóch mężczyzn, architekta i seryjnego mordercy, których losy połączyła największa wystawa w amerykańskiej historii: Kolumbijska Wystawa Światowa z 1893 roku, zorganizowana w Chicago i nazywana „Białym Miastem”. Daniel Hudson Burnham, wybitny dyrektor robót wystawy i twórca wielu ważnych budynków, takich jak Flatiron Building w Nowym Jorku czy Union Station w Waszyngtonie, pokonuje liczne przeszkody i wraz ze swoim zespołem stara się przekształcić podmokły park Jacksona w „Białe Miasto”. W tym samym czasie Henry H. Holmes, młody lekarz, złośliwie parodiując „Białe Miasto” Burnhama, wznosi nieopodal swój Hotel Wystawy Światowej – urządzając w nim straszliwe miejsce mordów, wyposażone w stół sekcyjny, komorę gazową i piec krematoryjny. „Kolejna udana eksploracja historii Ameryki… Larson umiejętnie równoważy makabryczne szczegóły z wnikliwą analizą ”. USA Today „Zupełnie nieprzewidywalna. Larson to historyk z duszą pisarza”. Chicago Sun-Times

Winston Churchills eerste dag als premier begint met oorlog. Hitler voert een meedogenloze en onafgebroken strijd met een eindeloze reeks bommen, die meer dan 45.000 Britten zal doden. 1940 blijkt een cruciaal jaar, waarin de toekomst van het land én de uitkomst van de oorlog afhangen van de Engelse premier. Erik Larson beschrijft met behulp van dagboekfragmenten, archiefstukken en rapporten die tot voor kort geheim waren op beeldende wijze hoe Churchill het Engelse volk The Art of Being Fearless aanleerde. Het is een verhaal over politieke scherpzinnigheid, maar ook over het persoonlijke drama dat zich binnen de muren van de premierswoning afspeelde. Larson schetst een treffend beeld door het dagelijkse leven van de Churchills uit te lichten: zijn vrouw Clementine, hun rebelse dochter Mary, hun zoon Randolph en diens knappe maar ongelukkige vrouw Pamela en Pamela’s minnaar, een flamboyante Amerikaan. Churchill en de Blitz neemt de lezer mee terug naar een tijd van écht leiderschap, waarin Churchill dankzij zijn eloquentie, moed en doorzettingsvermogen zijn land en familie bijeen weet te houden.

Os bastidores de como Churchill uniu sua nação durante o pior momento da Segunda Guerra Mundial Assim que Winston Churchill assumiu como primeiro-ministro do Reino Unido, Hitler invadiu a Holanda e a Bélgica. A Polônia e a Tchecoslováquia já haviam sucumbido e a evacuação de Dunquerque ocorreria duas semanas depois. Pelos doze meses seguintes, Hitler travaria uma incessante campanha de bombardeios, matando 45 mil britânicos. Coube a Churchill manter a nação unida e convencer o presidente americano Franklin Roosevelt de que era um aliado valioso — e com disposição para lutar até o fim. Em O esplêndido e o vil, Erik Larson mostra em detalhes como Churchill incutiu no povo britânico “a arte de não temer”. Muito além de uma história de malabarismos políticos, a obra é também um drama doméstico e íntimo. Baseado em documentos originais de arquivos e relatórios de espionagem secretos — alguns deles abertos apenas recentemente —, além de diários, o livro oferece uma nova perspectiva sobre o ano mais sombrio da capital inglesa através da experiência cotidiana de Churchill e daqueles próximos a ele. Além do famoso no 10 da Downing Street, residência oficial dos primeiros-ministros em Londres, o leitor também é levado a endereços menos conhecidos, como Chequers, a casa de campo oficial, e Ditchley, o lugar que abrigou Churchill e sua equipe quando os ataques se intensificaram. Narrado em ritmo de ficção, O esplêndido e o vil transporta o leitor da disfunção política dos dias de hoje de volta a uma época de verdadeira liderança, quando — ao encarar o horror impiedoso — a eloquência, a coragem e a perseverança de Churchill foram capazes de unir uma família e um reino.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake delivers an intimate chronicle of Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz—an inspiring portrait of courage and leadership in a time of unprecedented crisis “One of [Erik Larson’s] best books yet . . . perfectly timed for the moment.”—Time • “A bravura performance by one of America’s greatest storytellers.”—NPR NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • Time • Vogue • NPR • The Washington Post • Chicago Tribune • The Globe & Mail • Fortune • Bloomberg • New York Post • The New York Public Library • Kirkus Reviews • LibraryReads • PopMatters On Winston Churchill’s first day as prime minister, Adolf Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and Czechoslovakia had already fallen, and the Dunkirk evacuation was just two weeks away. For the next twelve months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain was a worthy ally—and willing to fight to the end. In The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson shows, in cinematic detail, how Churchill taught the British people “the art of being fearless.” It is a story of political brinkmanship, but it’s also an intimate domestic drama, set against the backdrop of Churchill’s prime-ministerial country home, Chequers; his wartime retreat, Ditchley, where he and his entourage go when the moon is brightest and the bombing threat is highest; and of course 10 Downing Street in London. Drawing on diaries, original archival documents, and once-secret intelligence reports—some released only recently—Larson provides a new lens on London’s darkest year through the day-to-day experience of Churchill and his family: his wife, Clementine; their youngest daughter, Mary, who chafes against her parents’ wartime protectiveness; their son, Randolph, and his beautiful, unhappy wife, Pamela; Pamela’s illicit lover, a dashing American emissary; and the advisers in Churchill’s “Secret Circle,” to whom he turns in the hardest moments. The Splendid and the Vile takes readers out of today’s political dysfunction and back to a time of true leadership, when, in the face of unrelenting horror, Churchill’s eloquence, courage, and perseverance bound a country, and a family, together.

ÅRHUNDRADETS BROTT 1893 öppnade en spektakulär världsutställning i Chicago. Statyer och konstverk hade fraktats från jordens alla hörn och världens första Pariserhjul tronade över konstgjorda sjöar och arkitektoniska underverk i bländande vitt. Tanken var att rädda stadens usla rykte – men bara några kvarter utanför utställningsområdet hade mannen som skulle bli känd som USA:s förste seriemördare byggt ett hotell med lönnrum och kremeringsugnar. DJÄVULEN I DEN VITA STADEN är detaljerad och uppslukande true crime – om tillblivelsen av en lika häpnadsväckande som otursförföljd världsutställning, och jakten på en skoningslös bedragare och mördare. Hur H. H. Holmes lyckades tortera, mörda och dölja sina offer är trots alla bevis lika obegripligt som fascinerande. Erik Larsons flerfaldigt belönade faktaklassiker har sålt över 5 miljoner exemplar och fått mer än 100 000 5-stjärniga läsarbetyg. ”Larson balanserar skickligt de makabra detaljerna med världsutställningens katastrofala konsekvenser.” – USA Today

"Assassinato, magia e loucura na feira que transformou os Estados Unidos No final do século XIX os Estados Unidos eram uma nação jovem e orgulhosa, ávida por afirmar seu lugar entre as maiores potências mundiais. Nesse contexto, a Feira de Chicago de 1893 teve papel fundamental: com o objetivo de apresentar a maior e mais impressionante exposição de inovações científicas e tecnológicas já idealizada, coube ao arquiteto Daniel Burnham, famoso por projetar alguns dos edifícios mais conhecidos do mundo, a difícil tarefa de transformar uma área desolada em um lugar de magnífica beleza: a Cidade Branca. Reunindo as mais importantes mentes da época, Burnham enfrentou o mau clima, tragédias e o tempo escasso para construir a enorme estrutura da feira. A poucas quadras dali, outro homem igualmente determinado, H. H. Holmes, estava às voltas com mais uma obra grandiosa, um prédio estranho e complexo. Nomeado Hotel da Feira Mundial, o lugar era na verdade um palácio de tortura, para o qual Holmes atraiu dezenas, talvez centenas de pessoas. Autor de crimes inimagináveis, ele ficou conhecido como possivelmente o primeiro serial killer da história americana. Separados, os feitos de Burnham e Holmes são fascinantes por si só. Examinadas juntas, porém, suas histórias se tornam ainda mais impressionantes e oferecem uma poderosa metáfora das forças opostas que fizeram do século XX ao mesmo tempo um período de avanços monumentais e de crueldades imensuráveis. Combinando uma pesquisa meticulosa com a narrativa envolvente que lhe é característica, Erik Larson escreveu um suspense arrebatador, que se torna ainda mais assustador por retratar acontecimentos reais. Premiado com um Edgar Award e finalista do National Book Award, O demônio na Cidade Branca foi publicado pela primeira vez no Brasil em 2005 e agora é relançado pela Intrínseca. Os direitos cinematográficos do livro foram adquiridos por Leonardo DiCaprio, que divulgou planos de interpretar ele próprio o assassino H. H. Holmes."--

Pe 1 mai 1915, când Primul Război Mondial intra în cea de a zecea sa lună, un transoceanic de linie luxos, la fel de bogat decorat ca un conac englezesc de țară, pleca din New York cu destinația Liverpool, având la bord un număr record de copii. În rândurile pasagerilor domnea o surprinzătoare stare de bună dispoziție, deși Germania declarase că apele din jurul Marii Britanii constituiau o zonă de război. Luni de zile, submarinele germane semănaseră teroarea în Atlanticul de Nord. Dar Lusitania era unul dintre marile transatlantice ale epocii, cel mai rapid vapor de linie aflat în serviciu, iar căpitanul ei, William Thomas Turner, avea o încredere de nestrămutat în regulile stricte ale războiului purtat de gentlemani, care feriseră, vreme de un secol, vasele civile de orice atac. Este o poveste pe care mulți dintre noi cred că o cunosc, fără a o ști cu adevărat, iar Erik Larson ne-o readuce în atenţie plină de suspans, schimbând rolurile între vânător și vânat, în timp ce descrie un tablou mai general al Americii la apogeul Erei Progresului. Plină de strălucire și de emoție, Siajul morții aduce la viață o distribuție de personaje evocatoare, de la faimosul librar din Boston Charles Lauriat, la pioniera din domeniul arhitecturii Theodate Pope și la președintele Woodrow Wilson, un om sufocat de suferință și îngrozit de perspectiva unui război mondial. Siajul morții surprinde drama pură și puterea emoțională a unui dezastru ale cărui detalii intime și înțeles real riscau să rămână pierdute în negurile istoriei.

Chicago, 1893. Byen skal arrangere den prestisjefylte verdensutstillingen, og en gruppe ambisiøse arkitekter og ingeniører klarer å bygge «den hvite byen» på rekordtid. Her kan de besøkende smake Corn Flakes, kjøpe glidelås og kjøre pariserhjul for første gang. I forbindelse med verdensutstillingen inntar en rekke unge kvinner byen. Mange bor på «World's Fair Hotell» som er eid av den sjarmerende legen H.H. Holmes. Det kommer en del av dem til å angre på. For Holmes har fylt hotellet med lydtette rom, gasskamre og kremasjonsovner, som han bruker til å torturere, drepe og skjule mer enn 200 mennesker. «Den hvite byen» er en fascinerende fortelling om det nesten umulige verdensutstillings-prosjektet som ble en suksess, og samtidig en grusom beretning om USAs første massemorder. Omtalen er utarbeidet av BS.

"A cornucopia of knowledge and insight on the biggest questions in the sociolegal tradition . . . an invaluable resource for researchers and teachers." —Michael McCann, Gordon Hirabayashi Professor for the Advancement of Citizenship, University of Washington Law and society scholars challenge the common belief that law is simply a neutral tool by which society sets standards and resolves disputes. Decades of research shows how much the nature of communities, organizations, and the people inhabiting them affect how law works. Just as much, law shapes beliefs, behaviors, and wider social structures, but the connections are much more nuanced—and surprising—than many expect. Law and Society Reader II provides an accessible overview to the breadth of recent developments in this research tradition, bringing to life this dynamic field. In this second volume, editors Erik W. Larson and Patrick D. Schmidt have compiled excerpts of 43 illuminating articles published since 1993 in The Law & Society Review, the flagship journal of the Law and Society Association. By its organization and approach, this volume enables readers to join in discussing the key ideas of law and society research. The selections highlight the core insights and developments in this research tradition, making these works indispensable for those exploring the field and ideal for classroom use. Across six concisely introduced sections, it analyzes inequality, lawyering, the relation between law and organizations, and the place of law in relation to other social institutions.

Em 1o de maio de 1915, com a I Guerra Mundial chegando a seu décimo mês, um luxuoso transatlântico, decorado como um palacete inglês, saiu de Nova York com destino a Liverpool, levando um número recorde de bebês e crianças. Era surpreendente que os passageiros estivessem tão tranquilos, já que os mares ao redor da Inglaterra tinham sido declarados zona de guerra pela Alemanha e havia meses os U-boats alemães levavam terror ao Atlântico Norte. Mas o Lusitania era um dos maiores navios “galgos”, e seu capitão, William Thomas Turner, acreditava piamente no cavalheirismo de guerra que por um século evitara que navios civis fossem atacados.No caminho para Liverpool, porém, uma série de forças, algumas imensas e outras dolorosamente pequenas — arrogância, segredos, um nevoeiro —, convergiu na rota do Lusitania e de um submarino alemão, culminando em uma das maiores tragédias da história.Esse episódio é contado de forma impressionante por Erik Larson numa narrativa cheia de glamour e suspense, que revive momentos de figuras célebres da época, como a arquiteta pioneira Theodate Pope e o presidente dos Estados Unidos Woodrow Wilson. O leitor é convidado a visitar os quartos compartilhados da segunda classe e a Sala 40, um misterioso departamento do Almirantado inglês, percorrendo fragmentos que capturam o drama e a carga emocional de um acidente cujo significado mais profundo foi obscurecido pelo tempo.“O relato de Larson do naufrágio do Lusitania é o mais lúcido e cheio de suspense já escrito.”The Washington Post

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author and master of narrative nonfiction comes the enthralling story of the sinking of the Lusitania “Both terrifying and enthralling.”—Entertainment Weekly “Thrilling, dramatic and powerful.”—NPR “Thoroughly engrossing.”—George R.R. Martin On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth month, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were surprisingly at ease, even though Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone. For months, German U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era’s great transatlantic “Greyhounds”—the fastest liner then in service—and her captain, William Thomas Turner, placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack. Germany, however, was determined to change the rules of the game, and Walther Schwieger, the captain of Unterseeboot-20, was happy to oblige. Meanwhile, an ultra-secret British intelligence unit tracked Schwieger’s U-boat, but told no one. As U-20 and the Lusitania made their way toward Liverpool, an array of forces both grand and achingly small—hubris, a chance fog, a closely guarded secret, and more—all converged to produce one of the great disasters of history. It is a story that many of us think we know but don’t, and Erik Larson tells it thrillingly, switching between hunter and hunted while painting a larger portrait of America at the height of the Progressive Era. Full of glamour and suspense, Dead Wake brings to life a cast of evocative characters, from famed Boston bookseller Charles Lauriat to pioneering female architect Theodate Pope to President Woodrow Wilson, a man lost to grief, dreading the widening war but also captivated by the prospect of new love. Gripping and important, Dead Wake captures the sheer drama and emotional power of a disaster whose intimate details and true meaning have long been obscured by history. Finalist for the Washington State Book Award • One of the Best Books of the Year: The Washington Post, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Miami Herald, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, LibraryReads, Indigo

Inmenso y lujoso, el Lusitania, que zarpó de Nueva York el 1 de mayo de 1915, era un monumento al orgullo y el ingenio de la época, el barco civil más rápido. Con el pasaje completo, partió con tranquilidad pese a la atmósfera bélica existente. La idea de que un submarino alemán pudiera hundirlo parecía absurda, un sentimiento del que se hacía eco la naviera: «El Lusitania es el barco más seguro del mar. Es demasiado rápido para cualquier submarino. Ningún navío de guerra alemán puede llegar a él ni acercársele». Hacia las dos de la tarde del 7 de mayo, el buque recibía el impacto de un torpedo disparado por un submarino alemán. En apenas veinte minutos se hundió y hubo 1.200 muertos, la mayoría ciudadanos norteamericanos. Esta tragedia fue utilizada por la prensa para crear un clima de opinión propicio a la participación en la guerra. Pero ¿cuál es la verdad sobre este hundimiento? ¿Fue un hecho orquestado para justificar la entrada de Estados Unidos en la Gran Guerra? ¿Iba cargado con material explosivo para Gran Bretaña? ¿Pudo haberse evitado un desastre como este? Con un rico elenco de personajes y un planteamiento original, Lusitania permite a los lectores experimentar el viaje y la tragedia en tiempo real, así como descubrir detalles íntimos que habían quedado ocultos por las neblinas de la historia.

Nuova edizione di uno dei libri di maggior successo di Erik Larson (il libro apparve col Titolo La fabbrica dei lampi), Guglielmo Marconi e l’omicidio di Cora Crippen è una «grande sto- ria di delitti e invenzioni» (Los Angeles Times) che conduce il lettore nel cuore della turbo- lenta, effervescente Londra edoardiana.

Erik Larson, New York Times bestselling author of Devil in the White City, delivers a remarkable story set during Hitler’s rise to power. The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Nazi Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition. Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror.

Mrożąca krew w żyłach historia zbrodni i wynalazku, która przeniesie czytelnika do epoki, w której wierzono, że seanse spirytystyczne są gwarantem wspólnoty duchowej ze zmarłymi Prawdziwa historia dwóch mężczyzn: Guglielmo Marconiego,włoskiego fizyka, konstruktora i laureata Nagrody Nobla za wkład w rozwój telegrafii bezprzewodowej, oraz Hawley’a Crippena, angielskiego lekarza i zbrodniarza, których losy połączył jeden z największych w historii pościgów policyjnych. Marconi, opanowany bez reszty obsesją stworzenia sposobu łączności, który w owych czasach wydawał się nadprzyrodzonym, z zapałem walczy z falą sceptycyzmu, by wbrew wszelkim przewidywaniom przejść ze swym wynalazkiem do historii. W tym samym czasie Hawley Crippen, ceniony lekarz, popełnia zbrodnię niemal doskonałą. Najpierw truje swoją żonę, potem jej poćwiartowane zwłoki chowa w piwnicy, a następnie rozpowiada wśród znajomych, że małżonka wróciła do Stanów. Kiedy Scotland Yard odkrywa podczas przeszukania domu zwłoki kobiety, Crippen, by uniknąć aresztowania, zmuszony jest uciekać do Kanady. Grom z jasnego nieba to prawdziwa historia wielkiej pogoni przez ocean, którą śledziły miliony czytelników gazet na całym świecie. To opowieść o jednym z największych w historii pościgów policyjnych, który zakończył się sukcesem tylko dzięki wynalezionej przez Guglielmo Marconiego telegrafii bezprzewodowej. Dwie fascynujące postacie: wynalazca i morderca Ich losy połączyła zbrodnia, a ich historię opisał mistrz tej formy.

A true story of love, murder, and the end of the world’s “great hush.” 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 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 murder. With his unparalleled narrative skills, Erik Larson guides us through a relentlessly suspenseful chase over 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.

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Splendid and the Vile comes the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and the cunning serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the fair to lure his victims to their death. “As absorbing a piece of popular history as one will ever hope to find.” —San Francisco Chronicle A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Century • A Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of the Last 30 Years Combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, Erik Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction. Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America’s rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his “World’s Fair Hotel” just west of the fairgrounds—a torture palace complete with dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium. Burnham overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedies as he organized the talents of Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles McKim, Louis Sullivan, and others to transform swampy Jackson Park into the White City, while Holmes used the attraction of the great fair and his own satanic charms to lure scores of young women to their deaths. What makes the story all the more chilling is that Holmes really lived, walking the grounds of that dream city by the lake. The Devil in the White City draws the reader into the enchantment of the Guilded Age, made all the more appealing by a supporting cast of real-life characters, including Buffalo Bill, Theodore Dreiser, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and others. Erik Larson’s gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this rich narrative of the master builder, the killer, and the great fair that obsessed them both.

"The Chicago World Fair was the greatest fair in American history. This is the story of the men and women whose lives it irrevocably changed and of two men in particular: an architect and a serial killer. The architect is Daniel Burnham, a man of great integrity and depth. It was his vision of the fair that attracted the best minds and talents of the day. The killer is Henry H. Holmes. Intelligent as well as handsome and charming, Holmes opened a boarding house which he advertised as 'The World's Fair Hotel' Here in the neighbourhood where he was once looked up to by all, he seduced, tortured and murdered young women, incinerating them in the furnace he had built in the basement of his hotel. Salting the narrative are the sad, charming, and funny stories of a supporting cast of other real-life characters including Buffalo Bill, Scott Joplin, Theodore Dreiser and George Ferris, the Pittsburg steel tycoon whose mammoth wheel becomes America's answer to the Eiffel Tower. The interweaving and the juxtaposition of the two men's different 'missions' - one good and one evil - provides the core to a non-fiction suspense drama of the highest order."