Erik Larson Books

"On Winston Churchill's first day as prime minister, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Over the next twelve months, the Nazis would wage a relentless bombing campaign - and it was up to Churchill to shore the country and teach the British what Erik Larson calls 'the art of being fearless.' Drawing on diaries, archival documents, and once-secret intelligence reports, Larson provides a new lens on London's darkest year through the day-to-day experience of Churchill and his family, and his closest advisers. The Splendid and the Vile takes readers 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."-- Back cover

On May 1, 1915, 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 anxious. Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone, and for months, its U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era's great transatlantic "Greyhounds" 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. He knew, moreover, that his ship -- the fastest then in service -- could outrun any threat. 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

On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln emerged as the unexpected winner in a fiercely contested presidential race. The nation was deeply divided, with Southern extremists pushing towards the destruction of the Union, as states began to secede and Lincoln found himself powerless to intervene. While slavery was at the heart of the conflict, the tensions of North and South converged on Fort Sumter, a solitary federal stronghold in Charleston Harbor. Erik Larson masterfully chronicles the tumultuous months following Lincoln's election, a time fraught with tragic missteps, egos, and personal betrayals. Lincoln himself noted that the challenges of this period were so overwhelming that he could hardly have believed he would survive them. Central to this gripping narrative are Major Robert Anderson, the fort's commander, who is torn between his Southern sympathies and loyalty to the Union; Edmund Ruffin, a radical secessionist; and Mary Boykin Chesnut, who struggles with her views on marriage and slavery. Amidst the chaos, Lincoln grapples with his duplicitous secretary of state, William Seward, in a desperate attempt to prevent an inevitable war that would claim 750,000 lives. Drawing on various historical sources, Larson presents a political horror story that highlights how easily a nation can approach catastrophe without recognizing the signs.

On May 1, 1915, 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 anxious. Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone, and for months, its U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era's great transatlantic "Greyhounds" 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. He knew, moreover, that his ship -- the fastest then in service -- could outrun any threat. 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

The internationally bestselling 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-a slow-burning crisis that finally tore a deeply divided nation in two.

The narrative delves into the harrowing events surrounding the deadliest hurricane in history, blending gripping storytelling with historical detail. It explores the impact of the storm on communities, the human experiences during the disaster, and the aftermath that shaped future responses to such calamities. The author, known for meticulous research and engaging prose, brings to life the tragedy and resilience of those affected, making it a compelling read for history enthusiasts and those interested in natural disasters.

Set against the Chicago World Fair of 1893 two true tales are intertwined; Daniel Hudson Burnham, the architect behind the Fair -- and Henry H. Holmes, the serial killer using the Fair to kill his victims.

Futurists are certain that humanlike AI is on the horizon, but in fact engineers have no idea how to program human reasoning. AI reasons from statistical correlations across data sets, while common sense is based heavily on conjecture. Erik Larson argues that hyping existing methods will only hold us back from developing truly humanlike AI.

It's Berlin, 1933. William E Dodd, a mild-mannered academic from Chicago become America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany. Dodd and his family, notably his vivacious daughter, Martha, observe at first-hand the many changes - some subtle, some disturbing, and some horrifically violent - that signal Hitler's consolidation of power.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Devil in the White City, this true story weaves together the lives of two men: Hawley Crippen, an unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive inventor of a revolutionary means of communication. Their paths cross during one of history's most notorious criminal chases. Set against the backdrop of Edwardian London and the stormy coasts of Cornwall, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia, the narrative captures a dynamic era marked by fierce competition among shipping companies, groundbreaking scientific advancements, and extravagant displays of wealth. As Marconi battles skepticism to perfect his wireless invention, Crippen, described as "the kindest of men," nearly executes the perfect murder. With unmatched narrative skill, Erik Larson immerses readers in a suspenseful chase across the North Atlantic. The story unfolds a tragic love affair that captivated global headlines, features a chief inspector who finds unexpected sympathy for the killer and his lover, and highlights an inventor whose work transformed communication forever.

This textbook presents a balanced treatment of both the technical and behavioural issues in project management as well as covering a broad range of industries to which project management principles can be applied

Das Drama der Lusitania: Das Schiff, dessen Untergang den Ersten Weltkrieg entschied. Am 7. Mai 2015 ist es 100 Jahre her, dass das amerikanische Passagierschiff Lusitania während des Ersten Weltkriegs von einem deutschen U-Boot angegriffen wurde und 1200 Menschen dabei ihr Leben verloren. Schuld war ein Zweikampf zwischen den Kapitänen: Walther Schwieger, der deutsche U-Boot-Kommandant, der ohne Warnung auch zivile Schiffe angreifen ließ; und William Turner, der erfahrene amerikanische Kapitän der Cunard-Linie, der entgegen allen Warnungen niemals glaubte, dass so etwas wirklich passieren könnte. Aus diesem Ereignis lässt Erik Larson eine atemberaubende Reportage entstehen: So ungewöhnlich, dass der Leser insgeheim zu hoffen beginnt, das Schicksal der Lusitania könnte doch noch eine andere Wendung nehmen.

Spätestens seit John Griesemers 'Rausch' haben spannend erzählte Geschichten über revolutionäre Erfindungen Hochkonjunktur. Erik Larson beschwört in seinem neuen Buch die aufregende Atmosphäre des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts herauf und verknüpft die wahren Schicksale zweier historischer Gestalten, Guglielmo Marconi und Hawley Harvey Crippen, zu einer fesselnden und anrührenden Geschichte. 'Marconis magische Maschine' stand nach dem Erscheinen in Amerika viele Wochen auf der Bestsellerliste der 'New York Times'.

Erik Larson erzählt die tragische Geschichte vom Scheitern eines Mannes im Kampf gegen eine der verheerendsten Naturkatastrophen seit Menschengedenken. Eine fesselnde Parabel auf Optimismus, Technologiegläubigkeit und Hybris eines noch jungen Jahrhunderts. 'Seit Truman Capotes Kaltblütig wissen, wir, daß „Non-Fiction“ hohe Literatur sein kann. Erik Larsons Buch führt das Genre zu neuen Gipfeln.' Hamburger Morgenpost 'Der weiße Hai für Wetterfans.' Washington Post

Для проведення Чиказької Колумбівської виставки 1893 року – події, яка вразила світ неосяжною величчю творчого задуму, – архітектор Деніел Бьорнем побудував Біле місто. На півроку воно стало живою казкою для чорного, задимленого і брудного Чикаго. І поки зводили сяюче електричними вогнями диво, справжньою какофонією жаху стала похмура будівля на розі Шістдесят третьої і Воллеса. Одержимий манією вбивства аптекар Голмс обладнав її підвал газовою камерою і крематорієм. А навколо за нез’ясованих обставин зникали десятки жінок, яких привабили величне свято і синьоокий красень – останнє, що вони бачили в житті…

"Londres, 1910. Un respectable médecin, Harvey Crippen, met fin à un mariage insupportable en assassinant sa femme, une flamboyante chanteuse d'opéra. Lorsque naissent les premiers soupçons, il prend un bateau, le SS Montrose, à destination du Québec, accompagné de sa maîtresse. Sur ses traces, un inspecteur de Scotland Yard qui, grâce à l'invention toute récente de Marconi, la communication sans fil, va permettre au grand public de suivre par médias interposés cette incroyable poursuite en haute mer. Dans cet exceptionnel document historique, Erik Larson (Le Diable dans la ville blanche, Dans le jardin de la bête) nous conte en parallèle les aventures de Marconi et du Dr Crippen - dont le destin fascina tant Alfred Hitchcock qu'il s'en inspira pour de nombreux films -, et nous offre un tableau saisissant des débuts du monde moderne."--De l'éditeur

Der Meteorologe Isaac Cline erlebt am 8. September 1900 in Galveston ein unheilvolles Gefühl. Trotz normaler Messwerte entfaltet sich am Abend ein verheerender Hurrikan, der zehntausende Menschenleben fordert. Parallel dazu wird die Entstehung des Sturms beschrieben, der durch das Zusammentreffen dreier Winde entsteht.

Erik Larson v tejto ságe o kľúčovom roku Winstona Churchilla majstrovsky prepája veľké dejiny s osobnými peripetiami hlavnej postavy. Odhaľuje Churchillovu historickú monumentálnosť, ale aj jeho ľudskú slabosť a zraniteľnosť. V deň, keď Churchill nastúpil do úradu britského premiéra, Hitler napadol Holandsko a Belgicko, zatiaľ čo Československo už bolo pod nacistickou kontrolou. Briti čelili smrteľnému nebezpečenstvu: ak sa im nepodarí urýchlene evakuovať armádu z Dunkirku, nemecké vojská budú pochodovať po Trafalgar Square. Nasledovalo dvanásť mesiacov nepretržitého bombardovania Londýna, pričom zahynulo 45-tisíc Britov a bolo zničených viac ako dva milióny domov. Churchill musel navyše presvedčiť Roosevelta, že izolacionizmus nie je odpoveďou na blížiacu sa búrku nad Európou. Larson sa opiera o archívne materiály, denníky a odtajnené dokumenty britskej tajnej služby, čím zručne prepája historicko-politickú líniu s osobnými peripetiami. Originalita diela spočíva v dramatizácii Churchillovej osobnostnej a politickej robustnosti, výrečnosti, strategického rozhľadu a húževnatosti, ako aj jeho výnimočnej schopnosti viesť národ v hodine smrteľného ohrozenia.

Winston Churchill se stal premiérem v květnu 1940, v kritické době, kdy Hitlerova armáda vtrhla do Nizozemska, Belgie a Lucemburska, a kdy se blížila evakuace spojeneckých jednotek z Dunkerku. Čelil obrovskému úkolu sjednotit národ k odporu proti německé agresi a přesvědčit Ameriku, že Británie je cenným spojencem. Tato neobyčejná kniha nabízí nový pohled na Churchilla jako na lidskou bytost, zachycující jeho rozhodování a každodenní život. Čtenáři se stávají svědky napínavých válečných událostí a politických manévrů, zatímco pronikají do intimního prostředí jeho rodiny. Seznamují se s jeho manželkou Clementine, dcerou Mary, která touží po větší samostatnosti, problematickým synem Randolphem a jeho mladou manželkou Pamelou. Kniha také zachycuje klíčové členy válečného kabinetu a personál, přičemž nás zavádí do Downing Street, venkovského sídla Chequers a útočiště Ditchley během bombardování. Přibližuje život Britů v těžkých časech a představuje důležité postavy, které do Londýna vyslal Roosevelt, stejně jako nacistické vůdce. Autor vychází z deníkových záznamů a archivních zdrojů, což dodává příběhu autenticitu a napětí, jako by šlo o beletrii.