The number of World War I and ocean liner books that mention Lusitania in passing are innumerable. The following is limited to books that are dedicated exclusively to Lusitania or dedicate sections or chapters to her story and also serves as a website bibliography. If you know of other worthwhile Lusitania books, please drop us a line.
The Lusitania Disaster: An Episode in Modern Warfare and Diplomacy – Thomas A. Bailey and Paul B. Ryan.
New York — The Free Press — 1975
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A point-by-point refutation of Colin Simpson’s The Lusitania. Otherwise strong book is weakened by the thesis that the second explosion was caused by a boiler explosion, with the torpedo hitting the area between boiler rooms 1 and 2. Survivors from all boiler rooms, and testimony that the torpedo hit well forward of this area, refutes this statement. This book takes an anti-Turner stand for the loss of Lusitania.
Exploring the Lusitania – Robert D. Ballard and Spencer Dunmore.
New York — Warner Books — 1995
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The book is filled with wonderful paintings by Ken Marschall and stories of Ballard’s own expeditions to the wreck. The book makes the case for a coal dust explosion as the cause of the second explosion. Unfortunately, some passenger storylines contain some creative embellishing that contradict the survivors’ own accounts.
The Lusitania: Life, Loss, and Legacy of an Ocean Legend – Daniel Allen Butler.
Mechanicsburg, PA — Stackpole Books — 2000
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Seven Days to Disaster – Des Hickey and Gus Smith.
New York — G. P. Putnam’s Sons — 1981
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Vivid account of the sinking written with correspondence with some of the last living survivors, but contains embellishments within the accounts (e.g. there was no swimming pool on the ship).
The Last Voyage of the Lusitania – Hoehling, A. A. and Mary Hoehling.
Lanham, Maryland — Madison Books — 1956
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The A Night to Remember of its genre. Written from correspondence with several survivors. Highly recommended.
The Lusitania‘s Last Voyage – Charles E. Lauriat.
Houghton Mifflin and Co. — 1915
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First person account written by survivor Charles Lauriat. Previously out of print but now available once again.
Lusitania: Biography of a Ship of Splendor – J. Kent Layton.
Lulu.com — 2007
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One of the most complete books ever published about Lusitania‘s career, not just her untimely end. One of the best.
Lusitania: An Irish Tragedy – Senan Molony.
Dublin — Mercier Press — 2004
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A handy collection of newspaper accounts contemporary to the Lusitania sinking, including stories of passengers and crew members not commonly published in Lusitania media. Includes a section on the U-20 and account of Oberleutnant Raimund Weisbach.
Patrick O’Sullivan. Lusitania: Unravelling the Mysteries.
Collins Press — 1999
The Lusitania Story – Mitch Peeke, Kevin Walsh-Johnson, Steve Jones
US Naval Institute — 2003
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Diana Preston. Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy.
New York — Berkley Books — 2002
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David Ramsay. Lusitania: Saga and Myth.
W. W. Norton & Company — 2001
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Eric Sauder. RMS Lusitania: The Ship and Her Career
Eric Sauder and Ken Marschall with Bill Sauder. RMS Lusitania: Triumph of the Edwardian Age.
Dorchester, Dorset — Waterfront Publications — 1993
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A pictoral history of Lusitania during her career.
Colin Simpson. The Lusitania.
Boston — Little, Brown, and Company — 1972
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Some Lusitania historians may dispute the placement of this book in the “nonfiction” section. This popular book contains some useful information but is also riddled with errors of fact and unsubstiated charges, making it hard to tell which parts of the book are reliable.
Mark D. Warren. The Cunard Turbine Driven Quadruple-Screw Atlantic Liner Lusitania.
Patrick Stephens Ltd. — 1986
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A reproduction of the Lusitania deck plans and machinery as they appeared in Engineering Magazine in 1907.
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