I Was Struck by Thunder

Thunderstruck, is a 536 page book that displays the narrative history of a murder and a creator. The author is Erik Larson who has also written The Devil in the White City. This book weaves in the story of Guglielmo Marconi and Hawley Crippen. Marconi is an Italian whose story is only of his obsession to perfect his invention of the wireless. His life and sole source of happiness and pride is in the endless hours of improving the way we communicate today. He is driven and has the extreme determination to not let anything or anyone get in his way. With betrayal and attraction of many hateful critics, skeptics, and competitors, he races for the fame that his always improving and failing invention will bring. Marconi’s story is shown through his never-ending experiments to prove himself to the always harsh, watching world. Crippen’s story is about his prominent lifestyle and his greedy, demanding wife that drives him insane to eventually commit the “perfect crime”. He is a man of intellect and kindness, yet he reaches his breaking point and seems to be void of any true emotion under the iron thumb of his wife. Crippen’s story is shown through his downward spiral with his fame-seeking wife, Belle Elmore. Many onlookers of the Crippens viewed them as people of opposite natures who spoke very little and not altogether friendly to each other. While Belle was a high-spirited woman with a pretty face and opulent figure, Dr. Crippen was described as a placid, extremely quiet gentleman who idolized his wife and always fulfilled her every wish. Belle always had the dream to become famous as an actress or singer despite her lack of talent. To make up for her failing dream she always used Crippen’s good financial circumstance to buy every gaudy and expensive thing. Crippen lived with an inferiority complex toward his wife and did everything to please her to prevent her threat of leaving him from ever coming true.

            Thunderstruck is set up as alternating chapters between the lives of Marconi and Crippen. So far, I find that the life of Dr. Crippen to be curious and interesting as I search for the clues and the event of how he will commit murder. Marconi’s life would be fascinating to those who are riveted with the history of scientific advances during twentieth century London.