The Lusitania is today best remembered for the controversy surrounding her loss as a result of a German submarine attack on Friday 7 May, 1915, during the First World War. But this book also tells of her life before that cataclysmic event. It records the ground-breaking advances in maritime engineering that she represented, as well as a hitherto unheard-of degree of opulence. After her sea trials (which she initially failed), her seven glorious years of peacetime service are described when she captured the coveted Blue Riband for Great Britain. This book also takes a close and authoritative look at the disaster which befell her and, with the help of leading experts, the authors analyse the circumstances of her loss and try to determine why this magnificent vessel, together with 1,201 souls, was lost in a mere eighteen minutes. After examining the subsequent public inquiries the story is brought right up to date with a brief history of the wreck of this once fabulous liner. Thanks to the help of the current owner, Gregg Bemis Junior, who has spent years and considerable resources surveying the wreck, many previously unresolved questions are answered. The Lusitania Story is the complete story of this famous ocean liner, told for the first time in a single volume with verified passenger and crew lists as well as an accurate record of those who survived and perished. The value of this book is enhanced by its many illustrations. Book jacket.