An Unofficial 'The MeatEater Podcast' Reading List

673. The First World War: The Submarine Strikes (Part 3)

May 25, 2026

Description

Was the Lusitania merely an ocean liner like Titanic, or a formidable battle ship? How and why did a German U-boat fleet manage to bring down this titan of the sea? And, how did the tragedy ignite...

Books Referenced

Ring of Steel

Author: Alexander Watson

Context:

Quoted to describe the awful conditions aboard German U-boats, specifically the 'choking atmosphere of machine oil, cooking, and sweat.'

Lusitania: Triumph, Tragedy, and the End of the Edwardian Age

Author: Greg King and Penny Wilson

Context:

Described as a 'very colorful book on the Lusitania' that contains stories about passengers discussing the German warning as they boarded the ship.

Danger!

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Context:

Mentioned as a short story written just before the war that predicted Germany could destroy Britain's merchant shipping with a small force of U-boats and cause mass hunger.

The Secret Adversary

Author: Agatha Christie

Context:

Mentioned as an example of the Lusitania's cultural impact, noting that 'the Lusitania runs right through this book' as a Tommy and Tuppence thriller.