Before Titanic, there was Lusitania? This unprecedented two-volume set will bring Lusitania's history to life as never before. On 7 May 1915, one of the most legendary liners of the North Atlantic met a terrible end via a German submarine, taking 1,200 passengers and crew to an untimely demise. The ship's memory quickly became mired in a firestorm of international politics, accusations over blame overshadowing both the human tragedy and pre-tragedy triumph of this beautiful ship,filled with technical wonders and firsts. This volume, the first in a two-volume set, tells how Lusitania came to be built, shows her construction, discusses her technical marvels, and reveals her incredible 71/2-year career, revealing why passengers travelled on her again and again, even after larger and more comfortable liners like Olympic and Titanic came on the scene. AUTHORS: J. Kent Layton is the author of Lusitania. He lives in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. Tad Fitch is a Titanic scholar who lives in Brook Park, Ohio. 66 colour, 144 b/w illustrations