Greg Taylor

Topic: 
 L U S I T A N I A  R. E. X
Date: 21 May 2013



About the talk: 
Greg Taylor discussed his recently published book, L U S I T A N I A  R. E. X, which is an historical fiction account of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania ocean liner (at the time, the largest passenger ship in the world) replete with spies and secret societies, superweapons, millionaires, and martyrs. After being struck by a single torpedo on 7 May 1915, the Lusitania sank in only 18 minutes, extinguishing 1200 lives, summoning wide public support in many countries for the Allies, and contributing to the United States’ decision to enter World War I.  The main character in the story is Alfred Vanderbilt, Yale Class of 1899 (and a member of Skull and Bones), who perished after giving his lifebelt to a woman passenger. Other prominent Yalies in the story include President Taft (the first Yale President), his Secretary of Treasury and Secretary of War as well as Percy Rockefeller, Harry Whitney and Henry Sloan Coffin.



About the speaker:  Greg Taylor (SOM ’91) has a passion for history, art and music, which attracted him to Europe, where he has lived in London for 14 years and is now a UK citizen.  Greg attended college on the East Coast, at Williams College, but describes the experience as “leaving him hungry for more” so he chose to come to England for his junior year. Living in a castle at the University of Durham was a life-changing event, the significance of which he only became aware of later in life.  While at Yale, by virtue of living next to the Tomb, he became interested in the Skull and Bones secret society. His desire for original source material for his book led him to contact the recently deceased Duke of Marlborough and Alfred Vanderbilt III, both of whom contributed to the factual elements of the story.

Copies of the book are available to purchase at a 20% discount for YCL members by entering the promotional code LREX1915 on the website under U.K. Orders.

Please click on the link below for more information on Greg Taylor's book:

Join us for our next talk:

16 Apr 2024 6:30 PM • Trafalgar Theatre, 14 Whitehall, London SW1A 2DY

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