Overview

The definitive account of America's most haunting maritime disaster On the fiftieth anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking, the bestselling author of The Great Halifax Explosion tells the definitive story of the ""Mighty Fitz."" For three decades following World War II, the Great Lakes overtook Europe as the epicenter of global economic strength. The region was the beating heart of the world economy, possessing all the power and prestige that Silicon Valley does today. And no ship represented the apex of the American Century better than the 729-foot-long Edmund Fitzgerald--the biggest, best, and most profitable ship on the Great Lakes. But on November 10, 1975, as the ""storm of the century"" threw 100 mile-per-hour winds and 50-foot waves on Lake Superior, the Mighty Fitz found itself at the worst possible place, at the worst possible time. When she sank, she took all 29 men onboard down with her, leaving the tragedy shrouded in mystery for a half century. In The Gales of November, award-winning journalist John U. Bacon presents the definitive account of the disaster, drawing on more than 100 interviews with the families, friends, and former crewmates of those lost. Bacon explores the vital role that Great Lakes shipping played in America's economic boom, the uncommon lives the sailors led, the sinking's most likely causes, and the heartbreaking aftermath for those left behind--""the wives, the sons, and the daughters,"" as Gordon Lightfoot sang in his unforgettable ballad. Focused on those directly affected by the tragedy, The Gales of November is both an emotional tribute to the lives lost and a propulsive, page-turning narrative history of America's most-mourned maritime disaster.

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Reviews

""[A] superb education in geography, seamanship, and history."" -- "" Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"" ""A strength of The Gales of November is the way Mr. Bacon weaves in the stories of the crewmen who perished...Dead men tell no tales, but their loved ones do. Mr. Bacon tracked them down and listened."" -- ""Wall Street Journal"" ""An absorbing read that answers the questions most readers will have...Bacon has given us a superior look into an unforgettable story."" -- ""Minneapolis Star Tribune"" ""An absorbing Perfect Storm-esque literary narrative."" -- ""Chicago Tribune"" ""An engaging, thoroughly detailed account of both the tragedy and America's postwar economic boom with the Great Lakes at its center."" -- ""New York Post"" ""Johnny Heller's slight rasp doesn't slow down his propulsive narration but instead lends it urgency...Heller makes this account of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald just as masterful as Gordon Lightfoot's timeless ballad. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award."" -- ""AudioFile""

Author Information

John U. Bacon has authored fourteen books on sports, business, health, and history, the last seven of which are critically acclaimed national bestsellers, including five New York Times bestsellers. Johnny Heller, winner of numerous Earphones and Audie Awards, was named a ""Golden Voice"" by AudioFile magazine in 2019. He has been a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award winner from 2008 through 2013 and he has been named a top voice of 2008 and 2009 and selected as one of the Top 50 Narrators of the Twentieth Century by AudioFile magazine.

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