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The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Bookpage Best Book of 2025
"A work of spectral beauty destined to be a classic. Readers of Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm, Erik Larsen’s Dead Wake, and Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea will love this deeply reported tale." —Hampton Sides, New York Times best-selling author of The Wide Wide Sea and In the Kingdom of Ice
“The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald’ has been told and retold by authors and bards. But never has it been told better than by Mr. Bacon in this colorful and compelling book.... Dead men tell no tales, but their loved ones do. Mr. Bacon tracked them down and listened.” —John J. Miller, Wall Street Journal
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 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 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 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.
A Bookpage Best Book of 2025
"A work of spectral beauty destined to be a classic. Readers of Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm, Erik Larsen’s Dead Wake, and Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea will love this deeply reported tale." —Hampton Sides, New York Times best-selling author of The Wide Wide Sea and In the Kingdom of Ice
“The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald’ has been told and retold by authors and bards. But never has it been told better than by Mr. Bacon in this colorful and compelling book.... Dead men tell no tales, but their loved ones do. Mr. Bacon tracked them down and listened.” —John J. Miller, Wall Street Journal
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 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 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 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.
430 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2025
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About the author
John U. Bacon
20 books181 followersJohn U. Bacon is an American journalist and author of books on sports and business as well as a sports commentator on TV and radio.
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October 24, 2025
“The Fitzgerald’s crew was…seeing twenty-five footers coming at them throughout the afternoon…This is when the Fitzgerald’s unique characteristics – the modular construction, the use of welds over rivets, the extraordinary flexibility of the hull, the lowering of the Plimsoll Line, and whatever damage she might have suffered over Six Fathom Shoal – would all be tested by the once-in-a-lifetime conditions on Lake Superior. The fully loaded Fitzgerald had only 11.5 feet of freeboard on a good day, and this was not a good day. The question no longer was whether the Fitzgerald could withstand such relentless punishment, but how long before she succumbed…”
- John U. Bacon, The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald
There is a good chance – especially if you have not spent time around the Great Lakes – that you have never heard about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank with all hands on November 10, 1975. As far as shipwrecks go, it does not embody the Greek tragedy and Edwardian splendor of the RMS Titanic, lacks the world-historical context of the RMS Lusitania, and has a casualty list far more modest than the MV Doña Paz.
If you have heard of the Edmund Fitzgerald, it is probably because of Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, who wrote the “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” in 1976, a tune that made it all the way to number two on the Billboard 100. The song still slaps, but it’s a lengthy folk rock ballad mainly loved by people who enjoy lengthy folk rock ballads.
Even if you are familiar with the Edmund Fitzgerald, it still begs the question: nearly fifty years after being swamped in a massive storm on Lake Superior, what makes it the worthy subject of a good-sized book? After all, as John Bacon notes early in The Gales of November, over six thousand ships floundered in the Great Lakes between 1875 and 1975, killing upwards of 30,000 sailors.
For me, the answer to the question is that there are so few answers to the questions posed by the Edmund Fitzgerald's sudden disappearance. None of her twenty-nine crewmen survived. No distress signal was sent. It is that mystery– and not Lightfoot’s musical mini-epic – that has kept the ship alive for me.
Unfortunately, in Bacon’s otherwise wonderful book, that mystery is barely addressed.
***
If you were write a book about – let’s say – the Titanic, you would have tens of thousands of pages of evidence to look at: first-person accounts; newspaper stories; official inquiries; sworn testimony; affidavits; insurance records; scientific analyses. When you take on the Edmund Fitzgerald, you have a relatively brief series of radio calls made by Captain Ernest McSorley to a nearby ship – the SS Arthur M. Anderson – which ends with McSorley’s statement that “we are holding on own.” Aside from video footage of the wreck, that’s about it for hard evidence.
As a result, any book about the Edmund Fitzgerald is – out of sheer necessity – going to have to be about more than the Edmund Fitzgerald alone.
In The Gales of November, Bacon takes a good long time getting to the fateful final seconds of the doomed ore carrier. That space is taken up with a variety of different topics, including an overarching history of shipping on the Great Lakes, the Storm of 1913, the sinking of the SS Carl D. Bradley and the SS Daniel J. Morrell, and a painstaking, rather effecting examination into the lives of some of the crewmembers.
This is all to say that everything about the subtitle – “the Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald” – is totally misleading.
But that’s okay, as I’ll explain below.
***
There is plenty here to hold one’s attention, even if the structuring is a little haphazard.
For example, I really liked Bacon’s description of wave mechanics: how they are created; how high they can get; how much weight they carry; and what kind of impact they have when they hit. Having visited both, I can attest that Lake Superior’s waves can be as impressive as the Atlantic’s or the Pacific’s.
Bacon also does a really good job with marine architecture, describing the inherent design flaws that made the Edmund Fitzgerald susceptible to stormy weather. In particular, the ship was tailored to fit through the locks of Sault Ste. Marie, meaning that it was extremely long – 729 feet in length, greater than the depths in which she sank – and quite narrow. Beyond aesthetic weirdness, the Edmund Fitzgerald’s shape presented two potentially dangerous outcomes in high seas. First, the ship could sag, meaning that bow and stern were both propped atop waves, with the midsection drooping into the trough. Second, the ship could hog, in which the midsection rose with a wave, while the bow and stern dipped, like the ends of a seesaw. Both “hogging” and “sagging” put tremendous pressure on the steel that held everything together.
Speaking of locks, Bacon makes the workings of the “Soo Locks” surprisingly fascinating. Given that ships are far and away the most efficient means of transporting goods, the utilization of this ancient art is incredibly important.
This is just a sampling of what Bacon covers, as there’s not enough space to list everything. Suffice to say, you will learn a lot about life aboard an ore carrier, including more than a few visits to dockside bars.
***
For all its virtues, The Gales of November falls short of greatness, or even near greatness. Despite my hopes and Bacon’s ambitions, it is not The Perfect Storm of the inland seas.
One reason is the writing. Obviously, this is an incredibly subjective observation on my part, but I found Bacon’s style to lack any lyricism or poetry. It does not evoke anything. While he nails the technical makeup of a Lake Superior wave, he gives no sense of what it must have felt like to be in the midst of them. Though he tells you how cold the lake is, you never feel the water’s chill. He tends to rely on lengthy quotes from interviews he has conducted, with all the salty language and everyday cliches you’d expect. It’s a personal preference, but I think it’s an author’s job to use their literary skills to mold the information provided by others into art, rather than simply excerpting them.
In short, after all of the buildup, after the far-ranging discussions of taconite ore, the boom years of Detroit, and the life paths of the crewmen, I wanted to be gripped by tension, with the gyre tightening, the seas building, and the storm closing in. Alas, the pure storytelling aspects never reached the highest levels.
***
The bigger problem for me is Bacon’s apparent disinterest in interrogating the actual cause of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s demise. It is a striking issue, because despite the ferocity of the storm, the other ships on Lake Superior that night – including a sixteen-footer that Bacon mentions offhandedly – did not sink.
It should go without saying that I’m not actually asking for an answer. That is known only to men who are gone, and to the universe itself. But I wanted Bacon to explore all the theories with the same focus that he gave to other, less important parts of this tale. Indeed, I felt this was promised upfront, with Bacon noting the abundance of material on the various hypotheses. To be sure, Bacon provides a quick little chapter that summarizes the probable causes of death. However, the chapter is incredibly superficial, and given far less attention than that devoted to the crafting of Lightfoot’s ballad.
For me, the how-and-why of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s last moments is the point. It’s the chief reason this local disaster has had such an extensive afterlife. If we knew exactly what happened, or if just one man survived to give an explanation, the Mighty Fitz likely would have joined the SS Marine Electric and numerous other lost vessels as a mostly forgotten relic in the vast ocean of history.
***
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last major sinking in the Great Lakes. Today, better weather reports, global positioning systems, and tighter regulations have made things much safer. With that said, “safer” does not mean “safe,” and safety is ultimately an illusion. As demonstrated by the SS El Faro in 2015, even vessels equipped with modern gadgetry can be humbled by nature.
The study of any disaster is really an inquiry into how people face the end. Oftentimes, in looking at the fatal collision of tough conditions, bad choices, and blind chance, one comes to the conclusion that what is coming cannot be stopped, and that when the time arrives, there is no escape.
- John U. Bacon, The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald
There is a good chance – especially if you have not spent time around the Great Lakes – that you have never heard about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank with all hands on November 10, 1975. As far as shipwrecks go, it does not embody the Greek tragedy and Edwardian splendor of the RMS Titanic, lacks the world-historical context of the RMS Lusitania, and has a casualty list far more modest than the MV Doña Paz.
If you have heard of the Edmund Fitzgerald, it is probably because of Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, who wrote the “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” in 1976, a tune that made it all the way to number two on the Billboard 100. The song still slaps, but it’s a lengthy folk rock ballad mainly loved by people who enjoy lengthy folk rock ballads.
Even if you are familiar with the Edmund Fitzgerald, it still begs the question: nearly fifty years after being swamped in a massive storm on Lake Superior, what makes it the worthy subject of a good-sized book? After all, as John Bacon notes early in The Gales of November, over six thousand ships floundered in the Great Lakes between 1875 and 1975, killing upwards of 30,000 sailors.
For me, the answer to the question is that there are so few answers to the questions posed by the Edmund Fitzgerald's sudden disappearance. None of her twenty-nine crewmen survived. No distress signal was sent. It is that mystery– and not Lightfoot’s musical mini-epic – that has kept the ship alive for me.
Unfortunately, in Bacon’s otherwise wonderful book, that mystery is barely addressed.
***
If you were write a book about – let’s say – the Titanic, you would have tens of thousands of pages of evidence to look at: first-person accounts; newspaper stories; official inquiries; sworn testimony; affidavits; insurance records; scientific analyses. When you take on the Edmund Fitzgerald, you have a relatively brief series of radio calls made by Captain Ernest McSorley to a nearby ship – the SS Arthur M. Anderson – which ends with McSorley’s statement that “we are holding on own.” Aside from video footage of the wreck, that’s about it for hard evidence.
As a result, any book about the Edmund Fitzgerald is – out of sheer necessity – going to have to be about more than the Edmund Fitzgerald alone.
In The Gales of November, Bacon takes a good long time getting to the fateful final seconds of the doomed ore carrier. That space is taken up with a variety of different topics, including an overarching history of shipping on the Great Lakes, the Storm of 1913, the sinking of the SS Carl D. Bradley and the SS Daniel J. Morrell, and a painstaking, rather effecting examination into the lives of some of the crewmembers.
This is all to say that everything about the subtitle – “the Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald” – is totally misleading.
But that’s okay, as I’ll explain below.
***
There is plenty here to hold one’s attention, even if the structuring is a little haphazard.
For example, I really liked Bacon’s description of wave mechanics: how they are created; how high they can get; how much weight they carry; and what kind of impact they have when they hit. Having visited both, I can attest that Lake Superior’s waves can be as impressive as the Atlantic’s or the Pacific’s.
Bacon also does a really good job with marine architecture, describing the inherent design flaws that made the Edmund Fitzgerald susceptible to stormy weather. In particular, the ship was tailored to fit through the locks of Sault Ste. Marie, meaning that it was extremely long – 729 feet in length, greater than the depths in which she sank – and quite narrow. Beyond aesthetic weirdness, the Edmund Fitzgerald’s shape presented two potentially dangerous outcomes in high seas. First, the ship could sag, meaning that bow and stern were both propped atop waves, with the midsection drooping into the trough. Second, the ship could hog, in which the midsection rose with a wave, while the bow and stern dipped, like the ends of a seesaw. Both “hogging” and “sagging” put tremendous pressure on the steel that held everything together.
Speaking of locks, Bacon makes the workings of the “Soo Locks” surprisingly fascinating. Given that ships are far and away the most efficient means of transporting goods, the utilization of this ancient art is incredibly important.
This is just a sampling of what Bacon covers, as there’s not enough space to list everything. Suffice to say, you will learn a lot about life aboard an ore carrier, including more than a few visits to dockside bars.
***
For all its virtues, The Gales of November falls short of greatness, or even near greatness. Despite my hopes and Bacon’s ambitions, it is not The Perfect Storm of the inland seas.
One reason is the writing. Obviously, this is an incredibly subjective observation on my part, but I found Bacon’s style to lack any lyricism or poetry. It does not evoke anything. While he nails the technical makeup of a Lake Superior wave, he gives no sense of what it must have felt like to be in the midst of them. Though he tells you how cold the lake is, you never feel the water’s chill. He tends to rely on lengthy quotes from interviews he has conducted, with all the salty language and everyday cliches you’d expect. It’s a personal preference, but I think it’s an author’s job to use their literary skills to mold the information provided by others into art, rather than simply excerpting them.
In short, after all of the buildup, after the far-ranging discussions of taconite ore, the boom years of Detroit, and the life paths of the crewmen, I wanted to be gripped by tension, with the gyre tightening, the seas building, and the storm closing in. Alas, the pure storytelling aspects never reached the highest levels.
***
The bigger problem for me is Bacon’s apparent disinterest in interrogating the actual cause of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s demise. It is a striking issue, because despite the ferocity of the storm, the other ships on Lake Superior that night – including a sixteen-footer that Bacon mentions offhandedly – did not sink.
It should go without saying that I’m not actually asking for an answer. That is known only to men who are gone, and to the universe itself. But I wanted Bacon to explore all the theories with the same focus that he gave to other, less important parts of this tale. Indeed, I felt this was promised upfront, with Bacon noting the abundance of material on the various hypotheses. To be sure, Bacon provides a quick little chapter that summarizes the probable causes of death. However, the chapter is incredibly superficial, and given far less attention than that devoted to the crafting of Lightfoot’s ballad.
For me, the how-and-why of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s last moments is the point. It’s the chief reason this local disaster has had such an extensive afterlife. If we knew exactly what happened, or if just one man survived to give an explanation, the Mighty Fitz likely would have joined the SS Marine Electric and numerous other lost vessels as a mostly forgotten relic in the vast ocean of history.
***
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last major sinking in the Great Lakes. Today, better weather reports, global positioning systems, and tighter regulations have made things much safer. With that said, “safer” does not mean “safe,” and safety is ultimately an illusion. As demonstrated by the SS El Faro in 2015, even vessels equipped with modern gadgetry can be humbled by nature.
The study of any disaster is really an inquiry into how people face the end. Oftentimes, in looking at the fatal collision of tough conditions, bad choices, and blind chance, one comes to the conclusion that what is coming cannot be stopped, and that when the time arrives, there is no escape.
July 23, 2025
There's a certain guilt in enjoying books about disasters. Much like true crime, it can often feel like you are a voyeur of human tragedy. However, I think this is only true when what you are reading doesn't respect its subject. For me, if I can talk smartly about the tragedy when I am done, then it is no longer about the catastrophe. It is about the people who got caught in the storm and the people who are left behind.
In the case of The Gales of November by John Bacon, it is a superb telling of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald by an author who is enamored with his subject and the people around it. Bacon's narrative is very much a love letter to Great Lakes sailors and their families (with the expected slight exaggerations now and again). Bacon took the time to speak to as many primary sources as possible, including people who were on the Mighty Fitz before its fateful final journey. It makes for a story which is fully immersive and crushingly sad by the end.
I have read other books on the sinking which generally end up being quite short. The ship went down with all hands so much of what we know is some facts and a lot of conjecture. Bacon gets around this by telling the story of Great Lakes shipping and how these bodies of water can be just as deadly (if not more) than the open ocean. The author even spends some time on what I think might be the most overlooked natural disaster in American history, the White Hurricane. Haven't heard of it? Well, now you have another reason to read this book (and David G. Brown's White Hurricane for an even deeper look). This book is much longer than someone may expect because the whole story is not just the sinking. Bacon gets that and the narrative is exceptional because of it.
And yes, Bacon does remember to discuss Gordon Lightfoot's The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Like the song, I think the families of the Mighty Fitz would heartily approve of this book.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company/Liveright.)
In the case of The Gales of November by John Bacon, it is a superb telling of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald by an author who is enamored with his subject and the people around it. Bacon's narrative is very much a love letter to Great Lakes sailors and their families (with the expected slight exaggerations now and again). Bacon took the time to speak to as many primary sources as possible, including people who were on the Mighty Fitz before its fateful final journey. It makes for a story which is fully immersive and crushingly sad by the end.
I have read other books on the sinking which generally end up being quite short. The ship went down with all hands so much of what we know is some facts and a lot of conjecture. Bacon gets around this by telling the story of Great Lakes shipping and how these bodies of water can be just as deadly (if not more) than the open ocean. The author even spends some time on what I think might be the most overlooked natural disaster in American history, the White Hurricane. Haven't heard of it? Well, now you have another reason to read this book (and David G. Brown's White Hurricane for an even deeper look). This book is much longer than someone may expect because the whole story is not just the sinking. Bacon gets that and the narrative is exceptional because of it.
And yes, Bacon does remember to discuss Gordon Lightfoot's The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Like the song, I think the families of the Mighty Fitz would heartily approve of this book.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company/Liveright.)
November 6, 2025
🎵"Does anyone know where the love of God goes
when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
if they'd put fifteen more miles behind her."🎵
--excerpt from 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,' by singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot
This week marks the golden anniversary (though that exact phrasing sounds too upbeat, given the events) of the tragic sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior, with its 'end of watch' date being 10 November 1975. A particularly large and state-of-the-art freshwater vessel that was the pride of the Cleveland, Ohio-based Columbia Transportation fleet, 'the Fitz' was a workhorse freighter that routinely carried the cargo of taconite - an iron ore off-shoot - from the mines to the ports throughout the Great Lakes region of the midwestern U.S. Captained by dually respected and seasoned Ernest McSorley (who sounds like he was one exceptional skipper, and just an all-around good man), his crew of twenty-eight men - a solid mixture of maritime veterans and some fresh-faced newbies - met their untimely demise during a 'once-in-a-century' hurricane-level storm that struck during the ship's final scheduled voyage of that shipping season. Author/journalist Bacon - again demonstrating the similar care he exhibited with his earlier and exceptional work The Great Halifax Explosion - once again brings history alive in his equally outstanding The Gales of November. Along with my quoting the lyrics above, it is sort of impossible NOT to repeatedly reference - see also the book's title - the elegiac words of singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot (whom my astute father has referred to as 'a Canadian Bob Dylan') from his respectful 1976 folk-rock ballad homage to the good ship and its crew. Bacon is wonderfully descriptive and thorough in his depiction of local history and color, the veritable dangers lurking just below the surface (so to speak) of lake-based transporting industry and its many various professions, plus includes enough pertinent detail at times to make it seem like his readers are often right alongside actual crew members on the craft. But, again quoting the late Mr. Lightfoot, Bacon concludes his narrative by soberly but yet strongly focusing on many of "the faces and names of the wives and sons and daughters", who were suddenly bereft of their beloved husbands and/or fathers on that devastating day fifty years ago.
when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
if they'd put fifteen more miles behind her."🎵
--excerpt from 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,' by singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot
This week marks the golden anniversary (though that exact phrasing sounds too upbeat, given the events) of the tragic sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior, with its 'end of watch' date being 10 November 1975. A particularly large and state-of-the-art freshwater vessel that was the pride of the Cleveland, Ohio-based Columbia Transportation fleet, 'the Fitz' was a workhorse freighter that routinely carried the cargo of taconite - an iron ore off-shoot - from the mines to the ports throughout the Great Lakes region of the midwestern U.S. Captained by dually respected and seasoned Ernest McSorley (who sounds like he was one exceptional skipper, and just an all-around good man), his crew of twenty-eight men - a solid mixture of maritime veterans and some fresh-faced newbies - met their untimely demise during a 'once-in-a-century' hurricane-level storm that struck during the ship's final scheduled voyage of that shipping season. Author/journalist Bacon - again demonstrating the similar care he exhibited with his earlier and exceptional work The Great Halifax Explosion - once again brings history alive in his equally outstanding The Gales of November. Along with my quoting the lyrics above, it is sort of impossible NOT to repeatedly reference - see also the book's title - the elegiac words of singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot (whom my astute father has referred to as 'a Canadian Bob Dylan') from his respectful 1976 folk-rock ballad homage to the good ship and its crew. Bacon is wonderfully descriptive and thorough in his depiction of local history and color, the veritable dangers lurking just below the surface (so to speak) of lake-based transporting industry and its many various professions, plus includes enough pertinent detail at times to make it seem like his readers are often right alongside actual crew members on the craft. But, again quoting the late Mr. Lightfoot, Bacon concludes his narrative by soberly but yet strongly focusing on many of "the faces and names of the wives and sons and daughters", who were suddenly bereft of their beloved husbands and/or fathers on that devastating day fifty years ago.
October 6, 2025
I got the audiobook for review.
What I loved about the book is that it both describes and explain the ship and all the fact and history around that but at the same time discusses the people affected in a way that makes the tragedy really emotional and it was easier taking in the story as it felt more personal. I enjoyed the narration and it was a great book.
What I loved about the book is that it both describes and explain the ship and all the fact and history around that but at the same time discusses the people affected in a way that makes the tragedy really emotional and it was easier taking in the story as it felt more personal. I enjoyed the narration and it was a great book.
October 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Gales of November by John U. Bacon
Come on, everyone — you remember the haunting song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” This excellent history book gives readers the full story behind that tragic shipwreck on Lake Superior in November of 1975 — now approaching its 50th anniversary. Like so many others, I’ve been fascinated by the Fitz ever since I first heard Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad as a kid, and John U. Bacon’s deeply researched account brings that fascination to life with vivid storytelling and deep compassion.
My wife and I were lucky enough to attend an author event with Bacon at one of our favorite bookstores, and he was outstanding. A natural storyteller, he spoke for over an hour about his five years of meticulous research — sharing touching, funny, and at times heartbreaking stories. A true Michigan guy through and through, Bacon’s passion for the Great Lakes and for U-of-M sports both shine through. He interviewed nearly everyone connected to the tragedy — Great Lakes shipping survivors, rescuers, family members, Coast Guard personnel — and wove their voices together into something that feels both intimate and epic.
Bacon’s writing style reminded me of Studs Terkel: a rich oral history coupled with a gripping, page-turning narrative. Having spent much of my life living along the Great Lakes, I felt personally connected to this story. A few summers ago, my family and I took a Lake Superior circle trip and visited the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. Standing at sunset, looking out over that immense, beautiful lake and knowing the Fitzgerald lies just fifteen miles offshore — it was haunting. Reading Bacon’s book brought all of that back.
And here’s a treat: Bacon devotes an entire chapter to Gordon Lightfoot and the story behind one of his biggest hits. For anyone who grew up with that song echoing in their mind, it’s worth the price of the book alone. Yes, I just played the hit once more! I think folks would be surprised at what an extensive catalog Gordon Lightfoot has.
The print edition is beautifully produced, full of striking photos that add even more weight to the narrative. My only real gripe is with the audiobook — a handful of mispronunciations that pulled me out of the moment. That cost the book a star. Still, Gales of November is a moving, powerful read — part history, part elegy — and an absolute must for anyone fascinated by the Great Lakes or the enduring legend of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Gales of November by John U. Bacon
Come on, everyone — you remember the haunting song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” This excellent history book gives readers the full story behind that tragic shipwreck on Lake Superior in November of 1975 — now approaching its 50th anniversary. Like so many others, I’ve been fascinated by the Fitz ever since I first heard Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad as a kid, and John U. Bacon’s deeply researched account brings that fascination to life with vivid storytelling and deep compassion.
My wife and I were lucky enough to attend an author event with Bacon at one of our favorite bookstores, and he was outstanding. A natural storyteller, he spoke for over an hour about his five years of meticulous research — sharing touching, funny, and at times heartbreaking stories. A true Michigan guy through and through, Bacon’s passion for the Great Lakes and for U-of-M sports both shine through. He interviewed nearly everyone connected to the tragedy — Great Lakes shipping survivors, rescuers, family members, Coast Guard personnel — and wove their voices together into something that feels both intimate and epic.
Bacon’s writing style reminded me of Studs Terkel: a rich oral history coupled with a gripping, page-turning narrative. Having spent much of my life living along the Great Lakes, I felt personally connected to this story. A few summers ago, my family and I took a Lake Superior circle trip and visited the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. Standing at sunset, looking out over that immense, beautiful lake and knowing the Fitzgerald lies just fifteen miles offshore — it was haunting. Reading Bacon’s book brought all of that back.
And here’s a treat: Bacon devotes an entire chapter to Gordon Lightfoot and the story behind one of his biggest hits. For anyone who grew up with that song echoing in their mind, it’s worth the price of the book alone. Yes, I just played the hit once more! I think folks would be surprised at what an extensive catalog Gordon Lightfoot has.
The print edition is beautifully produced, full of striking photos that add even more weight to the narrative. My only real gripe is with the audiobook — a handful of mispronunciations that pulled me out of the moment. That cost the book a star. Still, Gales of November is a moving, powerful read — part history, part elegy — and an absolute must for anyone fascinated by the Great Lakes or the enduring legend of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
August 7, 2025
When I was a kid, my dad often played “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot. In my head, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the 1700s. I don’t remember how old I was when I realized that The Fitz actually sank *in my lifetime* but I was older than I should have been and now I can’t stop thinking about it.
A dear friend found this ARC for me on a free shelf at The Whispering Shelf in Indianapolis. I was THRILLED.
I’ll start by saying that I am not typically a non-fiction reader. I tend to want to take notes and fact check. I enjoyed learning about the geography and weather patterns of the Great Lakes. I felt like I needed a chart to help me keep track of the crew members and their back stories (not a complaint…this is important information.) Bacon gives us lots of background info, which is great. But I feel like where the book is most powerful is when it takes you on that final fateful voyage. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about it (“Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?”) I woke up this morning and wept through the last 60 pages of the book.
I highly recommend this for fans of the song and lovers of the Great Lakes. It’s terrifying and fascinating and heartbreaking, a lovely tribute as we approach the 50th anniversary of the sinking.
A dear friend found this ARC for me on a free shelf at The Whispering Shelf in Indianapolis. I was THRILLED.
I’ll start by saying that I am not typically a non-fiction reader. I tend to want to take notes and fact check. I enjoyed learning about the geography and weather patterns of the Great Lakes. I felt like I needed a chart to help me keep track of the crew members and their back stories (not a complaint…this is important information.) Bacon gives us lots of background info, which is great. But I feel like where the book is most powerful is when it takes you on that final fateful voyage. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about it (“Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?”) I woke up this morning and wept through the last 60 pages of the book.
I highly recommend this for fans of the song and lovers of the Great Lakes. It’s terrifying and fascinating and heartbreaking, a lovely tribute as we approach the 50th anniversary of the sinking.
October 21, 2025
Apparently I've reached the age where I want to read books about shipwrecks and this book only fed that appetite. John Bacon has a very succinct way of writing that camouflages the fact that he's going very deep into the subject matter. The book not only paints a vivid picture of the final voyage of the Fitz, but he also presents an intricate and fascinating foray into the history of Great Lake shipping. While some books are laden with technical jargon that only maritime enthusiasts would understand, Bacon makes it easy for the landlubber to follow and grasp the significance of the details he provides about shipping, the ships themselves, and the brave men who are the backbone of the industry. Bacon does a laudatory job at telling the stories of the men and, just as important, the families who lost their loved ones. With the 50th anniversary of this famous wreck approaching, this thrilling and solemn volume serves as a powerful tribute to those men.
November 23, 2025
Well, I finished this very well written book this morning and I guess I cried about 3 times. There is one section where I kept on crying for 6 or 7 pages so be warned that it is very sad. I knew nothing about all this until we heard the song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot. He is a great song writer. I was also alerted by reading Darla's reviews. I would have missed out on it if I had not found her review. I immediately purchased a copy of it.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
November 22, 2025
This is an amazing book about the sinking of the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald near Whitefish Bay on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. It describes the hazards of the Great Lakes and some of the other notable wrecks but concentrates on the captain, crew and family members. One thing that is clear, the boat did not sink due to one factor. I have taught classes on emergency response for over 30 years. Most emergencies are a combination of factors that combine in what is known as the 'Swiss cheese' theory.
It is clear that the captain was renowned for his skill and well-liked by his crew. The crew was an excellent crew. The ship was well maintained. As the song says - "she was the pride of the American side". Despite these factors the ship was overloaded, modifications had been made by regulators to favor the shipping companies to allow for heavier loads. On the night of the sinking the ship was on an unfamiliar route and in extreme storm conditions. A change in anyone of several factors and the ship would have arrived safely in port.
I also find it amazing that due to changes in the shipping industry following the wreck, not a single commercial ship has gone down on Lake Superior. The ship owners are more cognizant of the risks and the macho attitude of the captains has been changed.
This is an excellent book. If you are interested shipwrecks, the Great Lakes, disasters or simply want to know more about the accident that spawned the No. 1 song by Gordan Lightfoot, this is a not to miss book.
It is clear that the captain was renowned for his skill and well-liked by his crew. The crew was an excellent crew. The ship was well maintained. As the song says - "she was the pride of the American side". Despite these factors the ship was overloaded, modifications had been made by regulators to favor the shipping companies to allow for heavier loads. On the night of the sinking the ship was on an unfamiliar route and in extreme storm conditions. A change in anyone of several factors and the ship would have arrived safely in port.
I also find it amazing that due to changes in the shipping industry following the wreck, not a single commercial ship has gone down on Lake Superior. The ship owners are more cognizant of the risks and the macho attitude of the captains has been changed.
This is an excellent book. If you are interested shipwrecks, the Great Lakes, disasters or simply want to know more about the accident that spawned the No. 1 song by Gordan Lightfoot, this is a not to miss book.
August 18, 2025
4 1/2 stars
If you have ever spent any time on the Great Lakes and hear the Gordon Lightfoot ballad stuck on replay in your head then you already know a bit about one of the world's worst maritime disasters. The Edmond Fitzgerald was a floating marvel - the pride of the Great Lakes due to its cargo capacity, strength and the sterling reputation of the Captain. The ship no one thought could sink but did in a freak storm November 10, 1975 with all 29 of its crew in the freezing waters of Lake Superior. John U. Bacon presents not only the background and history of the postwar steel boom in the Great Lakes where shipping was king but also gives us an intimate look at the people who crewed and serviced the ships and the family left behind. His description of life on a freighter and the peculiarities of sailing the Great Lakes were so intense that I was left in awe of the power of nature and motion sickness. Even landlubbers can appreciate and gain much knowledge and Bacon's writing is the perfect blend of fact and human interest. Readers of Erik Larson, THE PERFECT STORM and THE WIDE, WIDE SEA will be captivated. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
If you have ever spent any time on the Great Lakes and hear the Gordon Lightfoot ballad stuck on replay in your head then you already know a bit about one of the world's worst maritime disasters. The Edmond Fitzgerald was a floating marvel - the pride of the Great Lakes due to its cargo capacity, strength and the sterling reputation of the Captain. The ship no one thought could sink but did in a freak storm November 10, 1975 with all 29 of its crew in the freezing waters of Lake Superior. John U. Bacon presents not only the background and history of the postwar steel boom in the Great Lakes where shipping was king but also gives us an intimate look at the people who crewed and serviced the ships and the family left behind. His description of life on a freighter and the peculiarities of sailing the Great Lakes were so intense that I was left in awe of the power of nature and motion sickness. Even landlubbers can appreciate and gain much knowledge and Bacon's writing is the perfect blend of fact and human interest. Readers of Erik Larson, THE PERFECT STORM and THE WIDE, WIDE SEA will be captivated. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
November 11, 2025
Today, 11/10/25, is the 50th anniversary of the tragedy of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. My heartfelt sympathy to those who lost a loved one due to it.
The Edmund Fitzgerald, I had heard about it in a vague, not sure what it is way. Then I Buddy Read this with a friend and WOW.
This book was nothing short of amazing. The author really made those 29 men who died when the Fitzgerald went down into real people for the reader to get to know and also captured the feelings of those left behind, in a respectful and non-predatory way.
I listened to the audio book and you could tell that the narrator felt it too, as he would sound a little...verklempt when reading about the men and the tragedy of their loss. I was verklempt too. It's such a moving story and honestly, it was a tragedy that didn't have to happen.
It wasn't just ONE thing that doomed the Fitzgerald, it was a hole cascade of things. All of the dominos fell in the right, or in this case wrong, way, adding up to the tragic end. Though the Petty Officer in the US Coast Guard who out right IGNORED all of the distress calls, from the Fitzgerald as WELL as other ships in the area, well...there is a special circle nice and warm for him, I am sure.
It is going to be shared with the callus millionaire who had a video expedition to the wreckage site, bringing back video of the wreck and of one of the men, in his life vest, and harassing the loved ones left behind for their "blessing" to release the video and obtain more to make it into a sensationalist money maker for him. He is the reason the surviving loved ones fought to make it a designated National Cemetery so no one can legally be that ghoulish about their loved ones final resting place.
The song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot lives rent-free in my head BTW. The song is AMAZING and it tells the story in such a sensitive and visual way, it's no wonder the song was number 2 on the charts when it came out! He was also very respectful of those left behind, being as honest and current with the information in the song as he could be. When new information came out, when he performed the song live, he would alter incorrect original lyrics to corrected ones.
He became friends with many of the surviving family and friends and even spoke to Aunt Ruth, who lost her only child on the Fitzgerald, on the day before the 40th anniversary of the sinking, when she was ill and said she wanted to die then, so she could be in Heaven with her son to watch the remembrance ceremony with him. She did. (I'm not tearing up and blowing my nose now, YOU are.)
This book was nothing short of amazing, educational and, above all, respectful of those still living. He did state a couple of times that not all of the surviving family made it out intact, some crawled into the bottom of a bottle and never came out, but he doesn't get salacious or name names or try to vilify anyone. Everyone has their way of coping with grief, some better than others. There is no shame in what they did and he didn't try to shame anyone. He was honest, without giving every dirty detail. I respect that.
The narrator was incredible as well. Again, you could hear when what was being read hit a bit too close to the bone, but he kept it professional the entire time. The production and narration were good in regards to volume control for the most part, so no complaint from me here.
All in all, this was an amazing book and I am glad that my friend decided to read this for the 50th anniversary and invited me to join them. It was worth it. Not my usual genre, but this is a book I am going to be talking about for a while.
5, highly recommended but maybe have a tissue or two handy, stars.
My thanks to libro.fm and Recorded Books, Inc. for an ALC of this book to listen to and review.
The Edmund Fitzgerald, I had heard about it in a vague, not sure what it is way. Then I Buddy Read this with a friend and WOW.
This book was nothing short of amazing. The author really made those 29 men who died when the Fitzgerald went down into real people for the reader to get to know and also captured the feelings of those left behind, in a respectful and non-predatory way.
I listened to the audio book and you could tell that the narrator felt it too, as he would sound a little...verklempt when reading about the men and the tragedy of their loss. I was verklempt too. It's such a moving story and honestly, it was a tragedy that didn't have to happen.
It wasn't just ONE thing that doomed the Fitzgerald, it was a hole cascade of things. All of the dominos fell in the right, or in this case wrong, way, adding up to the tragic end. Though the Petty Officer in the US Coast Guard who out right IGNORED all of the distress calls, from the Fitzgerald as WELL as other ships in the area, well...there is a special circle nice and warm for him, I am sure.
It is going to be shared with the callus millionaire who had a video expedition to the wreckage site, bringing back video of the wreck and of one of the men, in his life vest, and harassing the loved ones left behind for their "blessing" to release the video and obtain more to make it into a sensationalist money maker for him. He is the reason the surviving loved ones fought to make it a designated National Cemetery so no one can legally be that ghoulish about their loved ones final resting place.
The song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot lives rent-free in my head BTW. The song is AMAZING and it tells the story in such a sensitive and visual way, it's no wonder the song was number 2 on the charts when it came out! He was also very respectful of those left behind, being as honest and current with the information in the song as he could be. When new information came out, when he performed the song live, he would alter incorrect original lyrics to corrected ones.
He became friends with many of the surviving family and friends and even spoke to Aunt Ruth, who lost her only child on the Fitzgerald, on the day before the 40th anniversary of the sinking, when she was ill and said she wanted to die then, so she could be in Heaven with her son to watch the remembrance ceremony with him. She did. (I'm not tearing up and blowing my nose now, YOU are.)
This book was nothing short of amazing, educational and, above all, respectful of those still living. He did state a couple of times that not all of the surviving family made it out intact, some crawled into the bottom of a bottle and never came out, but he doesn't get salacious or name names or try to vilify anyone. Everyone has their way of coping with grief, some better than others. There is no shame in what they did and he didn't try to shame anyone. He was honest, without giving every dirty detail. I respect that.
The narrator was incredible as well. Again, you could hear when what was being read hit a bit too close to the bone, but he kept it professional the entire time. The production and narration were good in regards to volume control for the most part, so no complaint from me here.
All in all, this was an amazing book and I am glad that my friend decided to read this for the 50th anniversary and invited me to join them. It was worth it. Not my usual genre, but this is a book I am going to be talking about for a while.
5, highly recommended but maybe have a tissue or two handy, stars.
My thanks to libro.fm and Recorded Books, Inc. for an ALC of this book to listen to and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2025
“We are holding our own.” These are the last words of Ernest McSorley, captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The Gales of November is an emotional character-driven account of November 10th, 1975’s disaster of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking resulting in the death of 29 men. In this account, John U. Bacon delivers information on the wreck and the storm that caused it but also information on the conditions of sailing on the Great Lakes, the history and incentives of shipping over these dangerous cold waters, wrecks and deaths of storms leading up to 1975 and their impact on shipping, and the personal life stories of many sailors that died on Mighty Fitz and the families they leave behind.
This is a very sad story and Bacon does service to inform the reader of this moment in America history while not just making it an “event”. Touching on the communities of the region from the bar tenders and fans that would wait for The Fitzgerald at the canals, Bacon captures how important these ships are to these towns and what life is like in this area. As someone raised in the Great Lakes region, I know Bacon captured a part of what makes this region so special. American history buffs should read this, but keep a Kleenex box nearby.
The Gales of November is an emotional character-driven account of November 10th, 1975’s disaster of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking resulting in the death of 29 men. In this account, John U. Bacon delivers information on the wreck and the storm that caused it but also information on the conditions of sailing on the Great Lakes, the history and incentives of shipping over these dangerous cold waters, wrecks and deaths of storms leading up to 1975 and their impact on shipping, and the personal life stories of many sailors that died on Mighty Fitz and the families they leave behind.
This is a very sad story and Bacon does service to inform the reader of this moment in America history while not just making it an “event”. Touching on the communities of the region from the bar tenders and fans that would wait for The Fitzgerald at the canals, Bacon captures how important these ships are to these towns and what life is like in this area. As someone raised in the Great Lakes region, I know Bacon captured a part of what makes this region so special. American history buffs should read this, but keep a Kleenex box nearby.
November 15, 2025
Every, and I mean EVERY angle of the fateful voyage and crew of “the Fitz” is explored. I mostly thought it facinating.
October 23, 2025
A good book with good insight and information, and beautiful delicacy in handling the story of the sailors on the Edmund Fitzgerald. Though there were weaknesses in the weave of the story, there are lessons here America’s shipping is currently forgetting again and this serves as a reminder that regulations are always born of loss.
October 5, 2025
What I knew about the Edmond Fitzgerald before reading this book was only the Gordon Lightfoot song, but I like the song, so why not give the book a shot? And boy am I glad I did!
This book could definitely appeal to a wide audience, and the uninformed, like me, is definitely among them. I knew nothing about great lakes shipping, nothing in particular about ships, and if you had said you'd give me a million dollars if I told you what taconite was, I couldn't have done it. But all of those things were explained in a way that felt smooth and informative without being condescending. I learned a lot of interesting facts about the lakes, and the ship, but far from being a dry tome full of nautical facts and ship specifications, Bacon's account stays very interesting with the inclusion of personal details about the crew members of the Edmond Fitzgerald. You get an idea of what life as a sailor on that ship might have been like through first-hand accounts of former crew.
Getting to know a bit about these people and this ship, all while knowing what was inevitably coming was really interesting and I couldn't stop listening to this audiobook.
This book could definitely appeal to a wide audience, and the uninformed, like me, is definitely among them. I knew nothing about great lakes shipping, nothing in particular about ships, and if you had said you'd give me a million dollars if I told you what taconite was, I couldn't have done it. But all of those things were explained in a way that felt smooth and informative without being condescending. I learned a lot of interesting facts about the lakes, and the ship, but far from being a dry tome full of nautical facts and ship specifications, Bacon's account stays very interesting with the inclusion of personal details about the crew members of the Edmond Fitzgerald. You get an idea of what life as a sailor on that ship might have been like through first-hand accounts of former crew.
Getting to know a bit about these people and this ship, all while knowing what was inevitably coming was really interesting and I couldn't stop listening to this audiobook.
July 23, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. I’ve always been interested in the history of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Great Lakes, having lived near Lake Erie for a large part of my life. This book met all my hopes. I loved how it was expanded beyond just the story of the ship and laid out the history of not only shipping on the Great Lakes but of the towns and cities that were part of the story, as well as astounding facts about the volumes of water, loads, ship sizes and more. It was really fascinating and I highly recommend the book.
November 22, 2025
So complete, so respectful. A wonderful telling of all that could happen or did happen to the Edmund Fitzgerald that fateful day. I lost my cousin, temporary cook Bob Rafferty that day. I learned so much from this book about what his sailing life was probably like. Thank you, John U. Bacon, for writing this book.
August 27, 2025
They say history is written by the victors.
On the Great Lakes, it is written by the survivors.
(p. 25)
I’ve always been fascinated by the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, both because I grew up near a Great Lake and because of Gordon Lightfoot’s song. On the rare occasions that I hear the song on the radio, I always pause and give it my entire attention. After reading The Gales of November, I have an even greater admiration for it. I hadn’t realized that Lightfoot wrote it immediately after the sinking. He later changed a couple of the lyrics when he got new information. (And the version that we hear on the radio was not only the first take by the band, it was the first time the band had ever heard or played the song! Amazing.)
I don’t read a lot of nonfiction compared to my fiction titles but I was really mesmerized by The Gales of November and couldn’t wait to get back to it. The author does a nice job weaving together history about the Edmund Fitzgerald and stories about its crew with information about the Great Lakes and the cities on them and about other shipwrecks. I particularly enjoyed the information on what a powerhouse city Detroit was in the past.
The Great Lakes are more like an inland sea. There’s no salt in the water to hold them down so the waves rise more sharply and crash down in ways that waves don’t behave on oceans. The weather on the Great Lakes (and indeed, in the Great Lakes region, as anyone who lives there knows) is extremely erratic. All of this means working on the Great Lakes is more perilous than most people appreciate.
I always assumed the Edmund Fitzgerald was just another ship on the Great Lakes, but it was actually a big deal in its time. It had only been in service for 18 years when it sank and was expected to last for a century or more. It was the largest ship on the Great Lakes when it was launched and was highly respected.
The book was exhaustively researched and is very respectful of the survivors of the crew. I really felt I got to know some of the crew through the memories of friends and family. Parts of the book are quite moving. The author uses a lot of nautical terms but is good about explaining them, and the book includes a glossary.
I read an advance reader copy of The Gales of November. If you have any interest in shipwrecks or the Great Lakes region, I highly recommend it.
On the Great Lakes, it is written by the survivors.
(p. 25)
I’ve always been fascinated by the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, both because I grew up near a Great Lake and because of Gordon Lightfoot’s song. On the rare occasions that I hear the song on the radio, I always pause and give it my entire attention. After reading The Gales of November, I have an even greater admiration for it. I hadn’t realized that Lightfoot wrote it immediately after the sinking. He later changed a couple of the lyrics when he got new information. (And the version that we hear on the radio was not only the first take by the band, it was the first time the band had ever heard or played the song! Amazing.)
I don’t read a lot of nonfiction compared to my fiction titles but I was really mesmerized by The Gales of November and couldn’t wait to get back to it. The author does a nice job weaving together history about the Edmund Fitzgerald and stories about its crew with information about the Great Lakes and the cities on them and about other shipwrecks. I particularly enjoyed the information on what a powerhouse city Detroit was in the past.
The Great Lakes are more like an inland sea. There’s no salt in the water to hold them down so the waves rise more sharply and crash down in ways that waves don’t behave on oceans. The weather on the Great Lakes (and indeed, in the Great Lakes region, as anyone who lives there knows) is extremely erratic. All of this means working on the Great Lakes is more perilous than most people appreciate.
I always assumed the Edmund Fitzgerald was just another ship on the Great Lakes, but it was actually a big deal in its time. It had only been in service for 18 years when it sank and was expected to last for a century or more. It was the largest ship on the Great Lakes when it was launched and was highly respected.
The book was exhaustively researched and is very respectful of the survivors of the crew. I really felt I got to know some of the crew through the memories of friends and family. Parts of the book are quite moving. The author uses a lot of nautical terms but is good about explaining them, and the book includes a glossary.
I read an advance reader copy of The Gales of November. If you have any interest in shipwrecks or the Great Lakes region, I highly recommend it.
October 15, 2025
Absolutely superb. Powerful. Especially relevant since my father spent his life on the Great Lakes, retiring as a laker captain, and serving as an Upper Great Lakes pilot for salties.
September 13, 2025
“””only thirty know what happened: twenty-nine men,and God””” They’re not talking, and everyone else is just guessing.
When I first came across The Gales of November I immediately knew I had to get my hands on this book. Being a life long Michigander I grew up with this haunting disaster, accompanied by Gordon Lightfoot’s song Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald that stills us all every single time it plays. I cannot put into proper words, or write a review strong enough to do this book justice. The back story, the detail, the abundance of information that hits these pages just brought to life this tragic ship wreck. Huge thank you to Peter Miller at W. W. Norton & Company for this ARC.
When I first came across The Gales of November I immediately knew I had to get my hands on this book. Being a life long Michigander I grew up with this haunting disaster, accompanied by Gordon Lightfoot’s song Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald that stills us all every single time it plays. I cannot put into proper words, or write a review strong enough to do this book justice. The back story, the detail, the abundance of information that hits these pages just brought to life this tragic ship wreck. Huge thank you to Peter Miller at W. W. Norton & Company for this ARC.
October 13, 2025
The Gales of November is the history of the Great Lakes ship, the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank on November 10, 1975 with 29 men on board. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Johnny Heller, and it is just short of 11 hours. Johnny did a great job bringing the story of 'the Fitz' to life. My husband and I listened to the book on a road trip to Michigan, and we couldn't wait to get back in the car so we could continue the book. This isn't just a story about the Fitz - it is a very well written, fascinating history relaying facts about the Great Lakes, the State of Michigan, the shipping industry, and most important it is an account of the men who lost their lives on board. In addition, we get to know the family and friends that were left behind. John U. Bacon adeptly weaves together history, facts, information, and personal stories so that by the time the ship sets sail on November 9 you feel like you have family and friends on board. You know what is going to happen - the ship is going to sink - and yet Bacon delivers the ship's progress across the lake in a riveting manor that lays out details and scenarios I had never heard or considered. My husband and I felt all the emotions and were surprised, shocked, and also very sad. We felt like we had a vested interest in the ship, Lake Superior, as well as the other ships out on the big lake that day. My heart was heavy when the Fitz finally sank. Bacon then wraps up the book beautifully with followup stories on the family and friends we met along the way. While listening to this book I googled many of the locations and ships that were mentioned. I have now added the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point, and the Soo Locks to my list of places to visit.
If you have interest in ship wrecks, the Great Lakes, or the shipping industry I highly recommend John U. Bacon's book. This would make a great gift.
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
If you have interest in ship wrecks, the Great Lakes, or the shipping industry I highly recommend John U. Bacon's book. This would make a great gift.
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
November 21, 2025
I remember hearing about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald from the news broadcasts in Minneapolis. While the ship left from Superior, WI on its fateful trip, it was big news in nearby Duluth and the rest of Minnesota as well. The load of pellets it was carrying was from Reserve Mining in Silver Bay, Minnesota. So when I saw this book offered for review I was naturally interested.
It did not disappoint! Author John U. Bacon does tremendous work here, covering just about any aspect you can think of. This includes the difference between freshwater and ocean seafaring, the structure of the ship, great details on the storm and painstaking detail on what the crew may have been doing while trying to make it safely to Whitefish Bay.
But what makes this book outstanding is Bacon’s portrayal of people. Yes, start with the 29 members of the crew and officers - but he goes much deeper than that. He portrays so many family members in a touching and respectful manner. Which is something Gordon Lightfoot has done ever since he wrote his famous song about the Edmund Fitzgerald. Amazingly, the version we all know is the first take when they recorded it - none of the other attempts sounded as good. Then Lightfoot makes sure the families are recognized and that he is not looking to profit off their sorrow. He treated those people very well right up to his death.
A reader would be hard pressed to find a better book on this topic - mainly because of the humanness Bacon presents to us.
I wish to than Mr. Bacon, the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
It did not disappoint! Author John U. Bacon does tremendous work here, covering just about any aspect you can think of. This includes the difference between freshwater and ocean seafaring, the structure of the ship, great details on the storm and painstaking detail on what the crew may have been doing while trying to make it safely to Whitefish Bay.
But what makes this book outstanding is Bacon’s portrayal of people. Yes, start with the 29 members of the crew and officers - but he goes much deeper than that. He portrays so many family members in a touching and respectful manner. Which is something Gordon Lightfoot has done ever since he wrote his famous song about the Edmund Fitzgerald. Amazingly, the version we all know is the first take when they recorded it - none of the other attempts sounded as good. Then Lightfoot makes sure the families are recognized and that he is not looking to profit off their sorrow. He treated those people very well right up to his death.
A reader would be hard pressed to find a better book on this topic - mainly because of the humanness Bacon presents to us.
I wish to than Mr. Bacon, the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
November 4, 2025
This is the best book I've read this year and one of the best nonfiction books I've ever read. This highly readable and endlessly fascinating account of the Edmund Fitzgerald and its ultimate fate honors the souls lost and respects the families and friends left behind. With so little information to go on re: the actual sinking, the author instead spends a lot of time describing the Edmund Fitzgerald in its glory days (I never realized what a BFD this freighter was apart from the tragedy), detailing the history of the Great Lakes iron ore industry, and telling the stories of some of the crew members and their families and friends.
I was 8 and living in Metro Detroit when the "Fitz" sank. I've always had this memory of being in my childhood living room and hearing the name Edmund Fitzgerald. Whether it was my parents talking about it in real time or perhaps hearing the Gordon Lightfoot song, I can't be sure. However, I've always known the story, but in the abstract. This book not only filled in the details, but personalized it so that by the end, I was quite sad for those lost, but especially for those left behind, many of whom are still alive and, in fact, around my age. I sometimes forget that this historical event happened in my lifetime.
A must-read!
I was 8 and living in Metro Detroit when the "Fitz" sank. I've always had this memory of being in my childhood living room and hearing the name Edmund Fitzgerald. Whether it was my parents talking about it in real time or perhaps hearing the Gordon Lightfoot song, I can't be sure. However, I've always known the story, but in the abstract. This book not only filled in the details, but personalized it so that by the end, I was quite sad for those lost, but especially for those left behind, many of whom are still alive and, in fact, around my age. I sometimes forget that this historical event happened in my lifetime.
A must-read!
October 13, 2025
What is it about ill-fated maritime expeditions? The best nonfiction book I read last year was The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook, and this year it's one about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.
It's a first-rate work of narrative nonficiton. Absolutely gripping story of the storied shipwreck that claimed the lives of all 29 souls aboard. But it's so much more: I learned so much about the conditions on the Great Lakes (because the water isn't weighed down by salt, waves can for higher and closer together). In the century before the Might Fitz sank, these inland seas claimed about 6,000 ships and 30,000 sailors--and those are the low estimates! I also learned a lot about the network of mining, shipping, and manufacturing that (in the words of the author) built the American century. And the bars. Especially the bars.
I read an ARC, which may differ from the final version. I really hope that bit about badgers being rodents gets corrected by the time the first edition hits shelves.
It's a first-rate work of narrative nonficiton. Absolutely gripping story of the storied shipwreck that claimed the lives of all 29 souls aboard. But it's so much more: I learned so much about the conditions on the Great Lakes (because the water isn't weighed down by salt, waves can for higher and closer together). In the century before the Might Fitz sank, these inland seas claimed about 6,000 ships and 30,000 sailors--and those are the low estimates! I also learned a lot about the network of mining, shipping, and manufacturing that (in the words of the author) built the American century. And the bars. Especially the bars.
I read an ARC, which may differ from the final version. I really hope that bit about badgers being rodents gets corrected by the time the first edition hits shelves.
November 17, 2025
This was great and the author event was excellent! What a fantastic speaker! I’ve always been drawn to this story and attend local history events about it, so that probably skews my perspective a bit, but it really was good.
I loved hearing the stories behind the individual sailors and hearing the familiar place names. I had even read a story (or two?) about the rescues mentioned in the book at the Eagle Harbor Lifesaving Museum. Bacon also shares some newer information that sheds a little additional light on the potential contributing factors in the sinking.
Only a couple minor grievances kept this from being 5 stars for me. One is that he repeated several facts a couple of times in the book, sometimes even using the same language. I get that it's a fairly long book, but I do remember facts from the first mention and didn’t care for that repetition. It's almost as if Bacon wanted the chapters to stand alone as articles, especially when using the same wording to relay it. The other issue that I had is that I actually wanted just a little more detail on the sailors and families… I’m thinking about how Junger really pulled the reader into the individual lives in the Perfect Storm. But still a really great read.
I loved hearing the stories behind the individual sailors and hearing the familiar place names. I had even read a story (or two?) about the rescues mentioned in the book at the Eagle Harbor Lifesaving Museum. Bacon also shares some newer information that sheds a little additional light on the potential contributing factors in the sinking.
Only a couple minor grievances kept this from being 5 stars for me. One is that he repeated several facts a couple of times in the book, sometimes even using the same language. I get that it's a fairly long book, but I do remember facts from the first mention and didn’t care for that repetition. It's almost as if Bacon wanted the chapters to stand alone as articles, especially when using the same wording to relay it. The other issue that I had is that I actually wanted just a little more detail on the sailors and families… I’m thinking about how Junger really pulled the reader into the individual lives in the Perfect Storm. But still a really great read.
October 11, 2025
So far, my favorite book of the year. Incredibly moving. Incredibly informative. I don’t think a single aspect of the ship, the crew, the decisions leading up to the event, the storm and the after-effects were not researched and written about….including the Gordon Lightfoot song! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
August 20, 2025
This was SO GOOD!!!!!! I don’t normally gravitate toward nonfiction but this was so well-written and so fascinating, especially with the focus on the victims and their families.
November 8, 2025
The book that was waiting to be written about this shipwreck. My notes below
Great Lakes & shipping
- Lake Superior drops 21 feet to Lake Huron in three quarters of a mile on the St. Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie. Before the Soo Locks were built, traders with pelts in their canoe would portage around the rapids. The main drag of the town is still known as Portage Avenue
- The Northwest Fur Company built the first lock, for those same canoes — 40x9 feet. It was destroyed in the War of 1812.
- The State Lock (350 feet) was finished in 1855 and the iron ore and copper that subsequently flowed through it played a big role in the Union’s victory
- After that a series of bigger and bigger locks were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. When WWII broke out, the MacArthur Lock was built to fuel the "arsenal of democracy" by getting more iron and steel to the factories that were built to make cars and were converted to make tanks, planes, and guns. I didn't think Douglas MacArthur would show up in this book! It was 800 feet long and much deeper than the previous locks. The Soo locks were the most heavily guarded position in North America in WWII. The Fitz was built to be the maximum size that could fit in the MacArthur Lock.
The people
- The author interviewed 14 of the 29 families and was able to get a lot of personal detail in here. It's mostly very sad to think about. It was Captain Ernest McSorley's last run before retirement. Deckhand Bruce Hudson left behind a pregnant girlfriend. After his passing she didn't tell her family she was pregnant or see a doctor until 8 months. Most of the families didn't know each other until after the accident, when they got to know each other through letters, memorial services, and lobbying to protect the legacy and gravesite of the men
- The company operating the ship offered some of the families the victims' last paycheck plus $750 for personal effects. To get any more than that, they had to sue. Some of them settled for about one year's wages. Other than the paychecks, most families never heard anything from the company.
The cause
- It's impossible to know the exact cause with any certainty. For example, did they strike bottom on Six Fathoms Shoal, did the ship snap it half as it hung suspended on two waves, was it swamped entirely by one massive rogue wave? As Bruce Hudson's mom said, "only 30 know what happened: 29 men and God. And they're not talking."
- That being said we know some of the big picture causes: (1) It was the storm of the century, and the ships sailing through it had hardly any information about it; (2) the industry had successfully been lobbying the Coast Guard to repeatedly allow Great Lakes ships to be loaded with more cargo, causing the ships to sit lower in the water. This happened in 1969, 1971, and 1973. Originally, the Fitzgerald was required to have 14 feet 9.25 inches of "freeboard" sitting above the water. By 1973, that was down to 11 feet, 6 inches.
The song
- Lightfoot was already working on a "sea shanty" before the accident, but didn't have any lyrics yet
- The final version that you hear on the radio / spotify is the first time the band ever played the song, and they were improvising as they went along. No one besides Lightfoot had even heard the lyrics
- No one thought it would be a hit -- six minutes long, no chorus, no hook
- Lightfoot changed a few lyrics for live performances over the years. "At 7pm, a main hatchway caved in, he said Fellas, it's been good to know ya" was changed to "At 7pm, it grew dark, it was then, he said Fellas, it's been good to know ya." This was to correct the initial, later discredited, theory that the wreck was caused by the crew not installing the hatch clamps correctly. After visiting the Mariner's Church in Detroit, and meeting with the Reverand who rang the bell 29 times, he changed "musty old hall" to "rustic old hall"
Legacy
- There were 6,000 Great Lakes commercial shipwrecks in the century leading up to 1975. That’s one every week. There have been exactly 0 since. The sinking of the Fitz changed the industry's approach toward risk, and advances in weather radar and communication means that today's ships know much more about approaching storms than the ships of that era did.
Great Lakes & shipping
- Lake Superior drops 21 feet to Lake Huron in three quarters of a mile on the St. Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie. Before the Soo Locks were built, traders with pelts in their canoe would portage around the rapids. The main drag of the town is still known as Portage Avenue
- The Northwest Fur Company built the first lock, for those same canoes — 40x9 feet. It was destroyed in the War of 1812.
- The State Lock (350 feet) was finished in 1855 and the iron ore and copper that subsequently flowed through it played a big role in the Union’s victory
- After that a series of bigger and bigger locks were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. When WWII broke out, the MacArthur Lock was built to fuel the "arsenal of democracy" by getting more iron and steel to the factories that were built to make cars and were converted to make tanks, planes, and guns. I didn't think Douglas MacArthur would show up in this book! It was 800 feet long and much deeper than the previous locks. The Soo locks were the most heavily guarded position in North America in WWII. The Fitz was built to be the maximum size that could fit in the MacArthur Lock.
The people
- The author interviewed 14 of the 29 families and was able to get a lot of personal detail in here. It's mostly very sad to think about. It was Captain Ernest McSorley's last run before retirement. Deckhand Bruce Hudson left behind a pregnant girlfriend. After his passing she didn't tell her family she was pregnant or see a doctor until 8 months. Most of the families didn't know each other until after the accident, when they got to know each other through letters, memorial services, and lobbying to protect the legacy and gravesite of the men
- The company operating the ship offered some of the families the victims' last paycheck plus $750 for personal effects. To get any more than that, they had to sue. Some of them settled for about one year's wages. Other than the paychecks, most families never heard anything from the company.
The cause
- It's impossible to know the exact cause with any certainty. For example, did they strike bottom on Six Fathoms Shoal, did the ship snap it half as it hung suspended on two waves, was it swamped entirely by one massive rogue wave? As Bruce Hudson's mom said, "only 30 know what happened: 29 men and God. And they're not talking."
- That being said we know some of the big picture causes: (1) It was the storm of the century, and the ships sailing through it had hardly any information about it; (2) the industry had successfully been lobbying the Coast Guard to repeatedly allow Great Lakes ships to be loaded with more cargo, causing the ships to sit lower in the water. This happened in 1969, 1971, and 1973. Originally, the Fitzgerald was required to have 14 feet 9.25 inches of "freeboard" sitting above the water. By 1973, that was down to 11 feet, 6 inches.
The song
- Lightfoot was already working on a "sea shanty" before the accident, but didn't have any lyrics yet
- The final version that you hear on the radio / spotify is the first time the band ever played the song, and they were improvising as they went along. No one besides Lightfoot had even heard the lyrics
- No one thought it would be a hit -- six minutes long, no chorus, no hook
- Lightfoot changed a few lyrics for live performances over the years. "At 7pm, a main hatchway caved in, he said Fellas, it's been good to know ya" was changed to "At 7pm, it grew dark, it was then, he said Fellas, it's been good to know ya." This was to correct the initial, later discredited, theory that the wreck was caused by the crew not installing the hatch clamps correctly. After visiting the Mariner's Church in Detroit, and meeting with the Reverand who rang the bell 29 times, he changed "musty old hall" to "rustic old hall"
Legacy
- There were 6,000 Great Lakes commercial shipwrecks in the century leading up to 1975. That’s one every week. There have been exactly 0 since. The sinking of the Fitz changed the industry's approach toward risk, and advances in weather radar and communication means that today's ships know much more about approaching storms than the ships of that era did.
November 16, 2025
The first time I heard of the Mighty Fitz - beyond Lightfoot’s song - was when I visited Michigan to see my friend Nicole (who lives there) and see some spots with her. On our drive up to the U.P., she played a podcast telling the story of the ship. I’ve been intrigued ever since - not *just* by this story, but by the Great Lakes and the large role they play in our lives without many people even realizing it.
So, when I saw this title was coming out, I knew immediately that I would be reading it.
I thought Bacon did a splendid job of telling the stories of the men on board, as well as that of the ship and the history of shipping on the Lakes. He lets you get to know the people and not just the story.
This is one I’m definitely keeping on the shelf.
So, when I saw this title was coming out, I knew immediately that I would be reading it.
I thought Bacon did a splendid job of telling the stories of the men on board, as well as that of the ship and the history of shipping on the Lakes. He lets you get to know the people and not just the story.
This is one I’m definitely keeping on the shelf.
November 20, 2025
This was so interesting and beautifully written. I was unprepared for how deeply I would feel the tragedy. I appreciated how much focused on the men aboard the Fitz, their lives, and their loved ones. It made for the inevitable tragic event and aftermath feeling far heavier and more personal. This was not a book I expected to make me cry but here we are. I also have unlocked a new found appreciation for and interest in Great Lakes maritime history and have a whole list of places I’d like to see and visit.
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