The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

 

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.”

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.  A free book was provided for an honest review.

October 2025; Liveright; 978-1324094647
audio, ebook, print (464 pages); history nonfiction

On November 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald, the biggest, best, and most profitable ship on the Great Lakes, sank in Lake Superior during the 'storm of the century'.  Facing 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 on board down with her.  

This book was a mixture of the history of shipping on the Great Lakes and background about the crew, much of it told by friends and family.  I knew a bit about the Edmund Fitzgerald, but not that when it went down, it was the best-made ship on the water with a well-seasoned captain who was admired by all.  There was a lot of information about the history of shipping as well as the building of the Fitzgerald.  These boats were crucial to the early auto production in Detroit as well as other cities.  I found that part of the book interesting, but to me, the best part of the book was the information about the crew and what their jobs were on the ship.  There were several men interviewed who made last-minute decisions not to go on that final voyage, and sad stories about many - the captain who planned to retire after this one last voyage, and other men who had just started working the ship.  His research was so good that I felt like I knew some of these men and, yes, I shed a few tears at their loss.

Many people who live near the Great Lakes remember the storm and remember where they were when they first heard about the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  Others have only heard about it from the wonderful song written and sung by Gordon Lightfoot (The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald).  Others know nothing about it.  No matter which category you fall into, this is a book that you don't want to miss.  The author has done extensive research and makes the story come alive with his descriptions of the crew and the captain who went down with the ship.  I don't read a lot of nonfiction because I find it pretty dry, but this book was a real page turner, especially during the ship's final hours as the author re-created what must have been going on in the ship during the high winds and 50-foot waves.  The Gales of November is an emotional tribute to the lives lost and a propulsive, page-turning history of the loss of this great ship and its crew.

Lyrics from The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot

"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 15 more miles behind her

They might have split up or they might have capsized

They may have broke deep and took water

And all that remains is the faces and the names

Of the wives and the sons and the daughters"

Buy The Gales of November at Amazon

Susan Roberts grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is three hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west.  She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction.   

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