The Gales of November

The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald

by John U. Bacon

“John Bacon has done it again! This is another riveting narrative that puts facts on a still mesmerizing legend. But this is more than getting the details right. Bacon has distilled the essence of the story and rendered a huge monument to those lost and a great gift to the rest of us.”

– Ken Burns, filmaker

Description

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.

John U. Bacon has worked more than three decades as a writer, public speaker, college instructor, radio and TV commentator, and high school hockey coach, winning awards for all five. Bacon studied at the University of Michigan, earning an honors degree in history and a Master’s in Education in 1986 and 1994, respectively. He started his journalism career covering high school sports for The Ann Arbor News, eventually becoming a reporter for the Detroit News, which he left in 1999 to freelance for some two dozen national publications, including the New York Times and Sports Illustrated. He has authored fourteen books on sports, business, health, and history, seven of which are national bestsellers. He is a successful public speaker, and he appears weekly on Michigan Radio and WTKA Sports Talk 1050’s The Michigan Insider. He was awarded the PRNDI prize for nation’s best commentary (all subjects) in 2014 by NPR. Bacon lives in Ann Arbor and Northern Michigan with his wife and son. (paraphrased from https://johnubacon.com/bio/)

A picture of author John U. Bacon on a stormy beach.

Learn more about John U. Bacon and The Gales of November at: johnubacon.com