2025, the year THE GALES OF NOVEMBER was published, in particular November 10, 2025, marked 50 years since the Great Lakes ship EDMUND FITZGERALD, along with her entire crew of 29 men, went missing, to be found later at the bottom of Lake Superior. This book is John U Bacon's most excellent retelling of the wreck of the EDMUND FITZGERALD, including some history of Great Lakes shipping and ship wrecks, the sailors lives onboard and off the ship, possible reasons for the wreck, the search for the ship, and the aftermath.

Many facts here may surprise you, especially if you aren't familiar with the Great Lakes (such as with their size) but even if you are. Even someone who, for instance, grew up around Lake Huron, another of the Great Lakes, may not be familiar with the extent of Great Lakes shipping.

Interesting facts such as these could be like a textbook, though, i.e., monotonous, but THE GALES OF NOVEMBER never lets this go on too long without humanizing with stories of the crew, their plans, and what might have happened to them. For sure, a lot of people are involved, and that means lots of names. But Bacon reminds his readers who everyone is whenever he mentions them.

I hope that Bacon wins awards for this book. He certainly deserves to.