At the height of America’s postwar boom, no region was more vital to the nation’s economic strength than the Great Lakes. It was the beating heart of the global economy—possessing all the power and prestige that Silicon Valley enjoys today. This industrial dominance depended on Great Lakes freighters getting iron ore from the shores of Lake Superior to the factories in Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland.Few endeavors have bound time so mercilessly to money as Great Lakes shipping did at its peak, and no vessel had been more perfectly designed to maximize both than the S. S. Edmund Fitzgerald. At 75 feet wide and 729 feet long, the Fitzgerald was at the time of her launch the largest ship on the lakes, and she repeatedly broke her own records for the largest loads, the fastest runs, and the biggest season hauls throughout her career. She was a champion heavyweight, sprinter, and workhorse, all in one.But on November 10, 1975, when 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 Fitzgerald’s captain and crew and a propulsive, page-turning narrative history of America’s most-mourned shipwreck.About the Author:John U. Bacon has authored fourteen books on sports, business, and history, the last seven of which are critically acclaimed national bestsellers, including five New York Times bestsellers. He lives in Ann Arbor and Northern Michigan with his wife and son.#edmundfitzgerald #authorpodcast #podcast #johnubacon

Drawing on vivid contemporary accounts, this is a fascinating exploration of how and why the Revolutionary War descended into a brutal existential struggle.This engrossing history of the Revolutionary War conclusively shows that those caught up in it believed they had nothing to lose by fighting without regard for the rules of so-called “civilized warfare.” The clarion call to arms “Liberty or Death” was far more than just rhetoric. At its grimmest level, it was a conflict in which military restraint was more the exception than the rule, a struggle in which combatants believed their very existence was in question. This led to an acceptance of violence against persons and property as preferable to a defeat equated with political, cultural, and even physical extinction. It was war with an expectation and acceptance of ferocity and brutality – anything to avoid defeat.A number of historians have previously concluded that United States' founding struggle reached a level of ferocity few Americans now associate with the movement for independence. However, these studies have described what happened, without looking in detail at why the conflict took such a violent a turn. Written by two esteemed Revolutionary War historians, War Without Mercy does exactly that. Based on years of research and enlivened by little known primary sources, this is an intriguing and fresh look at a period of history we thought we knew.Mark Edward Lender is Professor Emeritus of History at Kean University. He is author or co-author of more than a dozen books including, with James Kirby Martin, the acclaimed A Respectable Army: The Military Origins of the Republic, 1763–1789 (Wiley, 2015) – which for several years was required reading at West Point – and, with Garry Wheeler Stone, the award-winning Fatal Sunday: George Washington, the Monmouth Campaign, and the Politics of Battle (University of Oklahoma Press, 2016). He served on the design team for the Army’s special 250th Anniversary Exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Army. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.#americanrevolution #americanrevolutionarywar #1776 #authorpodcast #speakingofwriterspodcast

REAR WINDOW: The Making of a Hitchcock Masterpiece in the Golden Age of Hollywood examines this complex, fascinating film, its multiple layers and subsequent cinematic impact. Made at his creative peak, Hitchcock’s Rear Window influenced filmmaking in the years that followed, and its timeless themes now align with today’s digital culture. This deep dive will also strike a chord with cultural history buffs fascinated by the turbulent politics of Hollywood and America in the 1950s.Jennifer O’Callaghan has worked as a reporter for Metro News, Shaw TV, and CKUA radio in news, entertainment, and lifestyle beats. She has also appeared as a red-carpet reporter for the web entertainment site MyBroadway.com, and as host on Paradetown USA on NYC-TV. She has interviewed celebrities including Will Ferrell, Meryl Streep, Liza Minnelli, and Cameron Diaz, and appeared as a featured model on The Today Show and The View. She currently lives in Toronto.#speakingofwriterspodcast #alfredhitchcock #authorpodcast #podcast #jennifer O'Callaghan #books #bookpodcast