Queen of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books Series)

Publisher's Summary

This book is an account of ships that have borne the name Queen of the Lakes, an honorary title indicating that, at the time of its launching, a ship is the longest on the Great Lakes. In one of the most comprehensive books ever written on the maritime history of the lakes, Mark Thompson presents a vignette of each of the dozens of ships that have held the title, chronicling the dates the ship sailed, its dimensions, the derivation of its name, its role in the economic development of the region, and its sailing history. Through the stories of the individual ships, Thompson also describes the growth of ship design on the Great Lakes and the changing nature of the shipping industry on the lakes.

The launching of the fist ship on Lake Ontario in 1678 - the diminutive Frontenac, a small, two-masted vessel of only about 10 tons and no more than 40 or 45 feet long - set in motion an evolutionary process that has continued for more than 300 years. That ship is the direct ancestor of all the ships that ever have operated on the Great Lakes, from the Str. Onoko, launched in February 1882 and the first ship to bear the name Queen of the Lakes, to the Str. W. D. Rees, which held its title only for a few weeks, to the Tregurtha, the longest ship on the lakes in 1981.

Although the ships on the Great Lakes may be surpassed in size and efficiency by many of the modern ocean freighters, Thompson notes that the ships now sailing on the great freshwater seas of North America have achieved a level of operating mastery that is unrivaled anywhere in the world, considering the inherent limitations of the Great Lakes system.

This audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©1994 Wayne State University Press (P)2018 Redwood Audiobooks

Details galore, interesting history!

The author must have done a lot of research in order to provide all of the detailed facts provided in this book. The history of the ships that sail the Great Lakes is quite intriguing and not one that is often talked about but that has played a big part in the development of industry in both the countries that they border. The book is brought to life by the reading of the narrator, who is very enjoyable to listen to.. A must-read for anyone who is looking for a different aspect of history.to explore.

Queen of the Lakes

This was a very interesting book to listen too. I enjoyed Bill Nevitts narration. I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

Fantastic read/listen!

My first read/listen from author Mark L. Thompson was not my typical read. A non-fiction work detailing the Great lakes largest shipping vessels. Highly detailed & well-written, this book may not be for everyone but I found it enjoyable. Bill Nevitt’s narration made the almost 13 book pass quickly. Nevitt 's voice is reminiscent of NFL Films Steve Sabol and adds richness & depth to the reading! I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

Lots of great info!

Not just a history of an appellation given to the finest ship of its time, this is a detailed history of the development and progression of the ships, canals, passenger or cargo functions, and docking within the Great Lakes waterways. The technical information is somewhat daunting yet fascinating. Beginning with the early sailing ships and historically progressing to the ore carriers of today including their designers I found this book fascinating until it was commandeered by a visiting relative who was born along Lake Michigan, went to college at the point of Lake Superior, and now lives along Lake Erie. He did give it back when he went home and I continue to entertain myself in it.
I have the audio narrated by Bill Nevitt who really excels in the clear presentation of arcane and technical matters.

So much to learn from this

This is the first book I’ve read/listened to by this author and I would listen to another.
What a fantastic accumulation of knowledge, presented in a great format.

This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator ( Bill Nevitt ) and I would listen to another. He read this content well and did great keeping my interest.

There are no explicit sex scenes, excessive violence or swearing.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.

Great History

Queen of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books Series) - Great history jam packed with interesting facts. Very interesting and informative about the development of the Great Lakes.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook at my own request, and voluntarily leave this review.

a great history book

a very good history book about the ships named Queen of the Lakes I did enjoy dinner at your very much the book was very informative it was told like a story and it was very interesting and very well written
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

GREAT Lakes

For those of us who grew up on or around the Great Lakes one memory we all share is that of the truly unique freighters that ply their waters. With that in mind, yes, this book has a somewhat narrow focus, but while it may not be for everyone, it is essential for that group of “freighter fans” who know them on sight yet may not know their stories.

With an attention to detail, Mark L. Thompson tells the stories of the largest of these ships – the “Queens of the Lakes” – from drawing board to demise. Not overwhelming with detail but just enough to capture the size and scope of these haulers, with Thompson’s text and Bill Nevitt’s narration you can almost picture them plying the waters of the Great Lakes once again.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

QUEEN OF THE GREAT LAKES

ANOTHER UNIQUE TELLING OF THE HISTORY OF THE GREAT LAKES, BILL NEVITT DID A WONDERFUL JOB WITH THE NARRATION!

In-depth look at the Queens of the Great Lakes

I found this to be a fascinating look. I didn't have much knowledge of ships and never gave them much thought before listening to this book. I figured it sounded like this would be an interesting book to listen to. I was right! Having grown up not far from the Erie Pa./Buffalo NY area, I recognized some of the areas that were discussed and was aware of some of the information (although I never gave it much thought before). This is a very comprehensive book that is obviously well researched. Anything you want to know about the history of ships on the Great Lakes is right here. It is very detailed and covers a lot of history. I never even gave much thought as to how the biggest ship is determined (length, weight?) or how quickly the biggest ship was replaced by an even bigger one. Bill Nevitt did a great job with the narration of this book. I've listened to him before and was just as pleased with this performance as I have been in the past. He is very easy to listen to. I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.
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