Queen of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books Series)

By: Mark L. Thompson

Narrated by: Bill Nevitt

Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins

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

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The narrator pronounced Mackinac wrong but other well worth the purchase. Very informative and interesting for a boat nerd.

Queen of the Lakes

Like another reviewer mentioned, I thought that this book was about the ship The Edmund Fitzgerald. While this ship is featured in the book, it is not the main focus.

If you are interested in the history of big freighter ships and their impact on the Great Lakes region, this is a well researched book with a ton of details. I will admit that I listened to the book at a fairly fast speed because of the amount of facts and figures contained therein. It is well-written and well-composed and the author definitely knows this field well. The subject matter could have come across as very dull and boring, but the author keeps it interesting.

The narrator, Bill Nevitt, does a great job with what could have a very dry subject. I was given the chance to listen to the audiobook version of this book by the narrator/author/publisher and chose to review it.

Great for Ship lovers

Definitely not a book for everyone. Highly detailed information on the great ships that sailed the lakes.

Seems like a great book, if you are into this type

This is my bad. I thought that this book was about the Edward Fitzgerald ship. I have no idea where I got that idea. This might be just what readers want, that is, the ones that do a better job of reading the book blurb. Now for the obligatory: "I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review." "I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.”

Comprehensive History on Ships of the Great Lakes

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This review is for the audio copy of Queen of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books Series) by Mark L. Thompson and narrated by Bill Nevitt. This was an unexpected opportunity to listen to a history book about the ships of the Great Lakes and how they contributed to the growth of America. It was very comprehensive and full of details. It was made very easy to listen to thanks to the voice of Bill Nevitt.

Thompson made this subject fascinating!

I liked the personal touches included in this story. Stories of the men who served were intertwined with the history of the commercial hauling fleet on the Great Lakes. We not only learned about the ships but also how their creators, crews and public thought about them.
I found myself really caring about those grand ships.

Packed with Great Lakes Maritime Facts

In the prologue, Mark L Thompson tells us that he researched this book in the off-seasons from his own service on ships of the Great Lakes. This certainly shows in the detail of not only the ships carrying the unofficial title of 'Queen of the Lakes' but also with a history of the shipping industry of the Great Lakes from it's earliest inception. Along the way, we see the evolution from tiny wooden ships to the giant steel freighters of today and the innovative equipment invented to aid in the movement of products around the lakes. Bill Nevitt's narration delivers the perfect scholarly tone to the book.

Before listening to this audiobook, I only knew about the Edmund Fitzgerald. It has given me a much broader picture and appreciation of the shipping industry of the Great Lakes. Highly recommended.

I requested and received a free copy of this audiobook and this is my voluntary review of 'Queen of the Lakes'.

Interesting Listen

Queen of the Lakes by Mark L Thompson appealed to me from having grown up and remembering when the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk in November 1975. I found the book to be full of information and history. Bill Nevitt performed this book the way I expect an informational book to be told.

good history

Other than a few truly horrible mispronunciations of local names, it was very well read. The guy seriously could not pronounce cuyahoga. It was distracting

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.