The Gales of November

The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald

De: John U. Bacon

Narrado por: Johnny Heller

On the fiftieth anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking, the bestselling author of The Great Halifax Explosion tells the definitive story of the “Mighty Fitz.”

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. 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 lives lost and a propulsive, thrilling narrative history of America’s most-mourned maritime disaster.

“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, filmmaker

©2025 John U. Bacon LLC (P)2025 Recorded Books

Interesting Book with Some Inaccuracies

It was interesting the focus on the families, though some inaccuracies already mentioned in reviews. Some family members may not have been entirely honest in their retelling, despite the great stories that the author could have gathered and told about the sailors. For example, one sailor's daughter claimed to be an only child, and that is known to be inaccurate. Maybe in the future the author can fact check a bit more, but maybe he was overwhelmed by the amount of interviews. It just seems some truly remarkable stories were missed, but overall it was a decent read that attempts to give more perspective on who the men were, though with limited perspective and some inaccuracies.

Superior Just Pure Must Read

Wow! What a great story. What a great history lesson what a great way to honor the family of friends of the victims of the Fitz. Growing up here in stories on this from somebody who lived in Michigan as a teenage during this time and having listened to the Gordon Lightfoot song… man this just puts in a whole new perspective. It is a great read..

Inside dynamics and happenings

I will listen again, it skips around covering so much emotional and descriptive commentary from so many different perspectives… the good news, the bad news. It was respectfully written and covered… the final moments acknowledging the loss of the 29 lives that night have secured a new respect for sailors lives and safety. No further losses on the Great Lakes in the last 50 years are noted since that fateful storm of the century on November 10, 1975. The site now declared a national gravesite by the Canadian government so deep in the waters of Lake Superior a mere 17 miles NW of the Maritime Museum. The weather on November 11 was clear and the lake was glass. It was a series of small decisions that were impacted by timing issues and perhaps missteps by the Coast Guard monitoring station, a stoic ship captain with so much experience behind the helm who was hobbled by lack of communication about weather and conditions, the structural problems that were occurring in the roiling, pitching waters.

Book of the year!

Wow. This was an incredible book. The author thoroughly researched and interviewed to create a vivid recreation of the final hours of the men aboard the Edmund Fitzgerald. He did an excellent job describing the Michigan mining industry and the importance of maritime shipping, and he made it crystal clear just how and why the Great Lakes are so much more powerful than people give credit. I’m so thankful for historians who bring people back to life and allow us to get to know and love them again. The tension and fear were real and I felt on the verge of tears for the final moments. (I even paused it several times between the 4pm and final radio calls.) 20 out of 10. Best book of the year.

Beautiful Story

Gripping and informative. Great narration and spending time living in Michigan i was fortunate to experience the beauty of The Great Lakes and i did experience a tour of the locks before knowing the critical part it played for Detroit Auto industry.

The part of Gordon Lightfood some was enlightening which I've heard this song many Times and Will relate to it much differently now.

Great history lesson