I’m bored, you’re bored, we’re all bored. I thought I’d pull out all my Great Lakes books and put together a reading list.
Many of these are available on Kindle, others are hard copy only.
The granddaddy of them all is The Long Ships Passing: The Story of the Great Lakes by Walter Havighurst. Originally published in 1942 and updated in 1975, this is the one many authors count as their inspiration.
Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals by William Ratigan. Originally published in 1960, updated in 1977 with a section on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, this was the book I was given in 1991 that inspired my Great Lakes wreck obsession. It served the same for many authors and shipwreck enthusiasts.
Anything by Michael Schumacher:
November’s Fury: The Deadly Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913 (my favorite by this author). This is on the deadliest storm on the Great Lakes. It sent eight freighters to the bottom on Lake Huron alone. The Regina, which went down on Lake Huron, is a favorite dive of mine.
The Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Wreck of the Carl D. This is about the wreck of the Carl D. Bradley, which broke in two on the surface of Lake Michigan in November 1958, with two survivors. Has a section on the sinking of the Cedarville, which went down in 1965, after a collision in the Straits of Mackinac (an awesome dive, by the way)
Torn in Two. This is on the sinking of the Daniel J. Morrell, which broke in two on the surface of Lake Huron in November 1966, with one survivor.
Graveyard of the Lakes by Mark L. Thompson. This one is different in that the author looks at the different reasons for wrecks (groundings, fires, foundering, collisions, and the human factor).
The Shipwreck Thomas Hume by Valerie Van Heest and William Lafferty
Lost & Found: Legendary Lake Michigan Shipwrecks by V.O. Van Heest
Lost on the Lady Elgin by Valerie Van Heest
Stories from the Wreckage: A Great Lakes Maritime History Inspired by Shipwrecks by John Odin Jensen. This one goes into a lot of detail about wooden schooners and wooden freighters in Wisconsin waters. Goes into a lot of detail about construction I found valuable when I’m diving actual wrecks.
Anything by Frederick Stonehouse. His most well-know book is The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, originally published in 1977.
Shipwrecks of Lake Superior, edited by James R. Marshall. Part wreck history, part diving guide
Diving guides
Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, Vol. 1 by Eric Petkovic
Lake Erie Technical Diving Guide by Eric Petkovic
Shipwreck Mongraph Series, Book One: John J. Boland, Jr. by Eric Petkovic
Shipwrecks of the Straits of Mackinac by Charles and Jeri Feltner (Chuck died earlier this year)
Some of the books by Cris Kohl are actually written for divers, although others are more general wreck history
The Great Lakes Diving Guide is a 600+ page bible of wrecks and other inland diving sites near the Great Lakes. I affectionately call this book “Wrecks R Us.”
Great Lakes Shipwrecks: Recent Discoveries and Updates is a companion volume to the Great Lakes Diving Guide.
Shipwrecks at Death’s Door
Canada’s 150 Most Famous Great Lakes Shipwrecks
The 100 Best Great Lakes Shipwrecks, Vol. 1 and 2
Shipwreck Tales of the Great Lakes
The Christmas Tree Ship
Great Lakes shipping for us boatnerds
Any of the Know Your Ships: Field Guide to Boats & Boatwatching, Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway annual editions. First issued in 1959. Available from The 2020 KYS is Here!
Know Your Ships: Decades (limited edition printing that sold out. Might search for a used one)
Boatnerd website: Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping - BoatNerd.Com Tons of pictures
Many groups on FaceBook are dedicated to Great Lakes wrecks and shipping (current and past)
Songs about the Great Lakes
Lee Murdock is a folk singer/songwriter/guitarist that has focused on the music of the Great Lakes, both old and contemporary songs, for approximately 30 years. I’ve gone to his annual “Christmas Ship” concert at the Chicago Maritime Museum the past two years. You can find his music on any of the various digital music platforms, as well as YouTube. My favorite CD is Great Lakes Chronicle.
Many of these are available on Kindle, others are hard copy only.
The granddaddy of them all is The Long Ships Passing: The Story of the Great Lakes by Walter Havighurst. Originally published in 1942 and updated in 1975, this is the one many authors count as their inspiration.
Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals by William Ratigan. Originally published in 1960, updated in 1977 with a section on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, this was the book I was given in 1991 that inspired my Great Lakes wreck obsession. It served the same for many authors and shipwreck enthusiasts.
Anything by Michael Schumacher:
November’s Fury: The Deadly Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913 (my favorite by this author). This is on the deadliest storm on the Great Lakes. It sent eight freighters to the bottom on Lake Huron alone. The Regina, which went down on Lake Huron, is a favorite dive of mine.
The Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Wreck of the Carl D. This is about the wreck of the Carl D. Bradley, which broke in two on the surface of Lake Michigan in November 1958, with two survivors. Has a section on the sinking of the Cedarville, which went down in 1965, after a collision in the Straits of Mackinac (an awesome dive, by the way)
Torn in Two. This is on the sinking of the Daniel J. Morrell, which broke in two on the surface of Lake Huron in November 1966, with one survivor.
Graveyard of the Lakes by Mark L. Thompson. This one is different in that the author looks at the different reasons for wrecks (groundings, fires, foundering, collisions, and the human factor).
The Shipwreck Thomas Hume by Valerie Van Heest and William Lafferty
Lost & Found: Legendary Lake Michigan Shipwrecks by V.O. Van Heest
Lost on the Lady Elgin by Valerie Van Heest
Stories from the Wreckage: A Great Lakes Maritime History Inspired by Shipwrecks by John Odin Jensen. This one goes into a lot of detail about wooden schooners and wooden freighters in Wisconsin waters. Goes into a lot of detail about construction I found valuable when I’m diving actual wrecks.
Anything by Frederick Stonehouse. His most well-know book is The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, originally published in 1977.
Shipwrecks of Lake Superior, edited by James R. Marshall. Part wreck history, part diving guide
Diving guides
Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, Vol. 1 by Eric Petkovic
Lake Erie Technical Diving Guide by Eric Petkovic
Shipwreck Mongraph Series, Book One: John J. Boland, Jr. by Eric Petkovic
Shipwrecks of the Straits of Mackinac by Charles and Jeri Feltner (Chuck died earlier this year)
Some of the books by Cris Kohl are actually written for divers, although others are more general wreck history
The Great Lakes Diving Guide is a 600+ page bible of wrecks and other inland diving sites near the Great Lakes. I affectionately call this book “Wrecks R Us.”
Great Lakes Shipwrecks: Recent Discoveries and Updates is a companion volume to the Great Lakes Diving Guide.
Shipwrecks at Death’s Door
Canada’s 150 Most Famous Great Lakes Shipwrecks
The 100 Best Great Lakes Shipwrecks, Vol. 1 and 2
Shipwreck Tales of the Great Lakes
The Christmas Tree Ship
Great Lakes shipping for us boatnerds
Any of the Know Your Ships: Field Guide to Boats & Boatwatching, Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway annual editions. First issued in 1959. Available from The 2020 KYS is Here!
Know Your Ships: Decades (limited edition printing that sold out. Might search for a used one)
Boatnerd website: Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping - BoatNerd.Com Tons of pictures
Many groups on FaceBook are dedicated to Great Lakes wrecks and shipping (current and past)
Songs about the Great Lakes
Lee Murdock is a folk singer/songwriter/guitarist that has focused on the music of the Great Lakes, both old and contemporary songs, for approximately 30 years. I’ve gone to his annual “Christmas Ship” concert at the Chicago Maritime Museum the past two years. You can find his music on any of the various digital music platforms, as well as YouTube. My favorite CD is Great Lakes Chronicle.