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by William Ratigan (Author), Reynold H. Weidenaar (Illustrator)
True stories of maritime tragedy and endurance
In this breathtaking chronicle, William Ratigan provides vivid accounts of the most catastrophic shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. The doomed vessels that Ratigan discusses include the magnificent excursion liner Eastland, which capsized in the Chicago River, drowning hundreds of people a short distance from the pier; the steel freighter Mataafa, which dumped its crew into freezing waters while the snowbound town of Duluth looked on; the dark Sunday in November 1913 when Lake Huron swallowed eight ships; and the bitter November of 1958 when the Bradley went down in Lake Michigan during one of the greatest killer storms in the region. An entire section is dedicated to the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald--one of the most famous maritime disasters in modern times--in Lake Superior in 1975. Watercolor illustrations, photographs, maps, and news clippings enrich Ratigan's compelling storytelling. Sailors, historians, and general readers alike will be moved by these memorable accounts of tragedy and heroism.
Author Biography
William Ratigan (1910-1984) had a diverse career that ranged from serving as a dockmaster in Charlevoix, Michigan, to consulting for the Smithsonian Institute, teaching journalism at UCLA, and working as an NBC network news director. He wrote several books on the Great Lakes region, including Soo Canal! and Straits of Mackinac!
