Ep. 790: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Published: 2025-11-10 10:00:00

Description Show ▼

Steven Rinella talks with best selling author John U. Bacon about his new book, The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Joined by Brody Henderson, Randall Williams, Phil Taylor, and Corinne Schneider.

Topics: A room full of hockey lovers; the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald; how and why The Great Lakes are so much more dangerous than the ocean; a thin, long ship; the waves of Lake Superior; unloading, reloading, and sailing; the best captain and the best crew; Whitefish Bay; what made the ship break apart?; the people, their stories, and the voices of their families; and more.

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Referenced Books

The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald

by John U. Bacon

This is the main book being discussed in the podcast interview. It's about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and was released for the 50th anniversary of the wreck.

Referenced at 00:02:49

The Perfect Storm

by Sebastian Junger

Hampton Sides compared 'The Gales of November' to this book in his blurb, describing it as one of the great shipwreck narratives. Sebastian Junger is noted as having been on the podcast previously.

Referenced at 00:07:08

Dead Wake

by Erik Larson

Another book mentioned in Hampton Sides' blurb comparing it to 'The Gales of November.' The hosts mention they should try to get Erik Larson on the show.

Referenced at 00:07:08

In the Heart of the Sea

by Nathaniel Philbrick

Third book mentioned in Hampton Sides' blurb as comparable to 'The Gales of November' in terms of being a great shipwreck narrative.

Referenced at 00:07:08

The Great Halifax Explosion

by John U. Bacon

John Bacon's previous book from 2017 about a World War I disaster in Halifax harbor when a ship carrying explosives collided with another ship and exploded. Bacon mentions this was his first foray into deep history before writing about the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Referenced at 00:17:08

Let Them Lead

by John U. Bacon

John Bacon's book about coaching his old high school hockey team in Ann Arbor. He describes himself as 'the worst player in school history' who played 86 games without scoring a goal. The book is in its fifth printing and is being developed as a potential project with Disney Plus.

Referenced at 00:40:01