The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund FitzgeraldThe Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald
What it's about
On the fiftieth anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in a Lake Superior storm in 1975, John U. Bacon, author of The Great Halifax Explosion, tells the definitive story of the 'Mighty Fitz', its crew and the tragedy that inspired a famous song.
Why it's worth reading
It has spent 16 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a gripping work of narrative history.
You'll love it if you liked
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
The Boys in the Boat
WarGood to know
It covers the ship's history and the people aboard, not just the final night.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller31 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz30 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #164 of the 198 history books we rank
- #261 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1503 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald worth reading?
Yes. It has spent 16 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,503 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald about?
On the fiftieth anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in a Lake Superior storm in 1975, John U. Bacon, author of The Great Halifax Explosion, tells the definitive story of the 'Mighty Fitz', its crew and the tragedy that inspired a famous song.
How long does it take to read The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald?
About 11 hours (442 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald?
If you liked it, try Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown or War by Sebastian Junger.