Graveyard of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books) [Hardcover]

Mark L. Thompson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2000 | Series: Great Lakes Books

An analysis of the economic, social, and psychological factors that have influenced shipwrecks on the Great Lakes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Mark Thompson sets out to construct an historically accurate well-rounded picture of shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. To explain the causes of these events he graphically blends aspects of history and human nature with a broad view of economics, politics, and marine technical advance." -- Bradley A. Rogers, East Carolina University

From the Publisher

For the first time, a historian and seasoned mariner looks beyond the specific circumstances of individual shipwrecks in an effort to reach a clearer understanding of the economic, political, and psychological factors that have influenced the 25,000 wrecks on the Great Lakes over the past 300 years. Looking at the entire tragic history of shipwrecks on North America's expansive inland seas, from the 1679 loss of the Griffon to the mysterious sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975, Mark L. Thompson concludes that a wreck is not an isolated event. In "Graveyard of the Lakes," Thompson suggests that most of the accidents and deaths on the lakes have been the result of human error, ranging from simple mistakes to gross incompetence. In addition to his compelling analysis of the causes of shipwrecks, Thompson includes factual accounts of more than one hundred wrecks. "Graveyard of the Lakes" will forever change the reader's perspective on shipwrecks.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Wayne State University Press (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081432889X
• ISBN-13: 978-0814328897
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,884,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Researched and Entertaining, June 26, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Graveyard of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books) (Hardcover)

Although many books have been written about Great Lakes shipwrecks, Thompson's book offers a new perspective by analyzing the causes of wrecks on a large scale. One can see the various factors that made the Lakes particularly dangerous to navigators throughout their history. Thompson's research is equally impressive. Unlike many other books of the genre, Thompson has actually consulted, in most cases, primary archival sources, in developing his wreck accounts, rather than simply rehashing the work of other authors. Thompson's presentation avoids dry regurgitation of statistics and details through an accessible and entertaining writing style that makes the book a better read than similar books on the subject. Although the book is not comprehensive and contains a few forgiveable historical errors, it remains one of the best books on Great Lakes shipwrecks to come out in recent years.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have, November 14, 2000

By 

"stamour" (Carmel, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Graveyard of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books) (Hardcover)

If you are a maritime enthusiast, Great Lakes visitor, or a history buff then this book is a must own. The pictorials are excellent and each are followed by outstanding descriptions. This book outlines the Great Lakes shipwrecks and how unforgiving these lakes can be.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Armchair Historian, August 10, 2005

By 

Michael Hartley - See all my reviews

This review is from: Graveyard of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books) (Hardcover)

Mark Thompson is a scholar and a sailor. He has also been, in his lifetime, a soldier and a legislator. He is an honest, articulate man with a probing mind. He is also a raconteur with a fine sense of humor. Mark brings all this, and more, to his writing.

The shipwrecks described in GRAVEYARD OF THE LAKES are, in a sense, the exceptions that prove the rule. That is, for every shipwreck or foundering, there are hundreds if not thousands of successfully completed commercial voyages on the Great Lakes. By describing the wrecks and the tragedies and looking to discern overall patterns, we learn what keeps voyages from becoming wrecks and tragedies -- even if it is only not to let hubris reach critical mass.

Mark is no armchair historian. He knows firsthand whereof he writes. In this, of course, there is risk of not having adequate perspective. But in Mark's case, in my opinion, his nearness to his subject, particularly when writing of events which yet are in living memory, is what makes his writing incisive.

I have been, even recently, a shipmate of Mark Thompson. He and I, always in good humor, never lose an opportunity to point out each other's flaws. But I have no flaw to mention in regard to this book. Mark provides both an overall understanding of Great Lakes shipping and a specific understanding of day-to-day details. I highly recommend GRAVEYARD OF THE LAKES to anyone interested in Great Lakes shipping and its history.