New Fitzgerald Books and Magazines

[Denny]

Hi Jared, No I’m not from the Port Huron area but I live close enough to it as far as it taking me about an hour drive up there and about 50 miles or so to drive up there one way. You are indeed correct Jared as far as the B&N store carrying far more of Stonehouse’s books and other books on Michigan as well. The Barnes & Noble in Port Huron I’ve always liked and enjoyed that location as they have a better variety and selection of books and magazines to your point Jared than any other Barnes and Noble stores in my area. I often wonder perhaps if it’s related to the facts that the one in Port Huron is close to the water mainly Lake Huron & the St. Clair River as to why they carry more than the other locations do? The Port Huron location definitely has and sells more copies of the Know Your Ships books than any other locations around my area that’s for sure and certain! I just wish though that it wasn’t so far to drive up there and back to it. For me, it’s at least a 100 mile or so round trip on a tank of gas and also it would take me more than 2 hours plus to drive up there and back as well. That’s not even counting any stops along the way or stopping to eat something as well. It makes it much easier for me just to try and go and shop at my local Barnes and Noble stores in my area than to try and drive all the way up there and back! Much shorter driving and it saves me time and more importantly money and gas as well. Thanks so very much Jared for your comments and feedback as I appreciate them.

[Jared]

Congratulations Brian as that is certainly great news to hear! Glad you were able to get the hardcover edition and an added bonus as well with it being signed by Fred Stonehouse himself. I just put in and sent my family this week my Christmas list and I too included Stonehouse’s 50th Anniversary edition of his book. However, due to budget issues with Christmas spending I can only ask for the softcover edition as that is less expensive than the hardcover edition is. I just wish that the Barnes & Noble Bookstores in my area would have a copy of it at their stores or possibly order it for me. Years ago I seem to recall the B&N stores in my area used to carry some of Stonehouse’s books yet I haven’t seen that now in a long time and many years now. You’d think with this being the 50th Anniversary year of the sinking that the B&N stores would have more books and carry more than they do. I guess & suppose you can say that Amazon and the other online shopping sites have virtually taken away having Barnes and Noble carry the stuff like they once used to have.

Denny, I think you are from the Port Huron area? The Barnes and Noble up there carries a lot of Stonehouse and local Michigan books. Far more than any other locations that I have visited.

[Denny]

Congratulations Brian as that is certainly great news to hear! Glad you were able to get the hardcover edition and an added bonus as well with it being signed by Fred Stonehouse himself. I just put in and sent my family this week my Christmas list and I too included Stonehouse’s 50th Anniversary edition of his book. However, due to budget issues with Christmas spending I can only ask for the softcover edition as that is less expensive than the hardcover edition is. I just wish that the Barnes & Noble Bookstores in my area would have a copy of it at their stores or possibly order it for me. Years ago I seem to recall the B&N stores in my area used to carry some of Stonehouse’s books yet I haven’t seen that now in a long time and many years now. You’d think with this being the 50th Anniversary year of the sinking that the B&N stores would have more books and carry more than they do. I guess & suppose you can say that Amazon and the other online shopping sites have virtually taken away having Barnes and Noble carry the stuff like they once used to have.

[Guest]

I managed to get a hardback copy of Fred Stonehouse's 50th Anniversary of the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" direct from the publisher Avery Color Studios for mailing to my location in Canada. They were nice enough to send me a copy that was signed by Fred Stonehouse.


- Brian

[c ships]

Went to Split Rock lighthouse memorial for the Edmund Fitzgerald, they had Stonehouse 50th book there and Denny, I have the Lake Superior magazine for Oct /Nov. 2025 edition but I don't know how to get it to you. Thanks Andy.

[Guest]

Thanks much Denny

[Denny]

Just happened to notice today while doing my shopping. The Michigan History Magazine’s latest edition has the Edmund Fitzgerald on the cover and a story included inside with pictures as well. The price for the magazine is $8.95 a copy for anyone interested in purchasing a copy. I made sure to pick up a copy for myself today. Anyone that is interested, you may want to hurry and get a copy of the latest Michigan History Magazine then before they are all gone and Sold Out! With this being the 50th Anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald this year, I’m sure that magazine will be a very popular issue with many purchasing a copy of it then. Just thought I’d let all of my boatnerd friends know about this before the magazine is all Sold Out and gone then. Thank You.

[Guest]

Judging by the number of AI-generated videos on Youtube about the Edmund Fitzgerald with ridiculous titles, such as "Archeologists Have Recently Found This About the Edmund Fitzgerald" and other nonsense, yet they gets millions of views. So I would say that the Edmund Fitzgerald garners a lot of interest from the public. There is one guy on Youtube pushing a video about a distress call coming from the Edmund Fitzgerald, which is nonsense.

Yes they do get millions of views, but unfortunately a lot of that is basically click bait that those individuals posting those videos have a financial incentive for creating this content. These millions of hits are on a global level and many are probably repeats of either multiple views of the same video by one person and/or single hits by individuals clicking on links appearing on default browser tabs such as found on Google and Explorer. Search engines will often take your search information and create links on these default search tabs to identical subject matter much of which is repeats and/basically useless information for the most part. To test this out, just simply go into search bar a few times and look up a subject you have not looked at previously and within a very short period of time you will likely start seeing links on these pages that correspond in some way to your search history patterns.

With a global audience even comparatively large numbers can be small. Given the world's current population is just over an estimated 8 billion people, if divide that by half (4 billion) to estimate the number of people likely to have internet access (and this is probably a low estimate of actual internet users) it is easy to calculate that even a video with 3 million views would mean that only 1 in 1,333 users viewed that particular video or only .0004% of all users. Of course, this calculation does not take into account the length of time the video has been available, multiple visits by the same user, or other factors such as renewed short term interest in the upcoming 50th anniversary of the sinking. I know of one so-called influencer that has a cadre of followers and acquaintances that he contacts just before posting a video to ensure that he starts to receive as many hits as possible to increase his exposure. Since there is a financial incentive for producing this content, I'm certain that there are some individuals that scour the internet looking for subjects like this to produce content to increase traffic to their websites/channels. Therefore, I don't find it surprising that, as you noted, there is a plethora of useless content with misleading titles and false information. I don't think anyone is saying that there is little or no interest in the Fitzgerald story, it is just that it is something unknown to most people away from the lakes and is in fact not a history changing event.

[Guest]

Judging by the number of AI-generated videos on Youtube about the Edmund Fitzgerald with ridiculous titles, such as "Archeologists Have Recently Found This About the Edmund Fitzgerald" and other nonsense, yet they gets millions of views. So I would say that the Edmund Fitzgerald garners a lot of interest from the public. There is one guy on Youtube pushing a video about a distress call coming from the Edmund Fitzgerald, which is nonsense.

[Guest]

I would’ve thought with this being the 50th anniversary of the Fitzgerald sinking, there would be more magazines and articles printed and written about it. Take for instance, National Geographic, Newsweek and Time I had thought anyway would all have something to say about it. Many years ago I have a copy of a National Geographic Magazine that had a very nice article on the Fitzgerald. Sorry folks as I don’t recall exactly when it was other than sometime I think in the 1990s decade maybe? Wishful thinking but, I’d like to see TV stations like History Channel or Discovery or anything like them talk about this being the 50th Anniversary of the sinking. Ok so I admit everyone that I may be asking for too much but, how are ones to ever learn and to understand the tragedy and sinking IF the media doesn’t talk about it then? If I ever had any kids, I would surely tell them about the Fitzgerald then I’d take them to all the Museums and to Whitefish Point so they’d know first and foremost the history and the legend and the legacy of the Big & Mighty Fitz. Just my two cents and thoughts and opinions only here and nothing else!

Unless someone is interested in maritime history, and in particularly anything in relation to Great Lakes shipping, the loss of the Fitzgerald is an extremely regionally based topic of interest. Simply put, outside of the Great Lakes region there is almost no awareness of this shipwreck or even the rich history of shipping on the lakes. As such, national publications such as Newsweek, Time, and National Geographic have really no reason to carry any extensive coverage of a 50th anniversary commemoration of the sinking. Some regional newspapers will undoubtedly carry reports but as you get further away from the Great Lakes region such reports will become harder to find if at all. In fact, I tend to believe that had the internet not come along and grown in popularity in the time since, there would today be even fewer people aware of the Fitzgerald story. When the sinking occurred in 1975, it was a natural that the event would garner national/international attention but by this time, some 50 years later, there is relatively little interest in this story among the general public and thus coverage in this anniversary will be likewise extremely limited.

In addition, with only around 20% of the US population being old enough to have memories stretching back to 1975 the Fitzgerald has passed into becoming just another historical event to most people. As one that is old enough to remember this event, I can attest to the fact that although there was a considerable amount of short-term interest in the sinking outside of those with a special interest in Great Lakes shipping, this did fade rather quickly. It was, however, only after that song came out that this whole episode took on a life of its own.

[Denny]

I would’ve thought with this being the 50th anniversary of the Fitzgerald sinking, there would be more magazines and articles printed and written about it. Take for instance, National Geographic, Newsweek and Time I had thought anyway would all have something to say about it. Many years ago I have a copy of a National Geographic Magazine that had a very nice article on the Fitzgerald. Sorry folks as I don’t recall exactly when it was other than sometime I think in the 1990s decade maybe? Wishful thinking but, I’d like to see TV stations like History Channel or Discovery or anything like them talk about this being the 50th Anniversary of the sinking. Ok so I admit everyone that I may be asking for too much but, how are ones to ever learn and to understand the tragedy and sinking IF the media doesn’t talk about it then? If I ever had any kids, I would surely tell them about the Fitzgerald then I’d take them to all the Museums and to Whitefish Point so they’d know first and foremost the history and the legend and the legacy of the Big & Mighty Fitz. Just my two cents and thoughts and opinions only here and nothing else!

[Darryl1]

Since we are talkin' media associated with the 50-year anniversary of the sinking of the Fitzgerald, I will mention Time Arc Theater in downtown Superior, WI is doing a play about Great Lakes shipwrecks with the Bradley, Morrel and ultimately the Fitzgerald highlighting the high point of the production. The play has a dream-like quality to it with some actors symbolizing different aspects of weather phenomenon and lots of music and songs. It is quite entertaining, and moving at the end. I think it runs through the first weekend in November maybe?

[Denny]

I’ve already gotten my copies and thanks for the link and update on the KYS Extra Magazine Great Laker. Hope everybody got a copy of that magazine.

[GreatLaker]

The Know Your Ships Extra magazine mentioned below is available at knowyourships.com/extra

[Denny]

Yesterday I received my copy of the Inland Seas Quarterly Journal from the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo. The Fall 2025 issue is dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald and its sinking. They did a very nice, excellent and fantastic job with putting the Journal together and covering the Fitzgerald with numerous stories and articles along with many photos as well. I highly recommend and suggest to anyone that is interested, contact the NMGL in Toledo to ask and request for a copy of the Fall 2025 Inland Seas Journal before it is gone. I get mine since I’m a member with the Society there and have been now for many years and enjoy each of their issues. This one on the Fitzgerald is definitely worth getting!

[Darryl1]

Know Your Ships "Extra" Magazine that just came out earlier this Fall (around Sept. 1) has about 10-12 pages just on the Fitzgerald sinking 50 years ago. This includes maybe a half dozen stories / articles about the boat. One of the features is about a deckhand that got bumped off his job just a couple of months before the ship went down. It is just gripping to read. This extra from Know Your Ships is barely 10-12 bucks and worth every penny.

Search knowyourships. That should get you pretty close to just being just a couple clicks away...

Darryl1

[Denny]

Just purchased my copy Finally today at my local Barnes & Noble Store as far as Bacon’s new book. However, was very disappointed in the fact that my B&N store did not have or carry any copies of Lake Superior Magazine from Duluth! Their latest issue I know has an article inside on the Fitzgerald and I was hoping that they would carry it. I’ve checked with other B&N stores in my area and none of them have the Lake Superior Magazine. So, I guess I will have to try and contact them to get a copy of it then. I’m planning on putting down at least 3 Fitzgerald books on my list for Christmas this year for Santa and my family to get me. I don’t know yet if I’ll get all 3 but I’ll try it. I plan on asking for Stonehouse’s 50th Anniversary edition Fitz book along with another from Avery Press Studios and the newest and latest one to come out by Chris Winters & Bruce Lynn. Those 3 books will be more than enough for me then. We’ll see which ones I get for Christmas. At least I can read any of them this Winter as it will be a good time to read them at that point then. Thanks everyone for your help, tips and advice on the Fitzgerald stuff then.

[Ranger]

I quite enjoyed Bacon's book. I think it gave a much better overview of the context surrounding the tragedy than some others out there. I work at a maritime museum and I will be recommending it to folks. I did not find it to be sensationalist at all.

[Guest]

I just received and started reading "Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy" by Thomas Nelson and Jerald Podair. It places the sinking in the wider aspect of the decline of American industry. It's a 6" x 9" paperback, published by Michigan State University Press, about 160 pages plus lots of endnotes, but no photos or maps or diagrams. Seems to be a combination of interviews and references to newspaper stories, the investigation reports, and other author's works. Too early in the first chapter to offer an opinion, but I'm already turned off by their reference to Oglebay Norton as Ogilvy Norton, confusing them with the huge advertising firm of Ogilvy & Mather.

[Denny]

Hi Guest. I don’t know if my ideas will help or work for you but, you may want to try contacting a few of these places. Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society & Museum at Whitefish Point as they have the book on their website but I don’t know if they ship to Canada or not? You can find the book on their Museum Store link. Also, Purely Michigan and Thunder Bay Press both in Michigan I googled it and found the book listed at those respected websites but again I don’t know if they will ship it to Canada or not? Two others you might try are in Toledo, Ohio the National Museum of the Great Lakes and their museum store there. I don’t know if the museum store would have the book but you may wanna try contacting them to see and IF they ship to Canada? You might be able to find a copy on EBay but, again I don’t know if they ship to Canada or not? The Amazon in the U.S. I’m sure would have copies but I don’t know if they ship to Canada either. You and others may not be aware of this or know this fact on the book. As I googled it, Fred Stonehouse made a comment and said “For the 50th Anniversary edition of his book, they are doing two different type styles of the book!” One is softcover and sells for $19.95 a copy U.S. and this I was surprised at in reading! He said they are doing “A special edition hard cover copy of the same book for $32.95 U.S. I think was the price?” Anyway, the hardcover was supposed to have come out in May 2025 however the Pre-Orders on it were being done clear back in March 2025! Wish I had known that back then as I could’ve placed an order then and had the hard cover by now maybe for my birthday in July then!” Wish I could have been more help. I hope though that my info I provided here will help you though. Good Luck with your search and hope you find and get a copy of it. I’ve still yet to purchase one myself and hopefully he doesn’t sell out of his book too early & soon 🙏. Hopefully maybe 🤔 for Christmas this year, I’ll get a copy of it either way, soft or hard cover. 🙏