Steamboats & Sailors of the Great Lakes

I recieved this book as a gift from my grandparents who know the author personally. I always been a bit of a shipping buff and this is one of the best books I've seen as far as just laying it all out. The author uses plain language, as he discusses the history of Great Lakes Shipping, types of ships, shipwrecks, what life is like on board a laker, and all facets of Shipping on the Great Lakes. Many excellent photos, including some from the author's personal collection. Excellent read, I highly recommend it.

Mark Thompson is a excellent author that tells things how they are. He does not "sugar coat" life on the lakes or about the Great lakes Shipping industry. If you want a easy to read truthful acount of Great Lakes Shipping then this is the book for you.

As someone who has sailed on Great Lakes steamships, I found this book to pretty well capture the essense of the trade. One innacuracy in the book deals with women on board. The author states that women are more likely to sail on freighters these days because there is little if any hard physical labor. While many women would be more than capable of working shipboard, I can assure you there is PLENTY of physically demanding jobs to do on board. Also note that the industry is constantly evolving so many of the fleets have gotten smaller in the years since the book was penned. All in all, though, if you have ever been intrigued by Great Lakes shipping, this book is the most comprehensive review I have ever seen. A good book.