Alex heads to the North Coast for Episode 5: “Ohio v. the Great Lakes” to tell the story of the most infamous sinking in Great Lakes history, the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald 50 years ago. 29 sailors lost their lives and the causes for the sinking are still not fully known. The majority of the famous ship’s crew were from the Buckeye State. A ship that was known as “the Toledo Express” is forever linked to Ohio.
Alex is joined by New York Times bestselling author John U. Bacon to discuss his critically-acclaimed new book Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. John breaks down just how dangerous and competitive Great Lakes shipping is when it comes to the iron and steel industry. His excellent book, released on the 50th anniversary of the sinking, details the stories of the 29 crew members and the amazing history of the Great Lakes itself. His tenacious research and amazing writing on the Fitz and the possible causes of the tragedy make Gales of November the definitive book on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. It’s impossible to talk about the Might Fitz and not also tell the story of Gordon Lightfoot’s classic 1976 folk song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” John breaks it all down for us on Episode 5. Buy the book at any book store in America or click here http://www.johnubacon.com
We travel to Toledo, Ohio to talk with Chris Gillcrist, the Director Emeritus of the National Museum of the Great Lakes about “the Toledo Express, ” the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. Chris and the NMGL have been at the forefront of telling the story of the Fitz for decades. Chris joins the show to chat about ship, the possible reasons for the sinking, the great city of Toledo and its many connections to the Fitzgerald. We also discuss Chris and the NMGL’s 2015 documentary: A Good Ship and Crew Well Seasoned. Visit the museum Chris helped build here https://nmgl.org
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