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Now this is how a fleet history should be written! For decades, Canada Steamship Lines proclaimed itself as the world's largest transportation company operating on inland waters. Its passenger and freight vessels could be found on the Great Lakes as far west as Duluth, Minnesota, and as far east as the Lower St. Lawrence River.

$30; Available from Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com (hardcover and e-book), www.dundurn.com and bookstores, mostly in Canada.

Great Lakes maritime history encompasses epic stories of heroic rescues, tragic losses, and changing times.  “Storms and Sand” is a glimpse into the world of the brave men of the Big Sable Point, Michigan, U.S. Life-Saving Service/ U.S. Coast Guard Station.  The station was located on land that is now part of Ludington State Park.  The book tells the history of the station; including the sacrifices by the life-savers and Coast Guardsmen, and their struggles to rescue Lake Michigan shipwreck victims.  “Storms and Sand” also chronicles lesser-known events in the lives of the men, their families, and the Big Sable Point lighthouse keepers. Hardcover, 208 pages, with 69 photos and illustrations. 

$29.95; www.pinewoodspress.com

This is Volume II of the author's best columns that have appeared in The Palladium-Times, Oswego, New York’s local newspaper. Using the newspaper's archives and other sources, Palmer provides a continuing and colorful exposé of Oswego's maritime heritage.

$12.95; www.riversendbookstore

Say ahoy to a fictional boating adventure story in the spirit of Arthur Ransome or The Hardy Boys novels that offers appeal for young readers and nostalgic adults. The story covers territory from Ontario’s Georgian Bay to Lake Michigan, with all points in between, and culminates in a scary encounter with the Russian Mafia that also involves the carferry Badger. This story should have appeal to anyone who has spent time around the water.

$14.95, available from amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com

Shipwrecks are a part of Lake Ontario's history. But so are innovation, wealth-building, heroism and bungling on a grand scale. You'll find examples of each in this collection of historic incidents and personalities who once worked on and by the waters of this Great Lake between 1728 and the present. The book includes information on the lake's critical role during several 1812 War naval engagements, some shipwrecks from the era of sail, information on the lake's most storied island and a brief history of the Seaway's economic and ecological impacts. 

Available through Amazon.com and The History Press, or from various chain bookstores in the Lake Ontario region.

Just as the Titanic continues to fascinate, so have the shipwrecks presented here became even more famous after their discoveries, gaining notoriety as historic attractions, archaeological sites, bold salvage attempts or legal battles. VanHeest takes the readers back in time to experience the careers and sinkings of these ships – among them Carl D. Bradley, Francisco Morazan, Lady Elgin, Hennepin and more – and then goes beneath the lake to participate in the discovery and exploration of their remains and the circumstances that led to their status as legendary shipwrecks. The vessels in this well-researched publication span the age of sail, steam, and diesel on the Great Lakes from schooners to side-wheel steamers, propellers, carferries, self-unloaders and yachts. They include ships discovered by some of the lake’s most prolific wreck hunters, including the author’s own organization –Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates – in partnerships with wreck hunters David Trotter, Ralph Wilbanks, and acclaimed author Clive Cussler. Clearly the sagas of these vessels did not end when the waves of Lake Michigan washed over them. 

$19.95; order from www.in-deptheditions.com

Prolific Canadian marine historians turn their attention to the ships of the "Dale Fleet," the various companies developed from the original Reoch Steamship Co. Ltd., founded in 1951 by Capt. Norman Reoch.

Between 1951 and 1983, steamers with names that ended in "dale" were common sights around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. From canallers to bulk carriers and, eventually, self-unloaders, the company acquired its tonnage secondhand, putting many familiar vessels back to work. The career of each vessel owned, operated or managed by the company is detailed, and many historic photos – some of them rare, on-board views – are included.

Send $35 (includes postage) to Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0, Canada

This volume, by Marine Historical Society of Detroit Historian of the Year honoree and former Yankcanuck crew member Buck Longhurst, details the career of this familiar Canadian crane ship on the occasion of her 50th anniversary. The book, illustrated with many black and white photos and other illustrations from the author’s collection, includes her years with "Skipper" Frank Manzzutti’s Yankcanuck Steamship Co., her time under Algoma Steel’s Flaming ‘A,’ and her more recent service with Purvis Marine.

Cost is $25 (includes S-H), from Gore Bay and Western Manitoulin Museum, P.O. Box 222,12 Dawson St., Gore Bay, ON P0P 1H0, Canada.

Images of America: Marine City

By Gene and Scott Buel

The story of Marine City, Michigan, nestled on the bank of the St. Clair River, is told through rare photographs from the 1870s-1930s. The book, by Gene Buel and his grandson Scott, shows a tradition of shipbuilding and sailing, as well as life around town, documenting the important role Marine City played in the early development of the Great Lakes shipping industry. An extra plus for shipfans is a section devoted to the photographer Louis Pesha, who was responsible for documenting shipping traffic a century ago.

 $21.95 from www.marinecityhistory.net

The Desgagnes Fleet

by G.I. “Buck” Longhurst, M.B. “Mac” Mackay and E.B. “Skip” Gillham

The latest fleet history from these Canadian marine historians tells the story of this family-owned firm from its inception in the 1940s through today, years that saw the company evolve from tiny wooden vessels to modern steel cargo ships and tankers. At nearly 200 pages, and packed with black and white photos, this is the most ambitious effort to date in this long-running series.

 $35 (postage included) from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0

The authors, Ron Beaupre and Skip Gillham, both of whom are past MHSD Historian of the Year award winners, have put together a comprehensive look at this saltwater fleet whose vessels were familiar sights on freshwater in the early days of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The book includes many photos and a detailed history of each ship.

"Manchester Liners: Great Lakes Pioneers,” by Ron Beaupre and Skip Gillham, 2012. 68 pages; softcover, $25 (postage included); Available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0.

It’s clear from this detailed account that Chicago would not be the world-class city that it is today without the efforts of ship captain, business owner and politician James S. Dunham. His life during the 1800s was the embodiment of everything that is and was Chicago maritime, and his life story reveals how the maritime community in Chicago shaped the city’s waterfront and the image the city presents to the world today. Dunham died in 1901, but his contributions live on thanks to the work of author and historian Thomas J. Lutz. Ship fans will find the appendix of vessels owned/operated by Dunham and his associates an added bonus.

“Shaping Chicago: James S. Dunham’s Crusade for the River” by Thomas J. Lutz, 2012 Softcover, 216 pages, 100 illustrations, $21.95 plus s-h and www.in-deptheditions.com

The S/S City of Milwaukee is currently a National Historic Landmark as well as a member of the Historic Naval Ship Association. Built at the beginning of the Great Depression, the City of Milwaukee shuttled railcars across Lake Michigan for over 50 years. She is now moored in Manistee, Mich., and is open to the public as a floating museum. This is her story, told in words and pictures.

“Last Ark of the Railroad: The Steam Ship City of Milwaukee,” Dominic R. Sondy, 2012 Softcover, 72 pages, many photographs, $17.50, from Amazon.com

These two disks from the Wisconsin-based company Plets Express contain plenty of exciting footage of classic lakers and salties and most scenes were shot on beautiful, sunny days. The DVDs show vessels up close and in action as they pass through various ports, rivers, locks and lakes. Each DVD shows about 50 different ships and the on/off narration option is a nice touch. Among some of the classics on “See The Ships, Vol. 1” (running time 75 minutes) are the Alpena, Buckeye, Algocen, Chief Wawatam, Myron C. Taylor, E.M. Ford and Edward L. Ryerson. “See The Salties, Vol. 1” (runs 80 minutes) features such ships as the Vamand Wave, Federal Asahi, Millenium Condor, Yosemite, Pochard, Federal Maas and much more. Plets Express also has a series called Great Lakes Ships, Volume 1 through 10 and the Great Lakes sightseeing DVDs entitled “Lake Superior Scenic Adventures” These two DVDs explore the lake’s North Shore (Vol. 1) and the South Shore (Vol. 2). These programs include many spectacular overlooks, lighthouses, waterfalls and ships.

“See the Ships Vol. 1” and “See the Salties Vol. 1”   DVD's by Plets Express, $24.95 each plus s-h available from  www.pletsexpress.com

“Ships of the Great Lakes,” written and produced by Leonard Brown, takes viewers aboard a 1,000-foot Great Lakes freighter. The story is set using the motor vessel Oglebay Norton (now American Integrity) as a backdrop. As the ship carries coal to Silver Bay, Minn., and taconite iron ore to Indiana Harbor, Ind., the story unfolds and leads viewers through the history of Great Lakes shipping and gives the history of the various landmarks as the vessel passes by. Also: Dive 530 feet below the waters of Lake Superior to the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, see the Soo Locks, watch how ships get their mail and experience what its like to ride through gale force winds.

Profusely-illustrated volume traces the history of the Steinbrenner family’s Kinsman fleet from its founding in 1901 with the steamer Henry Steinbrenner to its demise at the end of 2002, when the Kinsman Independent laid up.  In between can be found the history of one of the most successful independent shipping lines to sail under the U.S. flag.  The book looks at each vessel, not only during its tenure with Kinsman, but also before and after it became affiliated with the company, in the process touching on the stories of many historic lakers and fleets. This is a valuable book for historians and ship fans alike.

This handsome, coffee table-style book is subtitled “A Unique Study of the Maritime Heritage of the Great Lakes From an Artist’s Viewpoint,” and that sums things up nicely. McGreevy, considered one of the finest maritime artists anywhere, offers a book that juxtaposes his superb renditions with the stories of the vessel or situation depicted. An accomplished scuba diver, a number of his works offer a unique underwater perspective of shipwrecks. With his well-trained eye for detail, McGreevy brings Great Lakes maritime history alive in this high quality volume that touches on the ages of sail and steam as well a modern shipwreck disasters and the Great Storm of 1913.

“Lost Legends of the Lakes” Robert McGreevy, 2011, 128 pages, hardcover, illustrated; $42.50. Available at www.mcgreevy.com.

The "Turkey Trail" was the route along a narrow and twisting course in the North Channel followed by steamers servicing settlers on the north shore of Lake Huron. This book, by Canadian historian Longhurst, looks at the passenger and package freight vessels that plied this route. The vessels are mostly but memories (the final sailing on this route was in 1963), but it is important to remember the role these staunch craft played in the lives of families living in the northern Lake Huron area of Canada who depended on vessels such as the Waubuno, Chicora, Manitou and Manitoulin for their very existence.

“Steamers of the Turkey Trail” G.I. “Buck” Longhurst, 2011, 136 pages, softcover, many black and white photos; $25.00. Available from Gore Bay & Western Manitoulin Museum, P.O. Box 222, Gore Bay, ON, P0P 1H0

A trio of Canadian marine historians (Longhurst and Gillham are past Marine Historical Society of Detroit Historian of the Year award recipients) has tackled two relatively recent fleets familiar to ship fans. Soo River, founded by Robert S. Pierson, lasted from 1975 to 1982, until it was forced out of business by an economic downturn. Many of their vessels – known for their handsome paint jobs and shamrock-graced smokestacks – wound up with P&H Shipping (Parrish & Heimbecker), which operated them from 1982-2001. The research is impeccable, and many black and white illustrations help tell the story of two independent fleets that have since joined the pages of history.

“The Soo River Company & P&H Shipping Fleets”  Buck Longhurst, David Bull, Skip Gillham; 2011, $25.00, 98 pages, softcover. Available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0

After the Grand Trunk car ferry Milwaukee was lost with a crew of 52 men in an October 1929 storm, it was replaced by the City of Milwaukee. Built in 1931, the ferry operated for half a century, hauling railcars across Lake Michigan. She survives today as the last unaltered example of a Great Lakes railroad car ferry designed with twin stacks, a classic profile and triple-expansion engines. Now a museum ship, the vessel serves as a living memorial to the car ferries and the dedicated crews that sailed them. With access to the City of Milwaukee’s archives and numerous private collections, car ferry historians Art Chavez and Bob Strauss have gathered a variety of vintage and contemporary photos and documents. Along with detailed captions, they reveal the pictorial history of this enduring car ferry that now resides in Manistee, Mich.

“SS City of Milwaukee”  Art Chavez and Bob Strauss; 2011, $21.95, 128 pages. Order from www.arcadiapublishing.com
 

This profusely-illustrated, full-color volume examines the activity that occurs on board lake boats throughout the Great Lakes shipping season. It looks not only on the outside, but the inside too, starting with the engine room and continuing into the pilothouse, out on deck and in the galley. Plenty of “people” pictures help give the book additional depth. Author Patrick Lapinski is clearly an expert on his subject and it shows in this well-researched and informative effort.

“Ships of the Great Lakes: An Inside Look at the World’s Largest Inland Fleet”  Patrick D. Lapinski; 2011, $34.95, 126 pages, softcover. Available from a variety of booksellers, including www.amazon.com

On May 21, 1891, the lumber schooner Thomas Hume and its crew of seven sailed out of Chicago into a spring storm, and was never seen again. The disappearance has lingered as one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Great Lakes. More than a century after its disappearance, the discovery of the wreck of the Thomas Hume solved the mystery. However, the collection of shoes, clothing, jewellery, coins and tools found inside generated even more questions.  An archaeological investigation by Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates and the Lakeshore Museum Center has attempted to solve the riddles posed by the shipwreck. After survey dives, historical research, and detective-like reasoning, the team pieced together not only the vessel’s career, but how its crew lived, worked, and died on the lake.

“Unsolved Mysteries: The Shipwreck Thomas Hume”  Valerie van Heest and William Lafferty, 2011, $19.95, 128 pages, softcover. Available from in-depth editions, www.in-deptheditions.com

Bayswater Shipping Limited was active from 1946 to 1967, and their small pre-Seaway self-unloaders Bayanna, Baygeorge, Bayfair, Bayquinte, Bayfair and the chartered Dolomite were familiar sights in the coal trade, especially at smaller, shallower ports. Besides a complete history of all the vessels, with a very nice color photo gallery, the book includes a touching finale that details the last trip of the Baygeorge. Without efforts like this, it would be easy to forget forever some of these smaller fleets that served an important niche until overtaken by larger vessels and doomed by changing economic demands and current operations.

"Bayswater Shipping" Tom Brewer & Skip Gillham; 2011, softcover with photos, 44 pages. $20.00 (includes shipping). Order from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0
 

Since the beginning of commerce on the Great Lakes, there has been a desire to build larger and more efficient ships culminating in 1972 with the commissioning of the first 1,000-foot vessel to sail on the inland seas, the Stewart J. Cort. This book tells the story of each of the 13 1,000-foot ships, including their unique operational histories and the purposes for which they were built. Included are numerous never-before-published photographs portraying these vessels in their previous and current operations.

"Superships of the Great Lakes: Thousand-Foot Ships of the Great Lakes"  Raymond A. Bawal, Jr.; 2011, softcover with photos, 104 pages. $19.95. Order from: www.inlandexpressions.com
 

It almost seems as if Lower Lakes Towing / Grand River Navigation haven’t been around long enough to warrant a fleet history, but time flies and a look at this book reveals there’s plenty to write about.  “The Grey Ghosts” covers the company’s modest beginnings in 1994, with a tug and barge, and follows along as the first vessel is purchased in 1995, tracking additional acquisitions and even a few scrappings.  There are many photos present to help tell the stories of the vessels that make up the fleet, and each boat’s history is also recounted in detail.  One part of the book recounts a trip on the Saginaw and another offers a look inside the logistics of keeping the company running. In the past 20 years, the Great Lakes have lost many familiar shipping companies to consolidation and economic constraints.  It comes as almost a relief to read about a successful newcomer, especially so when the company’s vessel roster includes so many classic lakers that were thought to have reached the end of their useful lives until Lower Lakes/Grand River put them back to work.
 
The Grey Ghosts: The Ships of Lower Lakes Towing and Grand River Navigation; Steven Duff, Buck Longhurst and Skip Gillham; 2010, softcover with many photos, 140 pages. $25 (includes shipping). Order from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0
 

Canadian ship historians / authors Jay Bascom and Skip Gillham have joined forces for what must surely be the only published work to delve into such great detail about the early years of this important fleet. The volume lists vessels owned or managed by CSL up until World War II (vessels from then onward have already been described in Gillham’s earlier book, “Postwar Ships of Canada Steamship Lines”), and includes many really rare photos. Starting with the A.E. Ames and ending with the Wyoming, this book is a treasure-trove of maritime history that might otherwise have been lost to time.

The Early Ships of Canada Steamship Lines; Jay Bascom and Skip Gillham, 2010. Softcover, 234 pages, with photos. $30.00 (add $10 postage to the U.S., $5 to Canada) available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0

This small booklet is a remembrance of the Torrence family’s relationship with the Algoma Central fleet and its self-unloader Algoport, which sank on saltwater Sept. 9, 2009 while being towed to China for a new forebody. The book contains over 30 photographs, a reproduction of the launch invitation and souvenir launch booklet, the fleet booklet for the Algoport, as well as other ship diagrams and maps.

M/V Algoport; Chris and Andy Torrence, 2010. Softcover, 72 pages, with photos and diagrams. $34.95 available from www.lulu.com

Author and diver Valerie van Heest recounts the worst disaster on the open waters of the Great Lakes, when the sidewheel steamer Lady Elgin sank in Lake Michigan on September 8, 1860, taking with it over 300 passenger, mostly Irish from Milwaukee’s Third Ward. This well-researched historical narrative tells the story of the Lady Elgin set against the backdrop of a pivotal presidential election during the golden age of passenger travel on the Great Lakes. The book describes in detail the loss of the steamer, and recounts the discovery of the vessel’s remains more than a century after the disaster. No dry recounting of history, this vividly written volume is difficult to put down.

Lost on the Lady Elgin; Valerie van Heest, 2010. Hardcover, 168 pages. $26.95 available from In-depth Editions, www.in-deptheditions.com

In June 1910, a new steam ferry for the Toronto Island Company was launched and christened Trillium. Now, 100 years after its debut, Toronto columnist Mike Filey revisits the history of this notable landmark with the centennial edition of Trillium and Toronto Island. Updated with new photographs and introductory commentary, this anniversary edition of the book details the remarkable journey of one of Toronto’s most interesting treasures.

Trillium and Toronto Island: The Centennial Edition; Mike Filey, 2010. Softcover, 120 pages with photos. $24.99 available from Dundurn Press (www.dundurn.com)

By now, many folks who follow the Great Lakes know that Dennis Hale was the only survivor of the steamer Daniel J. Morrell, which sank on Lake Huron in late November 1966. This book serves as his autobiography, not only relating the sad story of the shipwreck and its aftermath, but also delving into Hale’s troubled childhood and his life as reckless young man in search of a sense of family.

Although he’s written about the shipwreck before, this self-published volume delves deeper into the emotional side of the story. Hale goes into great detail about what he saw, heard and felt during his near-death experience and also shares details about a mysterious visitor aboard the raft who warned him to stop eating the ice to quench his thirst.

One thing that’s clear – Hale is a survivor in more ways than one. He’s led quite a life and, lucky for readers, he decided to write it all down.

Shipwrecked: Reflections of the Sole Survivor; Dennis Hale, 2010. 312 pages, with photos. $23.95. Order direct from the author by mail (click for order form) or by e-mail, dennishale@windstream.net.

The Canadian steamer Wexford’s fateful final voyage was full of opportunities to be saved from destruction, but 24-year-old captain Bruce Cameron’s persistence in trying to make port at Goderich led to tragedy – she was a victim of the storm of 1913. Over a period of 87 years, Wexford eluded many efforts to locate her remains, but was finally discovered in 2000. This story traces her history from her British origins in 1883, through the transition to become a laker, the eventful storm, the search, her ultimate discovery in southern Lake Huron and the controversy over how she should be protected. The author recently, and deservedly, received the Save Ontario Shipwrecks Marine Heritage Award.

The Wexford: Elusive Shipwreck of the Great Storm, 1913; Paul Carroll, 2010; 328 pages, illustrated; $30 from Dundurn Press
(www.dundurn.com)

This stunning, hard-cover volume offers 215 beautiful color aerial photos with close-ups of every lighthouse on Lake Michigan, as well as scenic area views to show locations. Index maps for each state are included. Marge Beaver has an eye for lighthouses and it shows in this self-published book, a must for fans of the genre.

Above the Lighthouses: Lake Michigan; Marge Beaver, 2010; hard cover, 208 pages, lavishly illustrated; $49.95, free shipping from www.photography-plus.com. Personalization available for online orders.

“Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping,” revived last year after a short hiatus, is back and even more comprehensive than the 2009 edition. Its 27 tabbed sections offer an array of details on fleets, vessel compartment capacities, horsepower, ore docks, grain elevators, coal docks, shipyards and dry docks, steamship agents, brokers, freight forwarders, stevedores, surveyors, maritime attorneys, insurers, vessel operations services and more, offering a lot of information that’s almost impossible to find anywhere else.  In addition to what’s inside, the cover features new original artwork by Paul C. LaMarre, and a sturdy spiral binding holds the pages in place and makes for easy reference.

Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2010 (Harbor House Publishers Inc., 121 Water St., Boyne City, MI 49712; $80; available from the publisher at www.greenwoodsguide.com in book form, as well as on CD for $65 or as a searchable PDF for $45)

Fans of Dick Metz’s sea stories on the BoatNerd.com Web site will already be familiar with some of the recollections he shares in this, his second such volume. Still, it is nice to have them collected in this way, and illustrated with a number of black and white photos. Metz enjoyed a long career on the Great Lakes, many of them spent with the Soo River Co. and the Parish & Heimbecker fleets under the Canadian flag, and his insider observations are fascinating.

Life Aboard A Laker From 1964 To 1999; Capt. Richard D. Metz, 2010; 212 pages, illustrated. $20 (US orders) or $25 (Canadian orders) from Capt. R. Metz, 5291 Manor Rd., Rhinelander, WI 54501

This is the second in a series of books authored by Gillham on overseas shipping companies that pioneered regular cargo service to the Great Lakes. This volume covers the ships of the Dutch firm Oranje Lijn that came to the lakes from 1938-1969. Vessels such as Princess Irene and Prins Alexander were familiar sights once the Seaway opened in 1959, carrying passengers and freight. One of them, Prins Willem V, met with an unfortunate accident in 1954 when it was struck by barge and sunk off Milwaukee. Gillham’s book not only offers details of the fleet’s many vessels, but also their eventual disposition. Many rare black and white photos, along with Gillham’s in-depth research, help make the book complete.

Oranje Lijn: Great Lakes Pioneers; Skip Gillham, 2010; 64 pages, illustrated; available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0; $25

Historian Brendon Baillod provides an in-depth study of Wisconsin’s maritime history, including detailed port histories of Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and Port Washington. “Fathoms Deep” also includes details on every commercial vessel ever lost in southeast Wisconsin waters, totaling well over 400 lost ships, as well as complete information on every documented vessel ever built in southeast Wisconsin, for a total of more than 1,000 ships detailed in the book. This book – the result of 20 years of research – is the first comprehensive inventory ever assembled of southeast Wisconsin ships and shipwrecks. All proceeds from this book help the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association is its efforts to document historic sites.

Fathoms Deep But Not Forgotten: Wisconsin’s Lost Ships; Brendon Baillod, 2010; Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association; many historic photos and maps; $24.95, www.wuaa.org

This book features photos taken by Peter Francis Groh over the years and compiles them in a coffee table-style book. Some photos include the C.T.C. No.1 in South Chicago and the John Sherwin. This book is the culmination of five years of boat chasing and its pages are filled with the author's passion for both the Great Lakes and its boats.

Great Lakes Freighters; Peter Francis Groh, 2010; soft or hardcover, 40 pages, 74 photos; $20 + $7 s-h, www.grohs-photography.com or from the author at Peter Groh, 1815 Tivoli Lane, Sheboygan, Wis., 53081

Tom Langmyer's lavishly-illustrated volume combines narration, factual summaries, photography, maps and antique postcards to tell the story of this vast inland sea. Starting with the Ice Age, the book chronicles its discovery, battles for its control, settlement, development and population growth along its shores. Cities and towns around Lake Erie (including Detroit and the Detroit River) are highlighted and readers can get a glimpse of life aboard a 1,000-footer, thanks to a trip by the author aboard the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. Use this book as a armchair travel guide, or take it along for your own journey around the lake.

Lake Erie: History and Views; Tom Langmyer, 2009; 298 pages, softcover, spiral bound, many color photos and reproductions of historic postcards; $45; www.lakeeriehistory.com

Author Craig Rich explores in fascinating detail the history of shipping accidents around Ottawa County, near Grand Haven and Holland, Mich. As sail gave way to steam, vessels continued to fall victim to treacherous seas, fog, fire and ice. Read about the two-masted schooner Sylvanus Marvin (lost in 1850), the steamer H.C. Ackley (1883), Post Boy (1905), Wisconsin (1929) and nearly 100 more.

For Those In Peril: Shipwrecks of Ottawa County, Michigan; Craig Rich, 2010. 136 pages, black and white photos; $17.95; www.craigrich.net

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