Written by a newpaperman who had spent years collecting and documenting the history of lake ships and the men who sail them, this book brings to light the heroism, tragedy, and humor, largely overlooked by history, that was and is part and parcel of the evolution of the great inland oceans. These are true stories of the ships and men who played their parts in eras when the fresh-water ships were growing from tiny brigantines to the huge vessels of today, some of them among the largest in the American and Canadian merchant fleets. These stories made for fascinating, exciting reading.