Stories from the Wreckage

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A Great Lakes Maritime History Inspired by Shipwrecks

Written by John Odin Jensen

Every shipwreck has a story that extends far beyond its tragic end; this book brings those stories forward to provide a deeper understanding of our Great Lakes history.

312 pages, 8 x 10, 128 color and b&w photos
Paperback: $26.95 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-902-4
Ebook: $19.99 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-903-1
Publication Date: 5/14/2019

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Front cover of Stories from the Wreckage by John Odin Jensen

Description

The dramatic tales of disaster, misfortune, and folly of shipwrecks are fascinating junction points in history—connecting to stories about the frontier, the environment, immigration, politics, technology, and industry. Join John Odin Jensen for a deeper dive into a transformative chapter of maritime history as he examines a selection of Great Lakes shipwrecks of the wooden age, from the splendor of the palace steamer Niagara to the hulking bulk carrier Frank O’Connor.

Mining the archaeological evidence and historic record, Jensen explores how the conception, innovation, and eventual devastation of these doomed vessels fit into larger narratives of the Midwestern and Atlantic maritime frontiers. Featuring the shipwreck photography of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s underwater archeology team, this vibrant volume is a must-have for shipping enthusiasts and anyone intrigued by the awesome power of water to shape history.

Author Bio

Professional historian and maritime archaeologist John Odin Jensen has participated in the investigations of more than fifty marine archaeological sites around Wisconsin and has written extensively on the Midwest's maritime history and archaeology. He is a former underwater archaeologist of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

"Stories from the Wreckage” is a terrific read. John Jensen has admirably succeeded in bridging the divide between scholarly and popular history audience, and I predict that his work will be frequently referenced in future scholarship on Great Lakes maritime history and archaeology.

Dr. Kevin Crisman

Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University

“Briskly written and handsomely illustrated, Stories from the Wreckage explains the central importance of Great Lakes navigation to the westward growth of the United States. John Jensen couples decades of experience as an underwater archaeologist with a deep understanding of the people who helped make the Inland Seas region the primary engine of American prosperity between the mid-nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. This is a significant and welcome contribution.”

—Lincoln Paine, author of The Sea and Civilization: A Maritime History of the World