29 Missing: The True and Tragic Story of the Disappearance of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald

by Andrew Kantar

On November 10, 1975, SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a giant freighter, sank with its entire crew of 29 aboard, in one of the most violent storms ever witnessed on Lake Superior. In 29 Missing, Kantar tells the "Fitz's" story from the christening in 1958 as the largest ship on the Great Lakes to the expedition in 1995 to recover the ship's bell in what proved to be a moving memorial to the lost crew. Using information from government investigative reports, the book provides a dramatic hour-by-hour account of what transpired during that terrible voyage, including dialogue from actual radio transmissions between the Fitzgerald and the Arthur Anderson, the freighter that followed behind the Fitz. 
     In his passionate retelling of the story, designed primarily for young adults, Kantar provides the facts leading up to the disappearance, detailing the subsequent expeditions to the wreck site as well as the leading theories about the sinking that have been debated by maritime experts.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

50 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Barbara Sydow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a pretty boring portrayal of the sinking of the Fitz. My 7-year-old also didn't love it, he said we should give it a 2, but I'm going to actually call this a 2.5. It's very fact-based, which does have its merits, but it doesn't make for a great story. Could have used some more of the human element, maybe some background on the men aboard and a brief overview of storms/other shipwrecks in the great lakes would have helped? It's also pretty repetitive in places. There was a lot of focus on the expeditions to investigate the causes of the wreck at the end, and lots of photos of the submarines used. I would have preferred more photos of the actual wreck that would have illustrated the damage and been helpful when considering the theories about why she sank (which are discussed repeatedly), and also some more photos of the crew. Maybe those aren't available? Anyway, we both found this to be a bit of a slog, even though it was only 40 pages.

[Lenore Kuipers-Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The S.S.Fitzgerald first set sail in 1958. She was the biggest ship to sail fresh water in the history of the world, and remained so until 1971. She was 729 feet long and weighed 13,632 tons. She could generate 7,000 horsepower. The Fitz cost more than 8 million dollars to construct, and was known as "The Pride of the American Flag". She had 21 cargo hatches to carry 26,000 tons of taconite pellets, used to make steel for cars.

She left at 2:15 pm, near Minnesota, on November 10, 1975, even though gale warnings had been issued for all of Lake Superior. They had been warned of winds of nearly 45 mph and waves up to 10 feet. It began to snow. What would the captain do?

The ship went down and literally disappeared right off the radar. No survivors. What went wrong? There are many theories about that, which is what the book is all about.

[Ellen Morris Prewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these types of books that reside on the border between book and pamphlet: succinct, unadorned, sufficient. The extraordinary facts (a ship longer than 2 football fields, wind gusts up to 96 MPH, 25 foot waves, a nonfunctioning lighthouse) carry the weight of the telling with no need for embellishment. Exactly what I needed.

[Barbara Maxwell-Dubrinsky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. It was only 50 pages and did not talk about the 29 missing crew members. Whereas the author gave an abbreviated account of the sinking it missed addressing the personal loss of life. Overall it read like a high school book report rather than a researched professional work. I suggest you skip this one and find another book.

[Alison · Rating 1 out of 5]

I learned more from the song.

Truly disappointed. Way too short and no background on the crew even though the title is 29 Missing. Not what I was looking for on this very interesting tale.

[Milford Public Library Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good juvenile non-fiction work on the sinking of the Fitz.

[Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives you information about the course and wreckage. As well as a last minute inlook to the folks who endured the brunt of those gales.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and informative. Gives a lot of good, quick info. Highly recommend going to the ship wreck museum at Whitefish Point in Michigan!

[Rachael High · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story to listen to during a road trip. History is so important, and this helps a reader understand the journey of many men that served on ships.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, factual account of the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald. I read this just after Mighty Fitz by Michael Schumacher, and found the facts to be in agreement. Both books stated that nobody knows for certain, even now, why this boat sank, and the prevailing theory is that it was sunk by a rogue wave.

Just after finishing both of these books, I went for a ride on Lake Michigan on one of the boats from Navy Pier in Chicago. This boat only went as far as the breakwater, which is about 1 mile out, and you can easily see the curvature of the earth as you look out to the east. I tried to imagine what this would be like on a day with fierce winds and high waves: It would be a rugged experience.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

A basic, nice quick read that can be completed in less than an afternoon about the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking and ship wreck for a person who doesn't want or need a detailed account of what the ship, it's crew or aftermath has been.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting story. I will probably read more about this subject. The Titatnic of the Great Lakes. Novemeber 10th was the anniversary date of the sinking of "The Fitz".

[Jennifer Ware · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband had a friend on the Fitzgerald. This was probobly the best account of the tragedy that we have read.