The Death and Life of the Great Lakes - by Dan Egan (Paperback)

About the Book

New York Times Bestseller
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize
Winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Award

"Nimbly splices together history, science, reporting and personal experiences into a taut and cautiously hopeful narrative.... Egan's book is bursting with life (and yes, death)." --Robert Moor, New York Times Book Review

Book Synopsis

The Great Lakes--Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Superior--hold 20 percent of the world's supply of surface fresh water and provide sustenance, work, and recreation for tens of millions of Americans. But they are under threat as never before, and their problems are spreading across the continent. The Death and Life of the Great Lakes is prize-winning reporter Dan Egan's compulsively readable portrait of an ecological catastrophe happening right before our eyes, blending the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and the ways we can restore and preserve them for generations to come.

Review Quotes

A compelling chronicle of the many, many (many) man-caused hazards that have threatened the largest source of accessible freshwater in the world.--Susan Glaser "Cleveland Plain Dealer"

A literary clarion call.... Egan's narrative reflects a nuanced understanding of history and science, which is matched by his keen perceptions about public policy.-- "National Book Review"

A marvelous work of nonfiction, which tells the story of humanity's interference with the natural workings of the world's largest unfrozen freshwater system.--Anne Moore "Crain's Chicago Business"

Brings the Great Lakes' decline--and moments of rebirth--to life.... Firsthand tales from the people directly involved in the Great Lakes' unfolding ecological drama drive Egan's brisk narrative forward.--Danielle S. Furlich "Nature Conservancy magazine"

Easy to read, offering well-paced, intellectually stimulating arguments, bolstered by well-researched and captivating narratives.--Lekelia Danielle Jenkins "Science"

Egan's knowledge, both deep and wide, comes through on every page, and his clear writing turns what could be confusing or tedious material into a riveting story.--Margaret Quamme "Columbus Dispatch"

Fascinating and brilliant... Egan's narrative often moves like a thriller.--Vicky Albritton and Fredrik Albritton Jonsson "Los Angeles Review of Books"

Important.... Egan's book serves as a reminder that the ecological universe we inhabit is vastly connected and cannot be easily mended by humility and good intentions.--Meghan O'Gieblyn "Boston Review"

This book feels urgent to policymakers and laypersons alike.--Kerri Arsenault "Literary Hub"

Dan Egan has done more than any other journalist in America to chronicle the decline of this once-great ecosystem.--Judges' citation, Grantham Award of Special Merit for Environmental Beat Reporting

Suspenseful, superbly informative, crucial.--Louise Erdrich