The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
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. Learn more here.
Praise for The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
“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
“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
“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
Awards & Accolades for The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
Winner of the LA Times Book Prize
Winner of Harvard/Columbia University’s $30,000 Lukas Prize
Winner of The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s book of the year
NPR Science Friday Best Science best books of the year
New York Times best-seller
New York Times/PBS book club pick
NPR Science Friday book club pick
New York Times notable book of the year
Wisconsin Library Association literary award
Library of Michigan notable book
"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
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
New York Times Bestseller | Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize | Winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Award