Subject
Great Lakes (North America) -- Fiction Books
Best books
Samuel Merwin
His Little World: The Story of Hunch Badeau
"His Little World: The Story of Hunch Badeau" by Samuel Merwin is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Hunch Badeau, the captain of a lumber schooner, and his interactions with a small beach community, including the characters Bruce Considine and Mamie Banks. The book explores themes of friendship, loyalty, love, and the trials of life on the water, with a focus on Hunch's personal growth and struggles. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Hunch Badeau as he takes part in a life-saving crew drill along the beach, where he encounters a group of young women, particularly one named Mamie. Badeau, described with physical attributes indicating he is a robust yet somewhat awkward man, is intrigued by Mamie as he embarks on conversations about her friend Bruce. As the narrative unfolds, we see hints of conflict and companionship between Hunch and Bruce, especially as Hunch takes up a protective role concerning Bruce's behavior, which is marked by alcoholism. The opening chapters lay the groundwork for an exploration of their friendship dynamics and set the stage for Hunch's challenges, both at sea and in personal relationships.
Keith Henney
Through Keeweenaw
"Through Keeweenaw by Keith Henney" is a nautical short story written in the early 20th century. Set on the Great Lakes, it blends maritime realism with a subtle supernatural edge, focusing on a fogbound approach to the Portage Lake Canal and a captain haunted by past losses. The likely topic is a tense passage through fog where grief, superstition, and wireless technology intersect. A radio operator narrates as a new skipper, Captain Trinder, takes command of the steamer Chippewa after years of avoiding the canal where his wife drowned and long after losing his grandson in another wreck. Fascinated by the idea that the dead might speak through radio, Trinder presses on into thick fog near the canal entrance, where the foghorn’s direction proves unreliable and the ship edges dangerously close to the breakwater. At the crisis, the operator receives a strange signal—“SSE… SSE, Anna”—which the captain treats as guidance; steering south-southeast, they pass a small boat named Anna and slip safely into the channel, arriving only slightly late. Though the signal likely came from that craft’s call letters, the captain believes his wife sent it, and the tale ends on an ambiguous note between coincidence and faith.
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