For Whom the Bells Toll: The Unexplained Losses of S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, M.V. Derbyshire, and Other Vessels of the Bulk-Cargo Silent Service is a revealing and detailed study of the factors that may have contributed to tragic sinkings that occurred without evidence of a distress signal nor the presence of survivors or witnesses. While focusing on the November 1975 loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald in the waters of Lake Superior, Raymond Ramsay also provides a descriptive background of inland marine commerce, drawing on his extensive personal and professional experience to develop the reader’s understanding of the complex forces that have shaped the industry. He further considers similar occurrences and damages sustained on vessels of related design, drawing together a vast field of research to argue for the enhancement of safety and design standards. For Whom the Bells Toll: The Unexplained Losses of S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, M.V. Derbyshire, and Other Vessels of the Bulk-Cargo Silent Service conveys the author’s deep respect and concern for the mariners who serve in treacherous conditions around the world, and his careful consideration of the circumstances surrounding the losses serves as a just and well-reasoned call for reform.