McGuffin, Gary and Joanie. Superior: Journeys on an Inland Sea. Erin, Ont.: Boston Mills Press, 1995.

Gary and Joanie McGuffin tell the story of their 2,000-mile trip around Lake Superior canoeing, kayaking, hiking, skiing and snowshoeing in photographs and personal narrative.

Brockwell-Tillman, Elizabeth et al. Discovering Great Lakes Dunes. Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E-2653. East Lansing: Michigan Sea Grant, 1998.

The sand dunes along the Great Lakes are the most extensive freshwater dunes in the world. This book combines beautiful color photos of the dunes plus information about their ecology.

Holzhueter, John O. and State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Madeline Island & the Chequamegon Region. Madison: The Society, 1986.

Holzhueter writes the history of Madeline Island and the Chequamegon region and sprinkles it with numerous photographs of days gone by from the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Stonehouse, Frederick. Haunted Lakes: Great Lakes Ghost Stories, Superstitions and Sea Serpents. Duluth, Minn.: Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc., 1997.

Stonehouse's book is a not-so-serious investigation of truly believed superstitions and stories that have become a part of the lore of the Great Lakes from the 1700s to today. The stories range from ghosts on ships and in lighthouses to sea serpents and underwater spirits.

Dennis, Jerry. The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2003.

Outdoorsman Jerry Dennis' ode to the Great Lakes entertains and informs with the tale of his six-week schooner voyage across lakes Michigan, Superior, Erie, Huron and Ontario. Anecdotes from his childhood along the shores of Lake Michigan are intermingled with the natural history of the lakes and the effects of humans upon them. The author's love and respect for his subject will delight others with an interest in these inland seas.

Alin, Erika. Lake Effect: Along Superior's Shores. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, c2003.

The 2,900 miles of Lake Superior shoreline and its centuries of rich history are explored by Alin, who weaves together the social, cultural, ecological, and geological events of this region in her essays.

Brehm, Victoria. The Women's Great Lakes Reader. Tustin, Mich.: Ladyslipper Press, 2000.

More than three dozen selections of autobiography, fiction, letters, newspaper accounts, and poetry are included in this anthology devoted to women who lived along or traveled the Great Lakes from 1789 to the present. The collection includes writings by women pioneers, travelers, fur traders and lighthouse keepers as well as American Indian myths. You are sure to learn something you didn't know while being entertained by these often courageous women.

Fuller, Margaret. Summer on the Lakes, in 1843. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1991.

Margaret Fuller, a contemporary of Emerson and Thoreau and a prominent intellectual Bostonian, writes a diverse account of her journey around the Great Lakes in the 19th century--equal parts travelogue, social commentary, autobiography and sketchbook.

Mahan, John. Lake Superior: Story and Spirit. Gaylord, Mich.: Sweetwater Visions, 1998.

The history and future of the ecological balances affecting Lake Superior and its watershed are addressed in this passionate and informative book. Mahan's color photographs of the Lake and its surroundings perfectly accentuate the text.

Berton, Pierre and André Gallant. The Great Lakes. Toronto: Stoddart, 1996.

The history of the Great Lakes and the peoples who have come into contact with them are the central theme of this narrative. The stunning photographs reveal the power and beauty of the lakes and their importance in our lives.

Tales of the Great Lakes: Stories from Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Secaucus, N.J.: Castle Books, 1986.

Here are the stories of the men and women who built the Midwest, the giants of industry, builders of cities, intrepid seafarers, writers who chronicled the rise of the great metropolises like Chicago, and immigrants who settled this land. And beside this fervor there coexists the natural beauty of the shore and the wilderness of the Lakes themselves.

Penny, Charles W. North to Lake Superior: The Journal of Charles W. Penny, 1840. Marquette, Mich.: John M. Longyear Research Library, 1970.

Charles Penny, a Detroit merchant, accompanied Michigan State Geologist Douglass Houghton on one of the most significant expeditions in Great Lakes history--the search for minerals along the Lake Superior shore. Penny's journal is an open, highly readable narrative describing the people and the country along that ancient route from Mackinac to LaPointe first blazed by the voyageurs.

Wardius, Ken and Barb. Wisconsin Lighthouses: A Photographic & Historical Guide. Madison: Prairie Oak Press, 2000.

If you are interested in visiting or learning more about Wisconsin's lighthouses, you will be interested in the photographs, descriptions, history, and travel tips contained in this volume.

Jones, Ray. Western Great Lakes Lighthouses: Michigan and Superior. 2nd ed. Guilford, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press, 2001.

More than 60 lighthouses are included in this volume. Archival and recent photographs bring the history and significance of each lighthouse to life.

Ross, Hamilton Nelson. La Pointe, Village Outpost on Madeline Island. Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 2000.

First published in 1960, the book describes the 300-year history of La Pointe on Madeline Island. "Madeline Island served initially as a refuge for the local Ojibway from their enemy the Sioux . . ., then an epicenter of the fur-trade era in the eighteenth century, and finally a summer vacation spot for businessmen and industrialists."

Breining, Greg. Wild Shore: Exploring Lake Superior by Kayak. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002.

History buff and adventurer Greg Breining spent two years circumnavigating Lake Superior following routes used by Ojibwe and French traders. The account of his journey will appeal to those who love the Great Lakes as well as those who love memorable adventures set in the outdoors.

Newman, Bill et al. Guide to Sea Kayaking in Lakes Superior and Michigan: The Best Day Trips and Tours. Old Saybrook, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press, 1999.

Sea caves, headlands, shores, and cliffs are just a few of the exciting scenes available when touring these inland seas. This guidebook, written by three expert kayakers, features 49 expeditions for a range of skill levels. Maps and detailed route descriptions make planning your trip easy.

Schmidt, Bob and Ginger Schmidt. Great Lakes Circle Tour: Reliving History Along Lake Michigan's Circle Tour Route. Amherst, Wis.: Amherst Press, 1998.

Even those who have lived in the Midwest all of their lives will discover new, fascinating tidbits about the cultural and historical background of the Lake Michigan area in the Schmidt's guide to circumnavigating this Great Lake.