A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist and winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Award, Dan Egan’s The Death and Life of the Great Lakes is a landmark work of science, history and reporting on the past, present and imperiled future 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. Egan blends the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and the ways we can restore and preserve them. He documents how engineering changes and human activity have allowed invasive species (sea lamprey, zebra and quagga mussels) and algal blooms to devastate native ecosystems, threatens infrastructure, and outlines the roles of climate change and nutrient runoff. The book combines history, science and reporting with practical calls to protect the lakes.