The more than 35 million people who live among the Great Lakes overwhelmingly profess devotion to these waters -- yet the Lakes are in mediocre condition at best. Why the gap? Author Dave Dempsey seeks the answers not in political theory, but in personal narratives and dialogue. Some of the answers he discovers are surprising, some expected. Ultimately, he finds that for the Lakes to thrive, not just endure, the Lake Nation may have to redefine citizenship.