Book description
The epic life story of the Atlantic Ocean from the bestselling author,
Simon Winchester
In a narrative tour de force, Simon Winchester dramatises the life
story of the Atlantic Ocean, from its birth in the farther recesses of
geological time to its eventual extinction millions of years in the future.
At the core of the book is the story of mankind's complex relationship
with this immense sea, which stretches for 9,000 miles from pole to
pole. The Atlantic has profoundly influenced the lives of those who have
lived along its shores, from hardscrabble pioneers in windswept
locations such as the Aran Islands and Newfoundland, to the inhabitants
of the great port cities of Lisbon, Rio, London and New York.
'Atlantic' brings to life key episodes in this compelling human drama -
the age of exploration and the subsequent colonisation of the Americas;
the flourishing of transatlantic commerce and the rise and fall of the
slave trade; extraordinary tales of sea-borne emigration during the
nineteenth century; and the great naval battles that have left an
indelible imprint on Atlantic history.
Travelling by small sailing craft, container ship and general cargo
vessel, Simon Winchester will journey around the edges and across the
vast expanse of the ocean to report from the places that encapsulate its
most fascinating stories. It is an enthralling mixture of history,
science and reportage from a master of narrative non-fiction, and the
definitive account of this magnificent body of water. Simon Winchester
grew up beside the Atlantic in South West England and studied geology at
Oxford. He is the bestselling author of The Man Who Loved China, A Crack
in the Edge of the World, Krakatoa, The Map That Changed the World, The
Surgeon of Crowthorne (The Professor and the Madman), The Fracture Zone,
Outposts and Korea, among many other titles. In 2006 he was awarded the
OBE. He lives in western Massachusetts and New York City.
