Atlantic

Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms,and a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories

By: Simon Winchester

Narrated by: Simon Winchester

Length: 14 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

From best-selling author Simon Winchester comes the immense and thrilling story of the world's most mysterious and breathtaking natural wonder: the Atlantic Ocean.

Atlantic is a biography of a tremendous space that has been central to the ambitions of explorers, scientists, and warriors, and continues to affect profoundly our character, attitudes, and dreams. Spanning the ocean's story, from its geological origins to the age of exploration, from World War II battles to today's struggles with pollution and over-fishing, Winchester's narrative is epic, intimate, and awe inspiring.

Until a thousand years ago, few humans ventured into the Atlantic or imagined traversing its vast infinity. But once the first daring mariners successfully navigated to its far shores - whether they were Vikings, the Irish, the Basques, John Cabot, or Christopher Columbus in the north, or the Portuguese and the Spanish in the south - the Atlantic swiftly evolved in the world's growing consciousness of itself as an enclosed body of water. Soon it became the fulcrum of Western civilization. More than a mere history, Atlantic is an unforgettable journey of unprecedented scope by one of the most gifted writers in the English language.

©2010 Simon Winchester (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

First-rate!

Another excellent book and well told story by Simon Winchester. His language is impeccable, and his research is unsurpassed. I was truly enriched by taking the time to listen to this book.

A wealth of content on the Atlantic timeline.

Simon Winchester is an excellent sir and a delightful narrator of his own books. I enjoyed this novel, but felt the structure hurt it's presentation and ultimately was far reaching. Full of great information and beautiful writing this book is good. I highly recommend Winchester's "Pacific" novel over this to show his full capacity to write a truly captivating novel.

As always, Simon's narration was engaging and blended well with his writing. Not all writers can narrate, but Simon excels.

Narrators presentation

Simon voice was captivating. His command of the content and the lilt of his tone, combined with his obvious expertise on the content, made this the best audio book I have ever heard.

Another winner from Simon

I love Simon Winchester books. They are not for everyone though. If you are interested in trivia like what lured the Phoenicians out of the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean (mollusks that give off royal purple dye) and like the concept that the Atlantic Ocean has a history that is unbelievably interesting, this book is for you. Plus, I love Simon Winchester's reading.

Magnificant overview of the magestic Atlantic

Simon Winchester at his best. If you yearned for more books like Outposts (30 years ago) then this is a treasure. The author has had 30 years to refine his already great skill with prose into a truly unique view of the Atlantic Ocean. A must read for everyone! William Manchester glanced off the topic in a World Lit By Fire but Winchester hits his target right on. I have an English professor friend who refuses to go on the the next Winchester book until she has relished every word. That person is now four books behind in reading and has yet to get to Krakatoa or the Man Who Loved China. What a loss.
Thank you Simon Winchester once again. Maybe a book about Chaucer and Phillipa next?

Was not pleased.

I've enjoyed other books by Simon Winchester, such as Krakatoa. In fact, the author is one of my favorites. I was all set for another exciting journey. But, what an overwhelming long and tedious journey it was. I couldn't wait for Atlantic to end, and thought of stopping many times.

The story (if there is one) rambled on in no particular order time-wise and content-wise, literally jumping all over the map,.There are far too many topics, too much minutiae and too many words. Anything remotely connected to the Atlantic Ocean is fair game, The author inserted himself in several parts, as if he were an heroic adventurer.

Mr. Winchester also was narrator. I usually enjoy hearing writers read their own material. Unfortunately. In spite of his very British accent, but

Great Find

Had no idea how much I would gain from my choice in selecting this book in a 2-for-1 sale. The narrator-aauther delivers a most informative, interesting and entertaining experience. I need to learn more of him as well, after encountering his portrail of the Atlantic, so entwined with his personal experience. A truely expansive and well portraid narrative.

Stick it out for the second half

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I almost didn't finish this book, which is a rarity for me. The intro alone was 1 1/2 hrs long and the entire first part of the book seemed to be a snobbish name-dropping list of Atlantic coast towns and cities and his seeming assumption that everyone who reads his book is well traveled and has been to the same places. To have any idea of what the author is talking about you need to have, at the very least, an atlas beside you as you listen. He jumps from one place to another often quickly and doesn't say much of anything pertaining to the purpose of the book. However, the book redeems itself in the second half and turned out to be quite worth wading through to get there living up to it's advertising.
The author himself is a fine reader.

Has Atlantic turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

Which character – as performed by Simon Winchester – was your favorite?

N/A

Could you see Atlantic being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No

endlessly informative and entertaining

loved this book. Winchester both writes and narrates with both great sweep of historical perspective and fascinating detail

Ehhh kinda good

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Probly. Audio book only.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Simon Winchester?

No. His accent was so pompous and waaay to english. Some parts were good just too many random facts that did not connect well.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no way

Any additional comments?

Modern historians like Winchester just cant seem to help themselves from critiquing people in the past from an arrogant progressive stance, as if hes saying, "If i where back then i would have been a moral giant that would not have put up with ignorant ways or thinking." This is the historians blunder. Writers cannont superimpose modern beliefs on people of the past, it just doenst make good history. Sadly of course when it came to right moral historical contributions he jumped right over William Wilberforce and his efforts to end the slave trade. Biased is he? Yup. There were some really interesting facts but just tell the story of the Atlantic man! Its not that hard!