Download Atlantic: Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms,and a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories Audiobook

" Many of the individual pieces of Winchester's history of the Atlantic are interesting, but the structure of the book doesn't cohere. "

" I was a little disappointed in this book. I heard Simon Winchester interviewed on the radio and thought that the book would be full of rattling good tales about the Atlantic. It is, but the book seems to be so densely packed with every fact the Simon Winchester ever found about the Atlantic that it becomes heavy going, especially when he starts on climate change towards the end. "

" Parts of this were fascinating and other sections I practiced "distant" reading. My favorites were the mapping, exploration, and development of water transportation while the great sea battles, storms, and literature related to the Atlantic seem overhyped in the subtitle and less developed. The focus may have been too broad as Winchester touches on practically everything related to the Atlantic. "

" Pretty interesting. Simon Winchester's books are always a worthwhile choice for reading: both informative and entertaining. "

" Interesting book about the Atlantic Ocean through the ages. Winchester certainly did a lot of traveling researching this one. An illustrated version with pictures from the Faroe Islands to Nambia's Skeleton Coast would be awesome. "

" I so admire the author's love of story and detail, but with this book didn't think his editor did a very good job of removing repetitions and unnecessary diversions. Using the seven stages of man as a structure may have made sense at the onset, but became a little contrived toward the end. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. That said, the book is a goldmine of information about the Atlantic and the life that teems within it and around it, and you can't help but leave it with a head full of facts and events and interesting stories that you know will serve you down the road or on a breezy day as you stand on the edge of a dune gazing down onto breakers rolling in from the Atlantic and consider your place in the scheme of things. "

" Covering the natural, political and military history of the Atlantic Ocean, it was a fascinating read occasionally marred by slight errors of fact. "

" interesting history of the socio-political history of countries around the ocean. "

" Although i thoroughly enjoyed Simon Winchester's book about Krakatoa, i found this book about the Atlantic hard going. So much so that i didn't even finish it. When he started describing paintings of the Atlantic i couldn't take anymore! "

" A good book, tackled a huge subject, and maybe bit off more than it could chew with just one volume. Parts where the author inserted his own experiences at times seemed forced, but the quality of writing was high, and the information for he most part intriguing. "

" Did not get into this nearly as much as Winchester's previous books. Almost didn't' make it through. "

" A wonderful story of a pretty fine ocean, covering geology, trade, exploration, fishing, and climate change. It is obviously a labor of love for the author and it was wonderfully written and a joy to read (or, in my case, listen to). "

" Amazing historical read. "

" Unlike earlier books by Winchester, this one was quite boring. "

" Well researched, well written, a little preachy. "

" A fascinating exploration of the history of the Atlantic Ocean. Winchester's language is concise, colorful, and descriptive. I could feel the sea spray in my face as he evoked the bravery of the early explorers. "

" I like Simon Winchester, but this one didn't measure up to his other works. "

" I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Loves the way the author tied odd bits of info together and though was a lot of data I never got bores reading it. "

" A pretty good biography of the Atlantic Ocean, in all its vast and terrible glory. I especially liked the chapters on early exploration, piracy, the slave trade, trade, and the warfare in the Atlantic. It truly has an importance to Western civilization unlike any other body of water. "

" Not one of his best. It started out well, but the final 3rd of the book wasd pretty much a lecture on everything we're doing to screw up the Atlantic. Who wants to read thet... Really "

" An amazing biography. By all means, go and read it! "

" An excelent epic biography of the Atlantic Ocean from its geological beginnings to the age of exploration, World War II sea battles to current problems with pollution and over fishing. Winchester again proves that he is an engaging writer. "

" One to keep, and go back to a lot. "

" A good book, tackled a huge subject, and maybe bit off more than it could chew with just one volume. Parts where the author inserted his own experiences at times seemed forced, but the quality of writing was high, and the information for he most part intriguing. "

" Wide-ranging and readable, I enjoyed this book and I learned quite a bit, about sea battles, explorers and who reached the Americas first. "

" Started slowly but picked up my interest about a third of the way through it and held it the rest of the way. Pretty breathtaking level of detail. Winchester tells a good story without beating things to death -- very impressive skill. "

" Pangaea Ultima is even more evidence of the need for the Library of Congress Satellite Project. "

" Maybe 3 stars is a but harsh. Winchester is always a good read; this book simply had its doldrums as it explored the Atlantic. "