Pacific: The Ocean of the Future
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Pacific: The Ocean of the Future
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Narrated by:
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Simon Winchester
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By:
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Simon Winchester
About this listen
Travelling the circumference of the truly gigantic Pacific, Simon Winchester tells the story of the world’s largest body of water, and – in matters economic, political and military – the ocean of the future.
The Pacific is a world of tsunamis and Magellan, of the Bounty mutiny and the Boeing Company. It is the stuff of the towering Captain Cook and his wide-ranging network of exploring voyages, Robert Louis Stevenson and Admiral Halsey. It is the place of Paul Gauguin and the explosion of the largest-ever American atomic bomb, on Bikini atoll, in 1951. It has an astonishing recent past, an uncertain present and a hugely important future.
The ocean and its peoples are the new lifeblood, fizz and thrill of America – which draws so many of its minds and so much of its manners from the sea – while the inexorable rise of the ancient center of the world, China, is a fixating fascination. The presence of rogue states – North Korea most notoriously today – suggest that the focus of the responsible world is shifting away from the conventional post-war obsessions with Europe and the Middle East, and towards a new set of urgencies. Navigating the newly evolving patterns of commerce and trade, the world’s most violent weather and the fascinating histories, problems and potentials of the many Pacific states, Simon Winchester’s thrilling journey is a grand depiction of the future ocean.
©2015 Simon Winchester (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedCritic Reviews
‘Gripping … This might be his best [book] yet… Like all good writers, Winchester knows that specificity is all … stirring stuff. The variety of material is astonishing … As all good books must, this one shifts from the long-lens to the close-up shot, and from the tragic to the absurd' Literary Review
‘[Simon Winchester] is a terrific helmsman, both confident and smooth’ 4*, Daily Telegraph
Praise for Simon Winchester:
‘Winchester pioneered the genre of popular narrative history … [he] understands that specificity is what counts, as it always does in writing’ Sunday Telegraph
‘Simon Winchester is a literary impresario … This is a clever, engaging and original look at what would seem well-trodden historical paths; but Winchester, delightfully, breaks a fresh trail’ Economist
'Winchester unfolds this epic narrative with admirable simplicity: his prose style is conversational, and crackles with strange images. He marries even-handed scholarship with a gift for storytelling, neither dumbing down nor assuming any specific knowledge in his readership. This is from start to finish an enthralling book, and one that does justice to the magnitude of its subject' Edmund Gordon, Sunday Times
'Illuminating…a] wonderful, encyclopaedic book, pinpointing key moments in the narrative of an entire ocean and our relationship to it' Philip Hoare, Sunday Telegraph
What listeners say about Pacific: The Ocean of the Future
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 10-08-2020
Masterful
Masterfully researched, brilliantly written, perfectly read. A must have book for the globally curious individual
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul Hellard
- 03-02-2023
A splash?
Mr Winchester has the best voice and immediacy for his stories. An excellent way to stay focused on a long flight, over the Pacific.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-05-2021
Outstanding
An outstanding read. Masterfully written and fascinating from start to finish. One of those books you are sad to finish.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 03-08-2023
Excellent
Excellent. Simon Winchester is an inspiration and a wealth of important knowledge. I thank him.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Daniel
- 08-09-2023
Absolutely brilliant
This is one of those books that you hang off every word. Winchester is a brilliant narrator and brings his book to life. While it’s a decade old it still is so extremely relevant in every aspect. High recommend
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 15-01-2024
In depth history
Loved this book have recommended to many others.
Good ole Simon Winchester where you we be without you!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Shane Geard
- 07-10-2019
Entertaining and Informative
I loved this book, it offered a richness of context, depth of information and a unique and masterful storyteller's delivery. After reading Winchester's 'Exactly' these qualities seem to be to be typical of his writing, and I look forward delving into his other books.
My only reason for not posting a full star rating is that there seems to be some glaring omissions from the Pacific story. Two examples would be the New Zealand story and the WWII Japanese story. However, by necessity such a work must choose, and others might not find these omissions quite so personal.
As a resident of Australia for the past 9 years I can say... 'well done' to Simon Winchester. He summed up this country uncannily well.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian
- 08-12-2018
Another Masterpiece from Simon Winchester
Thought provoking, disturbing, funny, fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable. The author writes and narrates eloquently. Highly recommended.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 04-05-2019
Enjoyable Listen
I was referred to this book by a good friend and colleague. I was not disappointed and found the way that the author told the Pacifica story was very cleaver. I now look at the Pacific in a quite differential since listening to this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-06-2024
The history of the pacific. Impressive story telling. Thanks you Simon.
Simon W. reminded me of some of the conflicts which happened in my lifetime . The depth of his presentation was captivating. Thank you again.
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