Boundless Sea: A Human History of the Oceans

The Boundless Sea is a 2020 book that wins the Wolfson History Prize 2020. It is written by David Abulafia and it traces the history of human movement and interaction around and across the world's greatest bodies of water, charting our relationship with the oceans from the time of the first voyagers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 1088 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2020
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

The seas and oceans have played a pivotal role in human history, serving as primary conduits for long-distance trade, communication, and the spread of ideas, religion, and commerce. This captivating book delves into the rich tapestry of human movement and interaction across the world's vast bodies of water, charting our enduring relationship with the oceans from the earliest voyages. David Abulafia, a renowned historian, embarks on a journey to explore the origins of seafaring societies, beginning with the Polynesians of the Pacific, who possessed remarkable navigational skills long before the invention of the compass. By the first century, these early seafarers had established trading networks that stretched across the Pacific, connecting their far-flung islands. By the seventh century, trading routes had expanded to encompass the coasts of Arabia, Africa, southern China, and Japan, forming a vast interconnected network that facilitated the exchange of goods, including spices, and fostered cultural exchange. In the Atlantic, centuries before the rise of Portugal's maritime empire, various peoples, including the Bretons, Frisians, and Vikings, embarked on voyages of exploration across the sea. These pioneering explorers were the first Europeans to reach North America, marking a significant milestone in human history. As Portuguese dominance waned in the late sixteenth century, the Spanish, Dutch, and British successively assumed control over the waves, each leaving their imprint on maritime affairs. Throughout his narrative, Abulafia weaves together the stories of merchants, explorers, pirates, cartographers, and travelers, who embarked on perilous journeys in search of spices, gold, ivory, slaves, land for settlement, and knowledge of the unknown. He paints a vivid picture of humanity's relentless pursuit of wealth and exploration, from the humble beginnings of hand-hewn canoes traversing uncharted waters to the modern supertankers that ply the world's oceans daily. This book is a testament to the enduring human spirit and the vastness of our oceans, offering a captivating perspective on our complex relationship with these majestic bodies of water.

Weight: 784g
Dimension: 134 x 199 x 54 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780241956274