2024/008: The Edge of the World: How the North Sea Made Us Who We Are — Michael Pye

2024/008: The Edge of the World: How the North Sea Made Us Who We Are — Michael Pye

This is not the usual story of muddled battles and various kings and the spread of Christianity. It is the story of how the constant exchanges over water, the half-knowledge that things could be done differently, began to change people’s minds profoundly. This cold, grey sea in an obscure time made the modern world possible. [loc. 165]

This excellent book has an alternate subtitle in some editions: "A Cultural History of the North Sea and the Transformation of Europe". This may be more accurate, and more inclusive (who's the 'us' who've been made who we are?) but less poetic.

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