Mentz, Steve. Ocean. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2020.
The ocean comprises the largest object on our planet. Retelling human history from an oceanic rather than terrestrial point of view unsettles our relationship with the natural environment. Our engagement with the world’s oceans can be destructive, as with today’s deluge of plastic trash and acidification, but the mismatch between small bodies and vast seas also emphasizes the frailty and resilience of human experience. From ancient stories of shipwrecked sailors to the containerized future of 21st-century commerce, Ocean splashes the histories we thought we knew into salty and unfamiliar places. (Source: Bloomsbury)
This article has been excerpted from Steve Mentz’s new book, Ocean, part of Bloomsbury’s Object Lessons series. Ocean is one of several of Steve Mentz’s contribution to the blue humanities. The book cover is illustrated by Alice Marwick and the internal drawings are made by Vanessa Daws.
© 2020 Steve Mentz and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.