Overview

A monumental retelling of world history through the lens of the sea—revealing in breathtaking depth how people first came into contact with one another by ocean and river, lake and stream, and how goods, languages, religions, and entire cultures spread across and along the world’s waterways, bringing together civilizations and defining what makes us most human. The Sea and Civilization is a mesmerizing, rhapsodic narrative of maritime enterprise, from the origins of long-distance migration to the great seafaring cultures of antiquity; from Song Dynasty human-powered paddle-boats to aircraft carriers and container ships. Lincoln Paine takes the reader on an intellectual adventure casting the world in a new light, in which the sea reigns supreme. Above all, Paine makes clear how the rise and fall of civilizations can be linked to the sea. An accomplishment of both great sweep and illuminating detail, The Sea and Civilization is a stunning work of history.

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9781101970355

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Reviews

Elegantly written and encyclopedic in scope, with an expert grasp of the demands of seamanship in every age, The Sea and Civilization deserves a wide readership. For landlocked historians, it will be a powerful stimulus to dip their toes and perhaps their pens in saltwater and for readers a forceful reminder that the urge to go down to the sea in ships has shaped civilizations and cultures in every period and in every part of the globe. The Wall Street Journal A magnificently sweeping world history that takes us from the people of Oceania and concludes with the container. In contrast to most books on maritime history, the majority of The Sea and Civilisation covers the history of the world beforeColumbussailed the ocean blue and at least as much of the narrative focuses on Asia as it does on Europe. Ben Wilson, The Telegraph Paine is full of such illuminating facts. . . [He] forestalls any western bias with excellent chapters on Asian expansion. . . 'The sea held no promise for slaves, coolies, indentured servants, or the dispossessed', Paine reminds us, and while it is 'fickle and unforgiving, it is a fragile environment susceptible to human depredation on a scale unimaginable to our ancestors'. And yet, whose heart does not sing out when they see the sea? Our last resort, it still holds its promise and its power. Philip Hoare, New Statesman Herzog once remarked: 'The feeling crept over me that my work, my vision, is going to destroy me, and for a fleeting moment I let myself take a long, hard look at myself . . . to see whether my vision has not destroyed me already. I found it comforting to note that I was still breathing.' That same quality of an all-consuming vision oozes from Paine s book.His passion is to tell the story of the sea. History is seldom written with that kind of passion today. Gerard DeGroot, The Times Even though the Earth s surface is 70% water, historical narratives are usually land-centered. Paine ( Ships of the World ) shifts emphasis from land to water in order to correct this imbalance, an approach that takes the reader through history via the seas . . . Paine s highly detailed work encompasses a wide array of topics, from trade and the influence of the sea on warfare and political coalitions, to ship building techniques through the ages, to piracy and slavery. . . . Paine has compiled an invaluable resource for salty dogs and land-lubbers alike. Publishers Weekly, starred review The most enjoyable, the most refreshing, the most stimulating, the most comprehensive, the most discerning, the most insightful, the most up-to-date in short, the best maritime history of the world. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, author of Millennium: A History of the Last Thousand Years Paine deftly navigates the complexities of global culture to create an eminently readable account of mankind's relationship to the sea. Both profound and amusing, this will be a standard source for decades to come. Josh Smith, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, editor of Voyages The Sea and Civilization presents a fresh look at the global past. Bringing to bear a formidable knowledge ofships and sails, winds and currents, navigation techniques and maritime law, Lincoln Paine offers a lively tour of world historyas seen from the waterline. The result is a fascinating account, full of little-known episodes and novel insights. A major contribution. Karen Wigen, Stanford University, author of A Malleable Map 'I want to change the way you see theworld.' This brave ambition is brilliantly realized by Lincoln Paine in this single volume. Thoroughly researched, clearly argued, eminently accessible we have at last a responsible and persuasive explanation of the inextricable connection between the ocean and world civilization. PeterNeill, Director, World Ocean Observatory The Sea and Civilization meticulously and systematically reconstructs the maritime history of the world from diverse historic records, archaeology, contemporary travelogues, languages, literature, religious texts and folklore. . . In this book we get to see some of the beautiful and interesting plates without traversing the museums and libraries of the world. . . That oceans teach us, above all, about the unity of human existence on this planet seems to be the take away from The Sea and Civilization. The Hindu (India)

Superbly realized. . . . Elegantly written and encyclopedic in scope. [A] forceful reminder that the urge to go down to the sea in ships has shaped civilizations and cultures in every period and in every part of the globe. The Wall Street Journal The Sea and Civilization is, without doubt, the most comprehensive maritime history ever produced. . . . An all-consuming vision oozes from Paine s book.His passion is to tell the story of the sea. History is seldom written with that kind of passion today. The Times (London) The most enjoyable, the most refreshing, the most stimulating, the most comprehensive, the most discerning, the most insightful, the most up-to-date in short, the best maritime history of the world. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, author of Millennium: A History of the Last Thousand Years Here is a story told with assurance and a refreshing perspective. . . . A bracing journey. The Dallas Morning News A Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title Selection, 2014 Fascinating and beautifully written. . . . An eloquent vision of how the sea served as a path to the modern world. Foreign Affairs Paine is full of such illuminating facts. . . . [He] forestalls any western bias with excellent chapters on Asian expansion. . . . The sea held no promise for slaves, coolies, indentured servants, or the dispossessed, Paine reminds us, and while it is fickle and unforgiving, it is a fragile environment susceptible to human depredation on a scale unimaginable to our ancestors. And yet, whose heart does not sing out when they see the sea? Our last resort, it still holds its promise and its power. New Statesman (London) A magnificently sweeping world history that takes us from the people of Oceania and concludes with the container. In contrast to most books on maritime history, the majority of The Sea and Civilization covers the history of the world beforeColumbussailed the ocean blue and at least as much of the narrative focuses on Asia as it does on Europe. The Telegraph (London) An ambitious work. . . . Dense with facts and rich in detail that tellsmankind s story from the perspective ofourrelation to the seas as well aslakes, rivers and canals. Asian Review of Books Brilliantly realized. . . . we have at last a responsible and persuasive explanation of the inextricable connection between the ocean and world civilization. Peter Neill, World Ocean Observatory Takes the reader through history via the seas . . . Paine s highly detailed work encompasses a wide array of topics, from trade and the influence of the sea on warfare and political coalitions, to ship building techniques through the ages, to piracy and slavery. . . . Paine has compiled an invaluable resource for salty dogs and land-lubbers alike. Publishers Weekly, starred review Paine deftly navigates the complexities of global culture to create an eminently readable account of mankind s relationship to the sea. Both profound and amusing, this will be a standard source for decades to come. Josh Smith, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, editor of Voyages The Sea and Civilization presents a fresh look at the global past. Bringing to bear a formidable knowledge ofships and sails, winds and currents, navigation techniques and maritime law, Lincoln Paine offers a lively tour of world historyas seen from the waterline. The result is a fascinating account, full of little-known episodes and novel insights. A major contribution. Karen Wigen, Stanford University, author of A Malleable Map

Author Information

Lincoln Paine is the author of five books and more than fifty articles, reviews, and lectures on various aspects of maritime history. He lives in Portland, Maine, with his wife, Allison. www.lincolnpaine.com

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