Atlantic Audiobook By Simon Winchester cover art

Atlantic

Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms,and a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection of titles.
Yours as long as you’re a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for $8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Atlantic

By: Simon Winchester
Narrated by: Simon Winchester
Try Standard free

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $29.69

Buy for $29.69

""Variably genial, cautionary, lyrical, admonitory, terrifying, horrifying and inspiring…A lifetime of thought, travel, reading, imagination and memory inform this affecting account."" —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Blending history and anecdote, geography and reminiscence, science and exposition, New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester tells the breathtaking saga of the Atlantic Ocean. A gifted storyteller and consummate historian, Winchester sets the great blue sea's epic narrative against the backdrop of mankind's intellectual evolution, telling not only the story of an ocean, but the story of civilization. Fans of Winchester's Krakatoa, The Man Who Loved China, and The Professor and the Madman will love this masterful, penetrating, and resonant tale of humanity finding its way across the ocean of history.

 Ecosystems & Habitats Expeditions & Discoveries Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science World Middle Ages Portugal Africa Latin America Anthropology Ocean Discovery
Fascinating Historical Connections • Comprehensive Research • Engaging Narration • Captivating Storytelling

Highly rated for:

All stars
Most relevant
Simon Winchester is a master of natural histories. His works are varied and all-encompassing. I appreciate how he is able to string disparate stories together under the same theme. Atlantic was amazing. The ocean is my favorite subject and I listened to it right after Winchester’s Pacific. I follow along with a map so I can learn new geographies and keep track of where in the world the story takes place. I really enjoyed this and am sad it’s over. The final chapters left me feeling how the end of any good book feels; longing for more.

King of Natural History

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Around a central theme, like others of his works. His narration captures his delight in the telling thereof.

Eclectic mix of stories

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

What did you like best about Atlantic? What did you like least?

Best: the description of the birth of the Atlantic and the history of it's exploration. Excellent explanations and recounting of a lot of history in an understandable, succinct way. Loved the historical anecdotes. Although it was hard to hear, there was an important message about mankind's abuse of the ocean and it's sea life.
Least: the overall structure of the book. It was, at points, an obvious stretch to make the content fit the structure. Instead of the structure helping to lay out so much information in a helpful way, it just made it feel like a hodgepodge. Also, didn't like the sections of the Atlantic portrayed in art and literature. Really disliked the comparisons between coastal cities. There were too many personal anecdotes.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

A different structure instead of the Shakespearean reference.
Less personal information and much less about how certain experiences affected the author. The personal commentary seemed out of place at times. I appreciate the author's appreciation of things, but seemed over-sentimental.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I love Simon Winchester as a narrator. Great voice. The only times I didn't care for the narration was during the sentimental portions-a little too affected.

Was Atlantic worth the listening time?

Overall, yes. Some interesting and important information. You just have to push through the sentimentality and the topics that don't really fit.

Any additional comments?

Simon Winchester is an excellent author and narrator. This book was good but it could have been amazing. He is so talented imparting information about history and science, but I find him less talented as an essayist.

So important yet taken for granted

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Magnificent. Brilliant, captivating i listening to the book over & over chapter by chapter, savoring its wisdom & stories like a delectable dessert. Simon Winchester is a master at making history & the earth come alive in ways one could hardly imagine. Pure perfection

An homage to Atlas

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Would you listen to Atlantic again? Why?

Yes, the narrator has a soothing intelligent voice of reason and he makes anything fascinating.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Atlantic?

Description of a South Atlantic island and how a friend ended up running the fishing industry there.

Any additional comments?

I will read everything SW writes. He's a pillar of knowledge and truth in a confusing world.

I will read all of Winchester's books because....

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews