The Baltic and the North Seas: (Seas in History)

The Baltic and North Seas are great seafaring regions with rich and varied histories, intricately linked by maritime trade for centuries. The lives and circumstances of the peoples who live on their shores have been profoundly affected by climatic change over time, which has shaped and reshaped the maritime environment. Exploring the themes of the human relationship with the marine environment and the ways in which the peoples of Northern Europe have experienced and exploited their seas, this book reveals how human perception of the northern seas has changed over time. Major aspects covered include the struggle to control the sea and keep it at bay; the ways in which the maritime worlds of Northern Europe have been imagined and portrayed; the vulnerability of the seas to human action; the seas as a vital source of livelihood - as tradeways; for the pursuit of great power politics and as sources of health, leisure and pleasure - and the peoples spiritual relationship with the seas.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; 1: The Seas Discovered; 2: The Seas Repulsed; 3: The Seas Imagined; 4: Voyaging; 5: Boats and Ships; 6: Seafaring and Power; 7: Trade and Traders; 8: Fishing; 9: Mariners; 10: Sailors and the Sea; 11: Maritime Women; 12: The Seas Threatened

About the Author :
Merja-Liisa Hinkkanen, David Kirby

Review :
'Intelligently arranged and mixed with anecdotal tales to make the book an enjoyable read there is something in it for all readers with a fascination for these two "boundless, timeless and eternal" seas.' - Scandinavica '... a significant contribution to our understanding of the civilizations around these two bodies of water. The Baltic and the North Seas is a compelling book that deserves the attention of all historians, whether their interests are maritime or not. If all works of this type were as aware of the broader trends and debates in historical scholarship, maritime history - and history in general - would be very well served.' - Lewis R. Fischer, International Journal of Maritime History, June 2001 ' This is an imaginative, thoughtful and thought-provoking study...As wekk as offering a mass of fascinating detail and discussion, the book addresses some big ideas that deserve to be tested by other historians...This book is a fine example of the new maritime history, and should be as widely read for its aims and methods as for its fascinating subject matter.' - Graeme J. Milne, The Mariner's Mirror (2002) 'This book is a valuable introducation to a fascinating region which has done much to shape world history. It is very well written and thought-provoking on a number of levels. The authors have met the daunting challenge of writing the history of the northern seas with considerable distinction.' - Zeitschift für Ostmitteleuropa-Forschung 'This is an imaginative, thoughtful and thought-provoking study...As well as offering a mass of fascinating detail and discussion, the book addresses some big ideas that deserve to be tested by other historians...This book is a fine example of the new maritime history, and should be as widely read for its aims and methods as for its fascinating subject matter.' - Graeme J. Milne, The Mariner's Mirror (2002) 'This book is a valuable introducation to a fascinating region which has done much to shape world history. It is very well written and thought-provoking on a number of levels. The authors have met the daunting challenge of writing the history of the northern seas with considerable distinction.' - Zeitschift für Ostmitteleuropa-Forschung