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Pacific: The Ocean of the Future
Pacific: The Ocean of the Future | Simon Winchester
17 posts | 7 read | 20 to read
Travelling the circumference of the truly gigantic Pacific, Simon Winchester tells the story of the worlds largest body of water, and in matters economic, political and military the ocean of the future. The Pacific is a world of tsunamis and Magellan, of the Bounty mutiny and the Boeing Company. It is the stuff of the towering Captain Cook and his wide-ranging network of exploring voyages, Robert Louis Stevenson and Admiral Halsey. It is the place of Paul Gauguin and the explosion of the largest-ever American atomic bomb, on Bikini atoll, in 1951. It has an astonishing recent past, an uncertain present and a hugely important future. The ocean and its peoples are the new lifeblood, fizz and thrill of America which draws so many of its minds and so much of its manners from the sea while the inexorable rise of the ancient center of the world, China, is a fixating fascination. The presence of rogue states North Korea most notoriously today suggest that the focus of the responsible world is shifting away from the conventional post-war obsessions with Europe and the Middle East, and towards a new set of urgencies. Navigating the newly evolving patterns of commerce and trade, the worlds most violent weather and the fascinating histories, problems and potentials of the many Pacific states, Simon Winchesters thrilling journey is a grand depiction of the future ocean.
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review
Bookwormjillk
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Mehso-so

This was okay to listen to, but I felt myself being disinterested and zoning out during other parts. I think part of my issue was that it was dated- so much has happened since the Obama administration. #ReadingOceania2024

mcctrish My personal opinion is SW has great ideas but subpar writing skills 2mo
Bookwormjillk @mcctrish I think you nailed it 2mo
Librarybelle I struggle listening to nonfiction. This one is on my to read list, so good to know about the dated material. 2mo
52 likes3 comments
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Texreader
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Mehso-so

Dated, written during Obama‘s administration, but that doesn‘t necessarily affect how I feel about a book because I enjoy reading histories. Some of the chapters—corresponding to specific topics—were very interesting, like the one about North Korea. But some chapters felt so haphazard lacking a strong central theme, like the one about peoples gaining their independence, and believe it or not, the chapter about Australia. Themes weren‘t always ⬇️

Texreader obvious so rather than focus on what was being said, I was trying to figure out what the heck the chapter was about. I liked that the author narrated the audiobook—he had a Pooh bear-like voice and he could get away with voicing him! Sadly this was a long investment of time for a so-so rating. #foodandlit #SouthKorea #readingOceania #Australia #marshallislands #micronesia #Kiribati #Tuvalu #Vanuatu #Nauru #PapuaNewGuinea (some just a mention) 7mo
Librarybelle Great review! I‘ve liked other books by him, but this one sounds like this one is a bit lackluster. 7mo
Texreader @Librarybelle That‘s a good way to describe it 7mo
Catsandbooks 🙌🏼🇰🇷 7mo
43 likes4 comments
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Texreader
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#Micronesia has gone through its own painful occupations

#readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

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Texreader
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This is already a grim read about the South Pacific islands. There‘s a detailed description of the #MarshallIslands, including how dreadfully its residents are treated thanks to the ultra-secret US base there. #readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

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Texreader
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My next audiobook. Works for #Korea #foodandlit and some unknowable number of countries for #readingOceania, that I will identify as I go along. @Catsandbooks @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

42 likes1 stack add
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MarmiteOnToast
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Pickpick

First review! Read as Scribd audio book. Of interest as I live in Western Australia (but we are on the Indian Ocean, hence the picture of Sydney Opera House!). Enjoyed as audio when doing chores/walking as easy to dip in and out. I was expecting something more chronological, but this is an eclectic selection of wide-ranging topics post-1950 (eg surfing, weather, geopolitics). Took me a while to adjust but then I liked the ‘meandering‘ style.

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booksandsympathy
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1) Last vacation was San Diego. You can see my husband's head in the waves.
2) Favorite comfort food: potatoes of any kind
3) First place on my bucket list is Scotland
4) Currently reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
5) I prefer physical books, but read on kindle too

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Abailliekaras
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This is a wonderful, highly readable book about the Pacific, told through major events since 1950. There is a great chapter on surfing. #californialove #90sinJuly

Cinfhen Sounds pretty cool 😎 7y
Robothugs Yes it does! 👆🏻 7y
28 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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rabbitprincess
Pickpick

A book as large as its subject, full of interesting facts and the odd digression. It made me want to read up more on the Korean War in particular. If you liked Winchester's book Atlantic, you'll probably like this one too.

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rabbitprincess
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Determined to finish Pacific today to celebrate #litsypartyofone. I have some chips and Jelly Babies (or rather, Jelly Bunnies) to power me through.

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rabbitprincess
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Up early to have a little #litsypartyofone with this book, tea, and a croissant. Although I guess strictly speaking it's not actually a "croissant", more of a "ligne droite" ? (or whatever the most idiomatic way to say a straight line is in French).

rwmg I've noticed that more and more croissants are not the right shape 7y
rabbitprincess @rwmg I wonder why...does it require less effort, or less ingredients? 7y
rwmg Less effort I suppose, though I can't imagine it makes much difference since it's probably all done by machine 7y
rabbitprincess @rwmg Or maybe if you want to make "croissants" (official ones) you have to adhere to a certain set of procedures or use certain ingredients, and these are knockoffs. (They were made by the bakery dept of our grocery store.) (edited) 7y
22 likes4 comments
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rabbitprincess
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Nice shout-out to Canada ??
I was going to say "We usually translate things just once", but it is true that an English doc may be translated into French (or vice versa) and then somehow the source document is lost or people referring to the translation don't realize it's a translation and ask to have it translated.

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rabbitprincess
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I'm glad to be reading this book; there is so much history I don't know!

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rabbitprincess
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Actual footage of me after successfully renewing a few library books that had some holds on them. It doesn't always work.

LauraBeth That is always the best! 7y
LauraBrook 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 7y
rabbitprincess @LauraBeth @LauraBrook And now I have to go watch Planet Earth II, which way too many people have on hold, so I can't renew it 😜 7y
mllemay It's the best feeling!! 😆 7y
rabbitprincess @mllemay Such a relief when you've bitten off more than you can chew, borrowing-wise! 7y
34 likes5 comments
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BookishTrish
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My fav place to read is on the beach by the ocean near one of the libraries I work at. #whereiread #riotgram

Lindy Oooo. I'm envious. 🌞 8y
KarenUK Lovely 💕😎 8y
Bookworm83 So jealous! Reading on or near the beach is the best! 7y
60 likes3 comments
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CherylDeFranceschi
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For signed Sunday, I give you a book for #TBRTemptation. A 490 page non-Fiction saga that goes from the Great Barrier Reef discovery to Gidget, Silicon Valley and the Bikini Atoll atomic testing. From the author of "The Professor and the Madman" #signedsunday

Hooked_on_books I love Simon Winchester and this one doesn't disappoint! 8y
84 likes8 stack adds1 comment
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Heather_Reads
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I can't wait to get started on Pacific after hearing Simon Winchester discuss it last night (I can highly recommend going to see him if you ever get the chance). Even more exciting was getting one of my fave books, The Surgeon of Crowthorne, signed!

7 likes1 stack add