Per Anders Todal

Northern Waters

Havlandet. Historia om hava som skapte Noreg

This is the story of four northern European oceans: the cold Barents Sea, the deep, mighty Norwegian Sea, the shallow North Sea and the narrow Skagerrak. These oceans are among the richest in the world, teeming with fish, whales, birds and seals, and they have supported human life along the shores for more than 11,000 years.

Northern Waters shows the vital roles these seas have played in European history, through fishing, hunting, travels and trade. For millennia, these oceans were barely affected by the deeds of mankind. Now, the myriads of life forms beneath the surface are threatened by global warming, acidification, pollution and trawling.

In Northern Waters natural science, history, mythology and travelogues are intertwined with a journey of personal discovery: the author’s many journeys at sea serve as starting points for larger stories. Drawing on a wealth of sources from marine biology, oceanography, geology, archaeology and more, the author conveys his knowledge in a clear and accessible language with exceptional literary qualities.

Northern Waters springs from a profound love of the ocean. The book, which offers both insight and a wonderful reading experience, has had an overwhelming reception from Norwegian critics.

“A fantastic deep dive … this book exudes vigour and vitality combined with knowledge, insight and love of the ocean, and the language makes it a sheer joy to read.”

Klassekampen

“… one of the best written and best researched descriptions of the Skagerrak Coast that I can remember reading …. Let us hope it wins as many readers as “Shark Drunk” did."

Fædrelandsvennen, 6 out of 6 stars
Photo: Åse Brandvold

Per Anders Todal is a journalist. His previous book, Devil on the flat land. Stories from Belarus (Samlaget, 2009), was published to glowing reviews.