'A rollicking, surprising, often moving personal history' ANDREW MARR
'Wonderfully descriptive, knowledgeable and concise' Scotsman
'The first full account of the North Sea, above the waves and below' GORDON BROWN

This is the epic, sweeping history of our shores and our relationship to the sea. It's a story of newcomers and the mark they left. It is a story of warring tribes, foreign invaders, lost civilisations and holidaymakers. But it is also a story of huge technological advancement and industry: of submarine engineering and weather forecasting, of whaling expeditions, fishing trawlers and offshore wind farms. From renowned historian, Alistair Moffat, this is the story of how the North Sea shaped us and will continue to do so; it is above all a story of insistent, inescapable change.

"Wonderfully descriptive, knowledgeable and concise . . . History has become so specialised that we sometimes lose sight of its sweep. This has always been one of the great strengths of Moffat's writing and this book is no different. Sociable polymaths like him are a rare breed, but for books like this, an indispensable one" - * Scotsman *

"Moffat's thesis is that the North Sea made modern Britain, and he ranges widely in arguing for it. We're swept from the earliest migrations to our shores to Thatcher's privatisation of oil; along the way, there's swashbuckling, fish, nostalgic fun and plenty of interesting trivia [ . . . ] Moffat shows real literary skill" - * Telegraph *

"A fascinating account of invasions and citadels, of whaling, oil booms and wind farms" - * Sunday Post *

"[Moffat] blends cultural, social, military and religious history with his own self-effacing and wryly humorous narrative voice" - * Herald, 'Best Scottish Non-Fiction Writers of 2025' *