Joy McCann
Wild Sea: A History of the Southern Ocean
NewSouth, 2018
atitude 54° 02′ South, Longitude 37° 14' West:
Prion Island, South Georgia
Unimpeded by any landmass, the mysterious Southern Ocean flows completely around Earth from west to east between the seasonally shifting icy continent of Antarctica and the coastlines and islands of Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa.
Weaving together sea captains' journals, whalers' log books, explorers' letters, scientific research and ancient beliefs with her own voyage of discovery, Joy McCann reveals the secrets of a little-known ocean and its importance as a barometer of climate change.
2019 Shortlisted ACT Book of the Year
“…a thrillingly hybrid creation, drawing together elements of environmental and intellectual history, science and personal observation to illuminate not just the physical and ecological reality of this loneliest of wildernesses but also the ways humans have understood it…the book is ultimately a hymn to connection and wonder, and a recognition of the myriad ways in which the Southern Ocean touches all of us.”
About the Author
Joy McCann is an Australian environmental and cultural historian with a PhD in History from the Australian National University. Her research interests include the natural and cultural histories of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Her book, Wild Sea: A History of the Southern Ocean, was published by NewSouth Publishing (2018) and the University of Chicago Press (2019). She is currently writing a history of Australians and Antarctica for the National Library of Australia and co-authoring a book on oceans, seas and shorelines.
