From antiquity to modern times, the Atlantic has been the subject of myths and legends, as well as a site marked by commerce, exploration, migration, and war. "The Atlantic" offers a global history of the ocean encompassing the exploits of adventurers, Vikings, explorers such as Christopher Columbus, emigrants, fishermen, and modern traders. The book also highlights the importance of the growth of ports such as New York and Liverpool and the battles of the Atlantic in the world wars of the twentieth century.
Paul Butel examines the legends of the ocean, beginning with the Phoenicians and Carthaginians navigating beyond the Pillars of Hercules, and details the exploitation and power struggles of the Atlantic through the centuries. The book surveys the important events in the Atlantic's rich history and comprehensively analyzes the changing fortunes of sea-going nations, including Britain, the United States and Germany.