'A superb account of early Atlantic history that richly rewards the reader’Jeremy Black, author of A Brief History of the Atlantic'Haywood is a gifted storyteller’History Today'Eminently readable’TLS Books of the YearOcean charts the epic pre-Columbian history of the Atlantic in a bold and fascinating account of Europe’s rise to global power. Spanning 200 million years – from the birth of the mid-Atlantic ridge to theCastilian conquest of the Canaries – John Haywood blends geology, mythology, maritime technology and exploration into a sweeping narrative. Populated by seafarers, fishermen, monks, merchants and dreamers, this richly detailed history reveals how Europe’s relationship with the ocean shaped itsfuture, and why its people set out to 'discover’ the world.