Breath of the Gods

Simon Winchester is the acclaimed author of many books, including The Professor and the Madman, The Men Who United the States, The Map That Changed the World, The Man Who Loved China, A Crack in the Edge of the World, and Krakatoa, all of which were New York Times bestsellers and appeared on numerous best and notable lists. In 2006, Winchester was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty the Queen. He resides in western Massachusetts.

‘As Simon Winchester writes in his delightful new book, The Breath of the Gods, these invisible currents of air shape our lives in myriad ways … a thoroughly enjoyable book, brimming over with historical nuggets and contemplations about the future’ New York Times‘Epic … Winchester brings depth to the history of the wind … A splendidly written account of an unseeable force’ Kirkus Reviews (starred review)‘Beguiling … [Winchester] conveys all this lore in prose that’s colourful and evocative … Readers will savor this’ Publishers Weekly‘Big nonfiction books that explore the world through the lens of a single object or concept have been popular for decades … but few are as stirring as The Breath of the Gods … Winchester’s exquisitely clear prose leads us into a new understanding of a changing climate and the dangers ahead’ Boston Globe‘Even when it’s a familiar topic, Winchester finds fascinating ways in … a great synthesizer of material … my copy is packed with notes on the extraordinary people and details he unearths … Winchester’s writing is a breath of fresh air’ Minneapolis Star Tribune‘A prolific and bestselling popular historian, Winchester turns his attention to that most powerful of forces: the wind. With his signature entertaining erudition, he explores a subject that has powered the human world since our inception’ New York Times‘Winchester provides an immensely informative and engaging biography of wind — meteorological, literary, philosophical — from milling grain to the battle of Salamis to climate change across the globe’ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette‘A former reporter, Winchester can find a good story anywhere, and his range is enormous … This time he takes to the air with a study of the phenomenon that shapes Earth’s climate and influences human history’ NPR.org