The Breath of the Gods

‘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

Simon Winchester is the bestselling author of ATLANTIC, THE MAN WHO LOVED CHINA, A CRACK IN THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, KRAKATOA, THE MAP THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, THE SURGEON OF CROWTHORNE (THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN), THE FRACTURE ZONE, OUTPOSTS and KOREA among many other titles. In 2006 he was awarded an OBE. He lives in western Massachusetts and New York City.