The Blue Marble

Patrik Svensson

The highly-anticipated new book by Patrik Svensson, internationally award-winning, New York Times, Time Magazine, LA Times, Sunday Times and Washington Post acclaimed author of The Gospel of the Eels.

In this new book, Patrik takes us on a different excursion, deep-diving into the last remaining mystery on Earth: the sea. Object of our earnest fascination, Svensson attempts to answer our questions about the deep: how did people start exploring the sea? What went through the minds of the first sailors who followed the stars to the great unknown? And what do we really know about the creatures that – unlike us – in their evolution, stayed below the surface?

These are some of the questions that the likes of Ferdinand Magellan, Rachel Carson, Robert Dick and Vasco de Gama asked in their endeavours to understand the sea. Each of their adventures have contributed to our collective knowledge, making the sea seem both larger and smaller with every observation.

In this collection of essays, Patrik shares his knowledge about curious individuals and their discoveries, some more famous than others, and the result is a beautiful and well-researched book, that offers a deeper understanding of our aquatic origins. It is a well-needed reminder of the joint rhythm we all carry inside, and of how much there is still left to explore here on earth. Patrik Svensson once again mixes anecdotes of historical figures, scientific discoveries, and philosophical meditations, with the intimate approach that is his signature style.

The Gospel of the Eels spellbound readers around the world as it sold over 250,000 copies in Sweden alone, won both national and international awards, and was a New York Times Editor’s Choice, amongst the many other accolades it received.