The Frayed Atlantic Edge: A Historian’s Journey from Shetland to the Channel cover art

The Frayed Atlantic Edge: A Historian’s Journey from Shetland to the Channel

A Historian’s Journey from Shetland to the Channel

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The Frayed Atlantic Edge: A Historian’s Journey from Shetland to the Channel

By: David Gange
Narrated by: Ed Hughes
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About this listen

COLLECTIVE WINNER OF THE HIGHLAND BOOK PRIZE AND SHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE

‘This is the book that has been wanting to be written for decades: the ragged fringe of Britain as a laboratory for the human spirit’ Adam Nicolson

Over the course of a year, leading historian and nature writer David Gange kayaked the weather-ravaged coasts of Atlantic Britain and Ireland from north to south: every cove, sound, inlet, island.

The idea was to travel slowly and close to the water: in touch with both the natural world and the histories of communities on Atlantic coastlines. The story of his journey is one of staggering adventure, range and beauty. For too long, Gange argues, the significance of coasts has been underestimated, and the potential of small boats as tools to make sense of these histories rarely explored. This book seeks to put that imbalance right.

Paddling alone in sun and storms, among dozens of whales and countless seabirds, Gange and his kayak travelled through a Shetland summer, Scottish winter and Irish spring before reaching Wales and Cornwall. Sitting low in the water, as did millions in eras when coasts were the main arteries of trade and communication, Gange describes, in captivating prose and loving detail, the experiences of kayaking, coastal living and historical discovery.

Drawing on the archives of islands and coastal towns, as well as their vast poetic literatures in many languages, he shows that the neglected histories of these stunning regions are of real importance in understanding both the past and future of the whole archipelago. It is a history of Britain and Ireland like no other.

Earth Sciences Ecosystems & Habitats Environmentalists & Naturalists Europe Great Britain Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Professionals & Academics Science Western Europe Highlander Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

COLLECTIVE WINNER OF THE HIGHLAND BOOK PRIZE 2019

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2020

BBC Countryfile Magazine Book of the Month

‘An impressive intellectual and physical journey, allowing the reader to experience the Atlantic Coast from a fresh, deeply informed and invigorating perspective; rarely have our coastlines and cultures been explored with such understanding and respect.’ Highland Book Prize

‘A tour de force’ Moya Cannon

‘This book is the product of a considerable physical achievement … A brilliant book, and a major step towards a genuinely radical reimagining of the history of the British Isles.’ Scotsman

‘The strength of Mr Gange’s account is his generosity. His own wry persona never overshadows the voices of past and present inhabitants … [his] prose is itself poetic and precise … His enthusiasm for snoozing in soggy sleeping bags is infectious … A dunking in the freezing sea, off the coast of County Mayo, leaves the author shivering but “ignited, elated”. Surfacing from the book, the reader is invigorated, too.’ Economist

‘An intensely political book … there is uncomplicated beauty as well as wonderful descriptions’ Country Life

‘Gange is both extraordinarily intrepid and deeply attentive to all he encounters … worth attention for its deeper argument as well as its thrilling surface.’ Spectator

‘[Gange is] physically resourceful, articulate, clear-eyed, informed, attentive to the realities, and crucially at home in all the elements. A book reliant in the end on one key fact: edges are revelatory.’ Adam Nicolson, winner of the Wainwright Prize 2018

‘This beautifully written and grippingly researched book shows us that our shores are the beginning, not the ending, of things.’ Philip Hoare

‘Energetic, entertaining and erudite … Sometimes boisterous, sometimes lyrical but always engaging.’ Donald Murray

All stars
Most relevant
David Gange was my lecture at university, so I had heard of the project before reading this book. Loved the book and it changed my view of history. The narrator can't even pronounce 'Cymru', which is completely at odds with the celtophile nature of the book.

Great book, despite the bad pronunciation

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A wonderful and inspiring book, but pompous narration with the worst pronunciation imaginable make this a painful listen.

Oh please record this again...

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I've exceptionally enjoyed listening to this along with the Kindle version when I wanted to pause and make notes on more detail. the combination of the excellent narration with the writing style provides a visceral and evocative window into the perspectives of the Communities he describes on this this journey. I think I got more from this book because I'd already read about half a dozen of the other books he refers to on his journey but I've been left with doesn't more I wish to read in the future

exceptionally refreshing and thought provoking

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I’m reviewing this while only part way through the book. The concept behind the book is fascinating and the book is well written. The pace and delivery of the narration is good but there is a huge irony that a book which makes much of the importance of language has such appalling pronunciation of place names and people’s names. Surely a little research on Gaelic pronunciation (for example) should have been done. It’s not just the mistakes - they’re not even consistent! Cuillin has several (all incorrect) pronunciations for example. I have almost abandoned the audiobook in favour of a paper copy several times, but I’m persevering.

A little research would have improved the narration

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Yes, as other reviewers have pointed out, some of the place names are mispronounced. But if you can put up with this, simply a brilliant combination of travel and history.

Exceptional story,

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