What an interesting book! I can't wait to pick up the published copy to see all of the photos. I had never heard of most of these, but really enjoyed learning about this type of history.

This was a great book that I'd highly recommend to anyone interested in a different way to view history. Shipwrecks are fascinating because they are such a perfect time capsule and David Gibbins does an excellent job of using each wreck to explore the world as represented by each ship: trade, economics, politics, exploration, food, and more. Many factoids would come up that had me thinking "what a great idea for a book" all on their own.

Occasionally the chapters wandered a little bit- probably the danger of trying to tell the history of the world as it stood at any one point in time. I found the sections where Gibbins described his own experiences diving many of the wrecks quite interesting. The idea of knowing that there is still more to learn and discover in these wrecks and possible future ones is always exciting.

I recommend this book to history lovers, ship lovers, and people interested in new ways of looking at history to explore what life was like at different points in history.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a pretty cool book. Not only is the author an archeologist but he is a diver who has not only visited the wrecks but also discovered new and revealing things in them. Much information from the past was either discounted, proved or enhanced by these wrecks. The story is told in both the size and shape of the vessel and in the cargo that has been retrieved from them. History tells us a story. We just need to know how to read it and how to connect the dots. This book does a lot of dot connecting.

One can admire the fortitude and courage of those who enter the depths to bring forth the light. It is treacherous in so many ways, not the least being the shifting of currents and rock. The book goes deeply into the minutiae of the finds and how they disprove or substantiate previous beliefs. It is a book that would be good reading for the student and the curious.

Four purrs and two paws up.

As a huge fan of the Jack Howard adventures, which I knew were inspired by dives undertaken by David Gibbins, I was excited to get my hands on an early copy of A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks. A part of me was disappointed that there weren’t more first-person accounts of the dives, narrative play-by-play of discovering and exploring these sunken wrecks, but that’s entirely okay because what is there – the history – is absolutely fascinating.

In some cases, the book explores history through long-forgotten treasures, the kind of discoveries that every adventurer dreams of. Yes, there are gold and jewels to be found, religious and cultural artifacts as well, but Gibbins explores what they mean, what they tell us about the past, as opposed to what they’re worth. Where the book gets really interesting is in the exploration of everyday artifacts, things like plates and bowls and construction equipment, using them to create a picture of what life was like hundreds of years ago.

Once I got past my initial disappointment over the emphasis on history as opposed to shipwrecks, I began to see the archaeological process involved, and that was what fascinated me most. It’s often painstaking work, accomplished in the harshest of conditions, requiring a wealth of preparation. It’s not like you can just sit on an old battlefield or in an old homestead and sift through layers of dirt at your leisure – you’re at the mercy of the depths, your air supply, the current, and the weather. Sometimes all you can do is catalog what you see, knowing that the next storm could bury it, leaving your eyes the authority on the matter.

A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks can be a dry, scholarly read, but as such it’s a remarkable one. This is a work of David Gibbins, archaeologist and historian, not David Gibbins, adventure author, so you do need to set your expectations. But, as I tell my wife every week when she asks if they found more wood on the Curse of Oak Island, I don’t watch for the treasure, I watch for the history, the little discoveries of pottery and nails, not the big ones, and that’s what this is all about.

I thought this book was really fascinating and found it interesting why the author chose to call it “a history….” I know very little about underwater archaeology and thought those aspects were interesting, but ultimately appreciated the early chapters connections to trade and the ever increasing globalization present. I found the chapters about more recent wrecks a little more challenging because they didn’t really connect to the earlier narrative, but they were still interesting (and devastating) on their own. Overall, I really enjoyed this!

I love shipwrecks and archeology. My dream job is an underwater archeologist (even if I’m an accountant lol), so David gibbons has my dream job. Reading about all the shipwrecks and the history surrounding them is so incredibly fascinating to me. I was incredibly engaged and learned a lot about different shipwrecks. The royal Anne galley was my favourite chapter personally.
There’s two categories of nonfiction, the one where they’re more story tellers and research the sources to present it to the general public (bill Bryson, Eric Larson and David gran fall into this) and the ones like David gibbons that is more the primary source and an academic writer. The book reads very academic, so if you are like me and interested in the topic that’s not an issue but I think if you aren’t as interested in ship wrecks you might find the writing kind of dry.
Thanks netgally and St. marten’s press for the e-arc in exchange for a complimentary review!

I thought this was an interesting combination of world history and shipwrecks. This follows some times in BC all the way up to more current shipwrecks including Titanic and Shackleton's Endurance. 4000 years is a huge time span to capture in a book but Gibbins does this concisely and makes it interesting. I felt like this was a narrartive nonfiction which I enjoy reading.

I particularly enjoyed reading about the Vikings and the Greeks. If anyone is interested reading this, be warned that each chapter gives a lot of details about what is happening globally and how it is relevant to the shipwreck being discussed. This was great information to have for some chapters like with the Vikings and Greeks; but it was a little irritating for the chapters of the Titanic and Shackleton.

I did not know that Gibbins was a marine archaelogist but it is evident he shares his passion for the ocean in this book. I was surprised how much I liked this book.

Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, David Gibbins and St Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already available

Ships lost at sea are not always lost—sometimes they become windows into the past for future marine archeologists. The seas preserve things in gold or bronze that would have been melted down and re-used if available on land.

These shipwrecks also give us insight into something not well covered in the heroic histories—patterns of trade.

In this book, David Gibbons takes us on a tour of world history, from the Iron Age to the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II, by examining the contents of representative shipwrecks he has dived. While the details sometimes overwhelmed me, the larger story is fascinating – an undersea window into human history.

In the book A History Of The World In 12 Shipwrecks by David Gibbons every chapter talks about a specific shipwreck in the chapters seem to cover every walk of life from the Chinese explorers a boat that was carrying a whole church out of the Middle East the Vikings the Merry Rose in even the SS terror whether the ships were coming or going to plunder provide protect or pleasure they all tell a story an in the book the author translates it for us. I have read books by Mr. Gibbons before and he never ceases to amaze me and then this one we learn as a child he translated ancient text which is astounding to me because I couldn’t even re-dress my baby dolls when I was little but that’s beside the point. This is a great interesting book my favorite chapter was the one of the Vikings but then again that is where my interest in history usually lies this book is well researched and definitely told by an author well-versed in the subject he always writes things that sparks my imagination and I am a huge fan and definitely recommend the book. I want to thank Saint martins press and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN TWELVE SHIPWRECKS by David Gibbins is a fascinating guide to history through the wreckage we leave behind. I knew very little about the events covered in some chapters, but eagerly learned of the exploits, approaches, and bold undertakings of people who lived long ago -- recognizing they aren't that different from who we are today. With Gibbins, I felt I was in the authoritative hands of a deeply experienced, passionate seeker and I loved the ride. What was particularly outstanding was an approach to history that was not all about battles and conquests -- while those were covered, they were not the entire story of civilization spreading, ambitions and attitudes, and how brave individuals sailed into the unknown with little but hand-hewn vessels, the stars, and their strong selves. I felt as involved and amazed as the archeologists discovered new facts and aspects to the people we once were. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Great read for a history lover. The author is a underwater archaeologist who has been a diver on many of these shipwrecks. His personal experience and knowledge gave me great confidence in his conclusions. The wrecks were presented chronologically and ranged from the 2nd millennium BCE through WWII. I learned something from every chapter and the book really give me a birds-eye view of the history of ships throughout the world.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for the ARC of this new and intriguing work. This was such a fun and entertaining read. The author is clearly an expert on the sea. The concept of this book was so fun. Taking on a "history of the world" is obviously a huge task via any lens. But this worked. I think any fan of nautical history or any history fan will like this and will definitely learn from it. The author met the challenge of the book premise very well. I feel that we need to support authors that try to take on original challenges such as this! Highly recommended.

This was a fascinating read learning about history through shipwrecks.The author has a very engaging style of writing which made the book very engaging.#netgalley #st.martins

Every shipwreck is a time capsule. It contains fragmentary information about its world that archaeologists study to gain insight into the cultures involved at that time. Of course, the more that is already known about the era the more detail the new information provides. David Gibbins practices underwater archaeology and has chosen twelve shipwrecks to illustrate twelve eras of history. These range from the Bronze Age to WWII and he has been involved with the exploration of half of them. The earliest periods are, unsurprisingly, more provisional. There is less known with certainty and this can be less engaging to read about. Once there are more facts about the time, the ship, the cargo it’s more engaging. These are twelve points in time from Western history and a prior familiarity helps understand where and how they fit the larger picture. Gibbins brings both first hand knowledge and extrensive research to the subjects. (I did find a very glaring error regarding the Tudor family tree, but was reading an advance copy and hope it was caught.) I found the book interesting, but wished it was more focused on the archaeology and research rather than general history. Perhaps I misread his intention.

***Happy Publication Day****

Warning - I am not the right audience for this book. I clearly made a mistake requesting it. The title was so romantic, it swept me away. Upon delving into the book, however, after reading about the scientific expeditions and shipwreck diving experiences of the author, I knew I was no longer on terra firma (double entendre not intended). I am not a scientist, nor am I an historian, so, try as I may to keep up with the descriptions of the metals and shipbuilding details demonstrating the trade and crafting skills in areas under and around the coastlines and beyond being excavated, I got lost somewhere at around the 20% mark of the book and had to abandon ship (again, no double entendre intended - sometimes I am possessed and things just leap out of my fingers onto the keyboard). I do recommend this book to readers who have an interest and at least a smidgeon of knowledge in the fields of history, archaeology, and anthropology. I confess to being totally clueless in all three and found myself in way over my head. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book for my honest review. I recommend not diving in blind, like I did. This seems to me to be a well-written scientific gem of a book for the right reader!

From ancient to more modern shipwrecks, this book takes you on a wonderful adventure! Get to know past civilizations from artifacts found on sunken ships. Dive into the greatest mysteries of maritime history, and discover a waterlogged time capsule of goodies.

While life on board a vessel might not have been easy, some of these wrecks have afforded us a glimpse into how they lived, and functioned aboard these vessels. From artifacts of warfare, to everyday items such as shoes and cooking utensils - each wreck offers a different look into life, death, and even medicine.

This was a truly fantastic read, and I highly enjoyed the way it was laid out. From the ancient wrecks to looking into the lost Franklin expedition, each chapters brings interesting facts, and well researched information. I learned so much from reading through this. Highly recommend for those who enjoy history - it is a great way dive into some new information, and perhaps learn a new fact or five.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

This is just a really cool, insightful and educational book about ocean faring. I found myself totally nerding out in the most fun way learning about all of these wild historical events and these utterly fascinating shipwrecks.

Totally recommend this as cool non-fiction!

From early sea traders of prehistory in the second millennium BC to the SS Gairsoppa, a cargo ship sunk by a u-boat in the battle of the Atlantic in 1941, Gibbons described some of the biggest discoveries of shipwrecks around the world. Each shipwreck gets its own chapter of exquisitely researched information on its creation, the culture of the people that built and used it, and a description of the discovery and restoration of the artifacts found. As a maritime archeologist that dove his first shipwreck at age 14 and with over 4 decades of underwater exploration the author's knowledge and passion for the subject shine through. A quote I really liked from the afterword: "The very act of diving, in an unfamiliar and often challenging environment, sharpens the resolve and heightens awareness, as if by doing so we are entering into the final moments of emotion of those on board and able to sense the lives that still seem to be imprinted on the seabed." I recommend this to anyone that enjoys historical nonfiction, especially history of different cultures.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks by David Gibbins is both entertaining and informative. Gibbins is a well-informed and dynamic narrator who guides readers through the fascinating stories of these historical shipwrecks. His expertise and engaging storytelling make this book a must-read for anyone interested in maritime history.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!

"A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks" reads more as a textbook and may struggle to find footing with mass appeal. The subject area is incredibly interesting, and yes, obviously is a subject for learning. However, it's a very exciting premise surrounded by straightforward facts and A LOT of annotated credit. There is no storytelling. There is no color or life brought into the subject that would flame interest for a new reader.

One of my recommendations would be to stop listing every single name of the people who worked on the projects, nor list the name for every affiliated educational institutes. This is where an index will provide great support! While reading on a mobile screen, there were times when entire pages were simply names of people who did something at that point in time. The user experience of reading the text was terrible and I found myself skipping ahead so I could get back into the story.

Another recommendation would be to make sure there are pictures in the final text. (Again, further cinching that belt towards a History textbook, but a lot of people are visual creatures). One of the areas I would have enjoyed a visual is to provide context for scale. There is a reference in the beginning around the distance from the Nile river to Carchemish. This may be difficult to communicate meaning for the common reader.

Overall, it was a somewhat disappointing read. For a subject matter I was very interested in exploring, it felt like the pages were wasted in chronicling that the facts/credit and the context of the story fell to the wayside.