The busy narrow sea : a social history of the English Channel /
"It was half a million years ago that Britain first parted from Europe. As ice melted, water smashed through the chalky land bridge that separated Britain from the continent of Europe, forming what we now know as the English Channel, and what the French call La Manche. The second parting, far f...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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Cheltenham :
The History Press,
2024.
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| Summary: | "It was half a million years ago that Britain first parted from Europe. As ice melted, water smashed through the chalky land bridge that separated Britain from the continent of Europe, forming what we now know as the English Channel, and what the French call La Manche. The second parting, far from being a force of nature, was the choice of Britain's islanders disillusioned with continental rule. In The Busy Narrow Sea, Robin Laurance tells the story of the people whose lives have become entwined over the centuries with this iconic seaway, presenting a broad sweep of carefully researched historical fact lightened with a host of colourful anecdotes. This diverse tale covers artists captivated by its light; writers inspired by its power; tunnellers relishing its challenges; entrepreneurs turning fishing villages into smart resorts; smugglers ruling and adventurers conquering the waves; and much more besides, from Napoleon through the Second World War and into the modern day"-- |
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| Physical Description: | 222 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 215-216) and index. |
| ISBN: | 9781803996820 180399682X |