Oceans Past 2026

This booklist was created in celebration of the Oceans Past conference, cohosted by UVic Anthropology, History and Environmental Studies in June 2016. This list is not exhaustive, and contains mostly ebooks (print books were on display in the McPherson library during the conference).

Updated June 11, 2026
University of Victoria Libraries  Tina Bebbington, Anthropology and Newspaper Librarian, UVic Libraries
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Atlantic : great sea battles, heroic discoveries, titanic storms, and a vast ocean of a million stories
Winchester, Simon.
Paper Book
"Variably genial, cautionary, lyrical, admonitory, terrifying, horrifying and inspiring...A lifetime of thought, travel, reading, imagination and memory inform this affecting account." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Blending history and anecdote, geography and reminiscence, science and...
Fishing : how the sea fed civilization
Fagan, Brian M.
Paper Book
Humanity's last major source of food from the wild, and how it enabled and shaped the growth of civilization In this history of fishing--not as sport but as sustenance--archaeologist and best-selling author Brian Fagan argues that fishing was an indispensable...
The killer whale who changed the world
Leiren-Young, Mark
Paper Book
The fascinating and heartbreaking account of the first publicly exhibited captive killer whale -- a story that forever changed the way we see orcas and sparked the movement to save them Killer whales had always been seen as bloodthirsty sea monsters. That all changed when a...
Octopus Ocean: Geniuses of the Deep
Leiren-Young, Mark
Paper Book
★"Vivid and fascinating...Budding scientists and animal lovers will keep this stellar title in full-circulation as they learn the mysteries and history of octopuses."--School Library Journal, starred review With their blue blood, big brains and eight arms, octopuses are dramatically...
Orcas of the Salish Sea
Leiren-Young, Mark
Paper Book
Meet Onyx and the orcas of J pod, the world's most famous whales. Illustrated with stunning photos, this picture book introduces young readers to the orcas humans first fell in love with. The members of J pod live in the Salish Sea, off the coast of Washington and British Columbia. Moby...
Pacific : silicon chips and surfboards, coral reefs and atom bombs, brutal dictators, fading empires, and the coming collision of the world's superpowers
Winchester, Simon
Paper Book
One of Library Journal's 10 Best Books of 2015 Following his acclaimed Atlantic and The Men Who United the States, New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester offers an enthralling biography of the Pacific Ocean and its role in the modern world, exploring our relationship with this...
The sushi economy : globalization and the making of a modern delicacy
Issenberg, Sasha.
Paper Book
Journalist Sash Issenberg traces sushi's journey from Tokyo street snack to global delicacy, in this fascinating history. Issenberg examines not just the foodstuff itself, but the history, economics and businesses behind the famous fish recipes. It covers topics including the birth of modern sushi,...

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