Ocean journalist and author Laura Trethewey selects from her library some of her favourite and formative reads. Laura’s latest book, The Deepest Map, is out now
• The Brilliant Abyss
by Helen Scales (2021)
Read what Helen Scales has to say about her latest book…
A dive into the extraordinary life of the deep sea, as well as the threats that face the largest wilderness refuge on Earth.
• The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst
by Nicholas Tomlin and Ron Hall (1970)
Written just two years after Donald Crowhurst’s disastrous attempt to sail single-handed around the world. A disturbing account of ambition and delusion far from land.
• Outlaw Ocean
by Ian Urbina (2019)
An investigative, adrenaline-laced account of the many clandestine industries operating on the high seas today, from illegal fishing to pirates, smuggling and human trafficking.
• Kings of Their Own Ocean
by Karen Pinchin (2023)
The true story of a hard-driving fishing charter captain and his quest to document the decline of the Atlantic bluefin tuna.
• The Invention of Nature
by Andrea Wulf (2015)
An exploration into the lasting influence of the Prussian scientist Alexander von Humboldt woven through his travels, adventures and friendships.
• Mapping the Deep
by Robert Kunzig (2000)
A detailed history of ocean exploration and the many mysteries that still fascinate researchers today.
• Deep
by James Nestor (2015)
A trip from the ocean surface to the ocean floor framed through the extreme sport of freediving.
• Dead in the Water
by Matthew Campbell and Kit Chellel (2022)
A true crime story that throws a harsh light on the shadowy shipping world.
Read our review of The Deepest Map by Laura Trethewey
