Books & Looks: Real Books for Real Readers was started as a literary podcast to supplement Blaine Desantis’ website, ViewsOnBooks.com, and expand into audio and video interviews with authors.
With Books & Looks, Blaine’s goal is to focus on real books that real people will read. At least half of the books he reviews are either new authors or unknown authors that many in the general public are unaware of. After a segment reviewing books or interviewing authors, Blaine ends each episode with a discussion of the movies and TV shows he is currently watching.
Learn more about Blaine and his podcast at ViewsOnBooks.com.
This Week’s Episode
David Gibbins, renowned marine archaeologist and bestselling author, joins us to discuss his latest book “A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks.” With over a dozen novels and numerous non-fiction works to his credit, Gibbins brings a unique blend of academic expertise and storytelling prowess to this fascinating exploration of maritime history.
Book Spotlight: “A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks”
This groundbreaking work takes readers on a journey through time, using twelve significant shipwrecks as windows into different historical periods. From Bronze Age traders to World War II vessels, Gibbins weaves together archaeology, history, and adventure to reveal how these sunken treasures reshape our understanding of the past.
Discussed in this Episode:
- The Dover Boat: How a Bronze Age vessel sheds light on early maritime trade and the interconnectedness of ancient cultures
- The link between shipwrecks and literary classics: Connecting archaeological finds to texts like the Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer’s Iliad
- Roman-era shipwrecks: Insights into the vast trade networks and daily life during the height of the Roman Empire
- Emperor Justinian’s “prefab churches”: The fascinating discovery of flat-packed marble churches shipped across the Mediterranean
- The maritime Silk Road: Evidence of sea-based trade routes predating the more famous land routes
- The Mary Rose: How underwater archaeology solved the mystery of King Henry VIII’s flagship’s sinking
- HMS Terror: The ongoing investigation of Franklin’s lost Arctic expedition and its connection to modern underwater exploration techniques
Links:
Listen to the latest episode of Books & Looks:
About Blaine Desantis:
Blaine is an avid lifetime reader, a retired attorney, and has been a book club leader for the past seven years. He is an active teacher in senior education classes at Furman University. Blaine loves fiction, nonfiction, histories, mysteries and almost all genres of books.
