The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind [Hardcover]

“As our climate changes, the force of the wind is set to grow. By looking to the past and the future,Winchester examines the twinned possibilities alive in this bluster: the power of the wind to tear ourworld apart and its ability to help us travel farther and do more.” —The Washington Post

"Epic . . . . A splendidly written account of anunseeable force." —Kirkus Reviews(starred review)

New York Timesbestselling author Simon Winchester returns with a thought-provoking history of the wind, written in his edifying and entertaining style.

What is going on with our atmosphere? The headlines are filled with news of devastating hurricanes, murderous tornadoes, and cataclysmic fires affecting large swaths of America. Gale force advisories are issued on a regular basis by the National Weather Service.

In 2022, a report was released by atmospheric scientists at the University of Northern Illinois, warning that winds—the force at the center of all these dangerous natural events—are expected to steadily increase in the years ahead, strengthening in power, speed, and frequency.

While this prediction worried the insurance industry, governmental leaders, scientists, and conscientious citizens, one particular segment of society received it with unbridled enthusiasm. To the energy industry, rising wind strength and speeds as an unalloyed boon for humankind—a vital source of clean and “safe” power.

Between these two poles—wind as a malevolent force, and wind as savior of our planet—lies a world of fascination, history, literature, science, poetry, and engineering which Simon Winchester explores with the curiosity and vigor that are the hallmarks of his bestselling works. InThe Breath of the Gods, he explains how wind plays a part in our everyday lives, from airplane or car travel to the &ldquo