In this memoir, Pearson renders time and place vividly through lyrical narrative and generous spirit towards his characters, juxtaposing descriptions of adolescent escapades with the grim discipline of parochial schools. In this Bronx is where dreams of escape fuse with bittersweet memories.

In this stimulating and authoritative overview, Michael Pearson reverses the traditional angle of maritime history and looks from the sea to its shores - its impact on the land through trade, naval power, travel and scientific exploration. This vast ocean, both connecting and separating nations, has shaped many countries' cultures and ideologies through the movement of goods, people, ideas and religions across the sea.

The Indian Ocean moves from a discussion of physical elements, its shape, winds, currents and boundaries, to a history from pre-Islamic times to the modern...