Wind Power: How Wind Shaped History & Our World

Simon Winchester’s latest book, “The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind,” explores the stories of scientists, mathematicians, and eccentrics who have studied and been influenced by wind throughout history. The book, while entertaining, ultimately feels meandering and misses an opportunity to explore the deeper meaning of wind for humanity.

Pioneers and Eccentrics

Winchester has a history of bringing lesser-known historical figures to life, previously focusing on the founders of the Oxford English Dictionary, geologist William “Strata” Smith, and biochemist Joseph Needham. “The Breath of the Gods” takes a broader approach, presenting an ensemble of individuals connected by their relationship to wind.

Among those featured are Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, creator of the wind scale, and Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis, the mathematician who discovered how the Earth’s rotation affects wind and currents. Winchester also highlights more obscure figures like Ralph Bagnold, who studied wind’s impact on sand dunes and later led a group demolishing fuel dumps in Libya during World War II, and Walter Munk, an expert on waves credited with influencing the timing of D-Day.

Digressions and Detail

Winchester often delves into tangential subjects, such as the story of oboist Léon Goossens, who performed for Londoners sheltering during the Blitz, and the intricacies of how reeds produce sound. He also explores the work of Lyall Watson, who developed a biological wind scale based on human physical responses to different wind strengths.

The book includes references to literary works featuring wind, such as Daniel Defoe’s account of the 1703 Great Storm and passages from Joseph Conrad and Richard Hughes. However, the author notes the omission of Wordsworth’s poem, “The Prelude,” which begins with a reference to a gentle breeze.

Limited Exploration of Global Winds and the Future

Winchester touches upon various named winds around the world, including the Mistral, Bora, and several North American and Australian winds, but provides a relatively brief overview. He notes that in Britain, only the Helm wind is commonly named.

The book’s discussion of the future of wind and climate change is described as half-hearted, with references to the intensification of storms and a briefly fashionable theory of a “great stilling” of global winds. Ultimately, the historical material does not coalesce into a cohesive understanding of wind’s significance.

The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind by Simon Winchester (William Collins £25 pp416). To order a copy go to timesbookshop.co.uk. Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members