This is KPBS midday edition. I am Maureen Cavanaugh [ pause ] it's where East meets West. It is environmental [ Indiscernible ] it is the rhythm underneath the great surfing tunes of the 60 -- 60s. And it's right outside the door. The subject of acclaimed authors Simon Winchester's latest book is Pacific. Not so much a biography of the great ocean, as his earlier book Atlantic, but rather snapshots in time and topics. From Gidget to Chinese submarines, the episodes explore the range of influence controlled either worlds biggest ocean. It is a pleasure to welcome Simon Winchester, he is author of Pacific. Silicon chips and surfboards coral reefs and atom bombs, brutal dictators, feeding empires, and the coming collision of the world superpowers. Simon, welcome to the program. Thank you. And thank you for struggling through that. Not my fault that she This kind of the messy to make the people think it's a good idea. Is a long one. [ laughter ] Many people may be surprised by the structure of this book of the topics that you chose to explore. Why did you decide to choose 10 rather modern events to frame the story of the Pacific? The basic thesis I think it's the Mediterranean is [ Indiscernible ] of the [ Indiscernible ] of people agree with that in the Atlantic that we're talking about a few years ago that I thought the inland [ Indiscernible ] of the modern world. And the Pacific [ Indiscernible ] of tomorrow's world -- exit So I thought it would probably discard the people that you know about. Balboa, Magellan and Captain. [ Indiscernible ] -- and begin the book much more recently. 1950. And look at the 65 years since then. With an eye to selecting all the events that seem to have happened. That I could find any weight in the 65 years. 10 -- because I think 10 is a reasonable number of chapters for a reader& 10 events that seem to me to be token trends. That would define the Pacific as it is today. And of course his book lives sort of -- rises or falls or lives or dies or whatever you want to say on whether the critics think there are 10 choices in mind that the of mine were right. So I thus far -- the book is about 10 days old. The critics with one exception have been nice. [ laughter ] So I am happy. Now overall you don't have a very kind opinion of the way Western powers have used the Pacific. Either the ocean or the countries that border it. Is true. And that's not individual ashy original view. Allen or had written this look in the 1960s call the fatal impact reminding us that when west of humankind came to the Pacific, he brought disease, he brought [ Indiscernible ] barkeep brought environmental damage. He brought colonization. And I am afraid that most of the things that we have done -- not all of them -- the Pacific is given to us -- has been rather wonderful. Will be have given to the Pacific, is environmental problems and colonialism and the atom bomb. And think that. So it's not a melancholy book by any means -- and there is much hope at the end -- but it is a reminder and of course bad review was with -- that the book is very anti-American. I don't think it is. I think it is the same -- saying to the West that you have done enough bad things to the Pacific. Leave it alone. So he could be an object lesson in how we [ Indiscernible ] as a whole. Interfering as we have done ever since we first sailed across the Magellan 1529. We tend to have not done good things. It is a very precious a very beautiful body of water. I would like to talk about two of the chapters. From your book. One which will be very popular here in San Diego. You explore the ecstasies of wave riding. And you introduce the topic through the Gidget movies. Now most surfers would not point to the Gidget movies as a High Point and surfing culture. Why do you? Will they probably also pointed Jack London. Jack London was the man who discovered [ Indiscernible ] in 1907 -- he was in -- should put in context -- wave riding. Is a pollination sport that began in Tahiti and then spread north to we. And then was condemned by the missionaries. As most of the Hawaiian Minna particular served naked in the -- that offended the sensibilities of the delicate white ladies that came over. And then so it was essentially bad or more or less died in Hawaii other than among the population of children. Jack London and his wife were sailing across the Pacific [ Indiscernible ]. And went swimming in the village -- Waikiki that the United with the village. And they were suddenly -- was overtaken by dozens of these adorable little children. Standing on tiny little surfboards dishy and he said I gosh I want to learn to do that. And perhaps -- despite being in lumbering big white man, they did teach them. And the ecstasy -- and we use the word -- this moment of sheer joy when he got on top of the waiver was able to write it successfully into the shore. Inspired him to write a piece which was in the October 1900 seven issue of the women's home companion -- unusual place. That really spawned surfing in the pieces dedicated to London and then to Australia. In places like Redondo Beach and Malibu and -- beach in Australia became sort of a certain Pacific sport. And then became Gidget in 1959. Which then made a worldwide phenomenon. This from a 15-year-old girl who could do with the [ Indiscernible ] of equal courage to [ Indiscernible ] academic and I think the stimulated people to create an industry that is now worldwide, $13 billion a year. And in fact has an effect on management techniques. At stylishly -- the man who -- astonishing the man who invented the Patagonia company. I'm going to play with that like surfing to build might factors next to this Pacific Coast Highway. And it surf up -- when it surf's up, they can go surf. And I know that when they come back from the CD will be happy gaged and happy that I given time off work. And work even harder parts of this affects the time that it really is born to the surfing culture. So it's much more important to really -- the merely sport. It's a lifestyle. And it's a great -- the Pacific's great gift to playtime, if you will. Speaking with Simon Winchester about his new book Pacific. And the other chapter I want to speak to you about is in the last chapter, you asked a series of questions which more or less boil down to -- would be so bad if China took over as the controlling military force of the Pacific is that the coming collision you referred to or someone else refers to in the title of your book? Very much so. It's not [ Indiscernible ] at the moment but certain -- was happening in the South China Sea with all these [ Indiscernible ] to put it in context of the normal volcanic eruption in the 1990s which completely ruined the American basis [ Indiscernible ] [ Indiscernible - heavy accent ] in the naval base in the quirkier base. They were closed and by Dick Cheney. That resulted in the creation of the military vacuum in the South Jersey to the west of the Philippines the Chinese that we are more than happy to fill the vacuum. And there were these hundreds a little deserted coral [ Indiscernible ] which they decided the Chinese pressure that they would cease himself. And able to run we hear. In a little town near little time there and all of a sudden about five years ago depending -- suddenly work at the realization of the Chinese controlled the South China Sea. And now the headquarters in Honolulu is sent to destroy the US [ Indiscernible ] to sail rather close to these talk to where the Chinese don't get too big for the boots. But the Chinese plan is much bigger than the South China Sea. They come up with this idea and they do this in the 1980s. Of what they call three island chains. The first island chain which runs from Japan to Java. The second Ivan Jan -- chain further out into the Pacific open the ocean itself to northern Oesterle. And then the third island chain which goes for the Aleutian Islands through Honolulu& New Zealand. And then the Chinese strategy is to buy 2049 -- which would be the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China -- the Chinese baby will be operating as the first, past the second, and symbolically the support of all, to the third island chain, which means the Chinese aircraft carriers will be operating off Honolulu. Not San Diego, not yet. But half Honolulu for sure. And that is only the admirals in it -- had all the animals in the to the. Would we do about a. And he is a me know harbor the Americans had told the Pacific Society for five. The Chinese -- equally powerful now are coming up very fast from behind and say let's have maritime [ Indiscernible ] approvals and I see no harm in that at all. People are familiar with her best-selling books the Professor. and the madman, cockatoo you know that there are an awful lot of sidebars in your writing. Tell me one-story you could -- FSA with an offshoot of that story and before we know it we have gone down that road. Is that sometimes drive your editors crazy? Yes, very much so. Henry Ferriss says oh not another [ Indiscernible ]. I have -- I love [ Indiscernible ]. To the readers. I have a cohort of extremely faithful readers. And they seem to love every department has enough already. But in the maybe cut them down by 20% or so. Now Simon Winchester -- Washington Post April credit -- can wrinkled once wrote Simon Winchester is one of those maddeningly gifted British writers who could probably write this history of med -- mud and make it fascinating. Does writing come easy to you? Like yourself -- I am a journalist of many years standing so I know how to write to relate to time -- and I think IM -- I have been curious -- and if I come across a story that is fascinates me --: bursting into a clearing with a bunch of people sitting around a camp fire. In saying that you will never believe what I saw. And they are all captivated and you tell them the story. I love telling stories. In the Pacific is full of remarkable stories. There is -- as a native Englishman there is something genetic about your understanding of the Atlantic. But I'm just wondering if you still see the subject of the Pacific as something more strange and exotic? There is a very interesting question. I lived beside the Pacific for 13 years. The Guardian's correspondent in Hong Kong. Of this was back in the days when editors spend money like drunken sailors. So they sent me to every corner of the Pacific& So I came to note that she I know that the American Tuesday but became familiar with a lot of more exotic places in the Pacific talk and then when I came to write this book I lived in Hawaii. East-West Center which is an academic institution. Affiliated with the [ Indiscernible ] in Hawaii. And had an office and learned lots of the island that I had not been to before. So I think in a funny sort aware probably Exley more familiar with the Pacific then with my home waters even in the home waters are very hard to swim. In your look Pacific you talk about the -- sort of close with the fate of their retired British ocean liner. The Queen Elizabeth in Hong Kong. And you find it something of a metaphor of the reemergence of the Pacific nations. Can you tell us about that? Yes -- although in a way another boat tells that story rather better. And I look at the sabotage and fire witch's destroyed the Queen Elizabeth has been a tragic symbol of withdrawal empire -- but the boat that I am truly fascinated by is the one that is still very much a flu. Say that she's feeling hard as we speak. And that is the Hawaiian canoe. The sailing canoe to a Wahoo. Pursuing canoe -- which is called the Hockley witches the divine word for [ Indiscernible ] -- bright start -- start sky. Which is without using any instrument that all -- so wristwatch to tell southeastward campus -- compass Bergner GPS is making a way around the world. In the way that the old Polynesians used to DuPont is by using stars in the clouds and the feel of the sea. And seabirds. Sheet set up a Maui on 14 May. Last year. She managed to get very easily with no instruments to Tahiti in the first dozen miles. Turn right [ Indiscernible ] went to the Cook Islands. Spent Christmas in New Zealand. Went on to Australia and entered now into the new Indian Ocean -- the unfamiliar ocean. Yesterday she arrived in muscle Bay in South Africa. No instrument at all were used in the making of this journey. She is now going around and good hope into the Atlantic. And she intends for his presidency -- before the presidency is over to sail up the Potomac and celebrate with people or Hawaiian president. Which we very moving and go down the east coast of South America around to the Straits of Magellan back into the home waters of the Pacific and so home to Maui. And that will take them for years. A remarkable demonstration in my view -- of traditional Polynesian culture. I want to let everyone know Simon Winchester will be signing and discussing his book Pacific tonight at seven at the La Jolla Bradford library. It has been a pleasure. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Simon Winchester writes about some very large subjects, including the histories of geology, volcanoes, and earthquakes. In 2010, he tackled what might be called a truly enormous topic, the history of the Atlantic Ocean.
Simon Winchester In La Jolla
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Where: La Jolla Riford Library at 7555 Draper Ave.
Cost: Free
Winchester has logically followed up "Atlantic" with a book whose title is nearly as vast as its theme: “Pacific: Silicon Chips and Surfboards, Coral Reefs and Atom Bombs, Brutal Dictators, Fading Empires, and the Coming Collision of the World’s Superpowers.”
In its review, The New York Times noted the terror the topic can invoke in the reader, as well as a certain spookiness, all caused by the subject, whose vastness is, well, unfathomable.
For instance, the 64 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean take up almost an entire hemisphere, into which all the world's continents could fit quite easily without touching.
To cover this gigantic story, Winchester has discerned 10 events, each of which, he says, add up to a trend. Some reviewers are not convinced this is a valid organizing principle. But the stories and the science are enough to satisfy the pickiest reader.
Winchester told KPBS Midday Edition on Monday that he chose 10 events that he felt most affected the Pacific Ocean in the past 65 years.
“Ten events that seem to be token trends, that in the end, would define the Pacific it is today,” Winchester said.
In his book, Winchester criticizes Western countries for hurting the ocean.
“(But) it’s not a melancholy book,” Winchester said. “It’s saying to the West, ‘You’ve done enough bad things to the Pacific. Leave it alone.’”
