The Blue Age by Gregg Easterbrook
“Outstanding” — Kirkus, starred review
We are living in the blue age – the longest phase of peace on the waters since the Phoenicians. The United States Navy is a guardian, not an invader. Peace on the waters has allowed the greatest increase in trade in human history – along with higher living standards and (despite what politicians claim) more jobs, plus unprecedented decline of poverty in China and most of the Pacific Rim.
Peace at sea, free trade, rising prosperity and longer lifespans including in the developing world – in the blue age, either everybody wins or everybody loses.
But a new naval arms race has begun, involving many nations – and naval arms races preceded both world wars.
The Arctic Ocean soon will be navigable – will we share it or fight over it?
Life itself is a gift of the sea --- will we protect the waters from pollution or spoil them?
We are living in the Blue Age – and will miss it badly if it’s gone.
Advance Praise for The Blue Age
“READ THIS BOOK! The Blue Age is a compelling account of how our unprecedented 75 years of pax oceanum came about, how fragile it might be, and what’s at stake.”
— Marcia McNutt, President, National Academy of Sciences
“The Blue Age is brilliantly written, extremely well sourced, and remarkably accurate in its depiction of the centrality of oceans to the well-being of our world.”
— Admiral (ret) James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO
“Politicians, the media, academics and literary writers – and every one of us who consumes goods shipped across oceans – should take notice of The Blue Age and its investigation of the surprising effects of peace on the high seas since 1950.”
— Helen Rozwadowski, Prof. of Maritime Studies, University of Connecticut
“Gregg Easterbrook is a genius at taking huge, complex, deeply vital subjects and making them into compelling, informative reading – with clear thinking and a nice touch of irony and humor.”
— Evan Thomas, author, Sea of Thunder and John Paul Jones
"A captivating geopolitical case for the power of the sea and the role of the U.S. Navy, as a preface to the author's controversial prescriptions for maritime power sharing and innovation."
— David Malpass, President, World Bank
“Gregg Easterbrook brilliantly focuses the mind on how the destinies of nations often turn on who controls the oceans and waterways of an ever-shrinking world.”
— Jon Meacham, author, The Soul of America