An immensely detailed work on oceans; I loved it but sometimes the detail was heavy going! I enjoyed the personal aspects Helen had included as well as the more scientific. Sometimes I felt that there could have been a better structure as some parts were a little repetitive.

This is a fascinating book about the ocean and how it shapes our world, how it impacts our lives and how it helps us today. The author does include science in this book, but it is explained in a way that is completely understandable to a non-science-brained person.

The author includes huge amounts of information from the way the ocean moves, to the different depths and strata, she mentions how people have learnt to navigate and how humans have impacted it. We live in a world where climate change is often mentioned. I always think about climate change affecting the air quality, temperatures, rainfall and storms. The ocean is also affected by climate change and this is becoming more and more obvious as great swathes of ice are melting, we are experiencing more run-offs into the rivers and oceans and we are interfering with the delicate balance. The author brings all these elements and so much more to her book and it was a fabulous book to read and one that thoroughly enjoyed.

I live in Cornwall, UK. It is an area of land that sticks out at the S.W. point of the mainland, surrounded on 3 sides by the sea. Our weather is, in part, affected by what happens out at sea and we do experience seasonal high tides, and weather coming in of the sea and we do benefit from the Gulf Stream.

Reading this book has made me realise just how much the oceans do to keep our planet at the right temperature for life to exist and function. The author also uses historical facts to reinforce events and to back up what she has discovered through her own research, she is, after all a physicist and is seen on BBC in a science section. So yes, she does know her stuff, what I liked about this book was that she used her own knowledge and that of others from around the world, it gives a deeper understanding as you do get different perspectives. It brings other cultures and their history to the table and gives the reader the chance to see the differences between then and now.

The book is broken down into 3 parts, with 7 sub-sections. The first part is about "What is the Blue Machine", the author tells the reader why she refers to the ocean as a machine, and to be honest when you think about it, it does make sense. This section deals with the nature of the sea, the shape of water and the anatomy of the ocean. Part 2 is "Travelling the Blue Machine" This looks at life in the oceans and on the oceans and has 3 sections covering, messengers, passengers and voyagers. This was my favourite section as it got into the details of life in the oceans. The final part, Part 3 is " The Blue Machine and Us" This is the 1 section and it is about what we can do or should be doing.

Obviously, this book highlights the impact that humans have had on the oceans and how they are deteriorating. It is an eye-opening book and one that does give pause for thought. So it is no surprise that there is a final section in this book that also deals with what we can do.

This is a fascinating book and one that I read in chunks over several days. I thought this book was so well laid out and explained and I definitely closed the book at the end knowing I knew more now than I did before. The explanations made sense and this is what I really liked about it.

If you have an interest in the natural world, the climate and oceans then this is a book I would definitely recommend.

This is such a thought provoking novel that makes you take notice of what is happening in our oceans.
It goes into detail about how are oceans work and what it means to the planet.
Helen's passion for the subject really shines through.
The book is extremely fascinating and informative..

Blue Machine shows how important is the ocean for our planet but for us too. The author explains in simple terms elements from the ocean and how it affects it, for example the salt. It's an element that it's easily overlooked but still so important. I really enjoyed the book and I think everyone should read it because only by knowing all the facts about our planet and the oceans we can protect them.

I love to learn about how our planet works and it shapes our life and shaped out history.
This is an informative and fascinating book about oceans and it's highly recommended because you learn a lot and travel to new places that are usually hidden
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What do you think when you see a sea? You´d probably think it is cold or hot, but always wet. Some might think adventure! Someone else: food! Others: money! - we don’t like these guys.
Helen Czerski sees much further and certainly much deeper. She tells us a beautiful tale of water, pressure, currents, animals, and… humans. We think we know everything. We do know a lot about lakes and rivers but the deep ocean is still a mystery. That’s a good thing because the moment we discover something valuable, there will be humans willing to destroy it all.
Fascinating!

Blue Machine is a fascinating and informative book about the ocean, its currents and behaviour and how humans are affecting it. I learned so much by reading the book, including the fact that underwater waterfalls exist - how cool is that?

As well as reading the ebook, I also listened to the audiobook version, narrated by the author, and this added an extra dimension as you can hear her enthusiasm for her subject in every sentence she speaks.

A highly recommended read for anyone with even a passing interest in ocean science.

As someone who has studied Maritime Archaeology, not as a focus but in tandem with my own specialism. The impact of earth's oceans, seas (and lakes) cannot be misunderstood in our own species story. Czerski's interest in the ocean shines through in 'blue machine', and she also presents complex arguments succinctly, and I think this book does well straddling the genres of popular science and books for 'experts'. I loved some of the discussions, included the history of the sea - e.g the naming of Greenland. Overall, a great book but I do think (for me) I found the book overly long but nevertheless an enjoyable, and informative read!

Blue Machine is packed full of science and interesting vignettes. It provided me with a whole new understanding of the multi-layered complexity of the ocean, its place in the global warming discussion and its crucial importance for our planet Earth.. Helen Czerski demonstrates just how vital the Blue Machine is. I also greatly appreciate the author's views on 'values' and 'science' and wish this was more widely understood and communicated throughout society. Overall I just found the structure a little odd, the book overly long and parts of the book rather hard=going, hence my arguably overly harsh rating. Special thank you to Penguin Random House & NetGalley for a no-obligation advance review copy.

This was a really interesting and informative non-fiction. It's a fascinating exploration of the vastness that is the ocean and set at the right level to explain to people like me, who know nothing about this subject. I love learning new things and this is perfect for that.

A riveting insight into the world’s oceanography. I found this author’s knowledge and obvious passion for the subject, really inspiring and it’s amazing to learn how things like the food chain amongst the creatures of the ocean, appear to feed off each other and yet keep the chain going. It seems it starts with phytoplankton “gorging on sunlight”. What a mind-blowing thought! Further into the book we’re introduced to what in effect are upside down waterfalls. It’s hard to even try and imagine such a thing but this book is full of magical occurrences going on beneath the surface of the oceans that is really all we we see as land creatures. This is definitely a book to read to learn more about this beautiful part of our world. I’m glad I have. Highly recommended.

I feel kind of mean giving this book a three star rating, because for someone who is scientifically interested in the sea then this would be a 5 star for sure.

This is a book about the blue machine that drives our planet. We are taken on an intimate tour of the sea, it's layers, it's inhabitants from the smallest to the biggest, and how it effects our lives. I learned that salt - no matter how exotic it appears or where it comes from - is in fact all the same.

Some of the writing is beautifully descriptive and gave me an appreciation of the writers experiences and my own experiences with the sea. However, many sections of the book were very science heavy and I felt more like I was reading an academic paper or thesis and I didn't enjoy these sections as much.

For serious sea enthusiasts or budding marine biologists then this book will be the perfect addition to your shelf. For me, it just didn't hit the spot that I was hoping for.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The oceans are full of water, and water is just water, so there’s not much to know, right? Wrong. Far from being homogenous, the water in our oceans varies in temperature, salinity and depth, among other things. It’s affected by the weather and affects the weather. Some parts are well mixed and others remain stratified. I recommend Blue Machine if you want to find out more about how whales are affected by war and where there’s a secret sound tunnel.
Most of the non-fiction I read is history but I do like to make an occasional foray into science. I’ve come across Helen Czerski as a broadcaster but not as a writer. My mistake – her writing is immediately engaging and good enough that Blue Machine would be an interesting read if it were only, as she puts it, ‘a voyage through the global ocean’. What lifts it further is the depth (sorry) achieved by mixing her own experiences into the narrative, from Arctic research trips to canoeing in the Pacific. Placing her live science research alongside a very wide-ranging portrait of the oceans makes for a great read. This isn’t a book dumbed down for the general reader: Czerski doesn’t avoid complicated concepts but conveys them using straightforward language; we all need a science teacher like Helen.

The Blue Machine is a delightful book that gave me an enthralling and entertaining look at the way our planet’s ocean works and how it drives the processes of the world.

Dr Helen Czerski has a uniquely readable style of writing, she explains intricate and intriguing scientific principles in a clear and concise way. The book paints a wonderful picture of the oceans, the story she tells is a rich and vivid description of our seas, and how the engine that drives the systems of our planet is intricately tied to the ocean.

This book's unfolding narrative points to how humankind’s existence and future is intimately woven into the story of the ocean. Helen deals with all the issues affecting the oceans in a thoughtful and penetrating way.

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, it was captivating. I would recommend this book as a wonderful way to introduce a reader to understand the science and story of the ocean.

Blue Machine by Helen Czerski is a fascinating exploration of the ocean that encompasses physics and biology as well as history and and concern for the future. The central premise of the book is that all of the earth's ocean, from the equator to the poles is a single powerful engine powered by sunlight. This is obviously a very simplistic deconstruction of a vast and complicated ecological system, and in the course of her book the author elucidates her points in a clear way that make them easy for the lay person to understand. Her passion for her subject shines through in her writing and in the way she incorporates personal stories and anecdotes to link her present to humanity's past and even her fears for the future of the planet. I loved seeing how she was able to tie so many topics together and show how much the "blue machine" has influenced humanity in unexpected ways. I also must give a little shout out to the beautiful cover design, which really highlights the seas and oceans , framing the map of the world in a way that makes us look at it with fresh eyes.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I haven't actually finished reading this book yet but I am so loving it that I can't hold back from telling everyone! Her subject - the Blue Machine - the vast ocean of our world is beyond words fascinating. I have learnt so much in the comparatively few pages I've read so far; that turtles need to 'cry out' the salt from the jellyfish they consume or else they'd die, nor have I ever pondered about fish needing to drink! The reason for such praise is her writing style. She has a light touch with facts a figures to make them easy to digest and her turn of phrase allows for an easier read. I simply cannot recommend this book more highly and I shall buy copies for all of my friends!

This was a stunning book. The author’s passion for her field of study shines through and communicates so clearly how important our oceans are. The viewpoint of considering Earth holistically as a single organism is not a new one to me but the author’s take on it and voice were refreshingly vibrant. Overall this was an uplifting read, packed with easily accessible information even for the lay person. A stunning work of non-fiction.

A very interesting and informative book. Czerski is obviously fascinated by the sea and her enthusiasm is shown throughout the book. Blue Machine is very much an untold story that is vital to everyone n the planet. Hopefully, someone can turn this book into a TV series. Although the book was largely readable by the average person, I did find it was too detailed in places. Even though my Kindle is set to fairly small print, many times one paragraph filled the whole page.
Reading the book I imagined Czerski was much older from all the things she'd done. I was amazed to find she is only in her forty's and also has a media career.

This wonderful book provides a framework for every snippet of ocean related adventure or natural wonder you’ve ever come across. Whether it’s Amundsen’s Fram floating across the arctic, the reason Jacques Cousteau’s revolutionary underwater films had an orchestral soundtrack or how outrigger canoes could be used for Pacific exploration, these all provide evidence of how the ocean works and the environment it provides for different living beings. The author is full of joy and wonder at the ocean, but also takes a hard look at our choices for the future and how to protect its equilibrium.

***** if you enjoyed Andrea Wulf’s The Invention of Nature, you’ll love this.

In this fascinating, informative, utterly readable and extremely enjoyable book, Helen Czerski takes us on an exploration of the oceans--the 'blue machine' that we rely on to live, whether we know it or not. Czerski takes a holistic approach. She is interested in the science of the oceans--how they work, the lives of the creatures who live there, the geography and plant life of the oceans and more. That's not all, though--she also investigates how the oceans impact humans, even those living far away. Oceans have shaped history, human cultures, lifestyles, and our habitat and they continue to do so. She states, " The patterns that influence civilizations--weather, resources, culture--are often a consequence of the patterns that the ocean engine generates." (p 45)

In the book, Czerski does a fabulous job of tying all these strands together in a well-written narrative. In each chapter, she writes a bit about her own Scientific fieldwork experiences relevant to the topic at hand. She provides data, but in a very accessible way--you don't need to have a science background to read, enjoy, and benefit from this book. She talks to specialists in specific areas of study and she tells stories based on the research, which is an excellent way to connect with readers. I experienced several 'wow' moments as I was reading and more than once, I stopped to read passages aloud to my husband.

This is the second book by Helen Czerski that I've read and both were excellent. I will not hesitate to read any of her future work--I highly recommend this author.