In "At the Edge of the World," Michael Pye vividly, colorfully, and entertainingly recounts the rich history of the North Sea. The North Sea is the sea of the Vikings and the Hanseatic League, but it is much more than that. As early as the Middle Ages, saints and spies, philosophers and pirates, artists and merchants crossed the rough waters. Michael Pye tells exciting stories about the not-so-dark North Sea, from the early Middle Ages to the 17th century, the time that shaped Europe into what it is today. He describes how new discoveries and revolutionary ideas were continually carried across the water. Finally, the thousand-year history of the birth of Europe in the North is dramatically brought to life. "The waters of the North Sea may be gray, but Pye immerses them in vibrant colors." - The Guardian "How the North Sea made us who we are. An overwhelming historical account.".