Simon Winchester: The Breath of the Gods

Bestselling author and polymath Simon Winchester reveals how the wind – an unseen force with astonishing influence – has shaped humanity’s past and will define its future.

A meditation on humankind’s relationship with something that cannot be seen, only felt, The Breath of the Gods is the astonishing new work by the prolific Simon Winchester. Sweeping and deeply perceptive, it traces humanity’s attempts to understand, harness and transform the world’s atmosphere, and considers how a changing climate is reshaping it before our eyes.

With host Michael Williams, Winchester journeys through the literature, history, science and poetry of the wind – from its generative and cataclysmic power to its presence in myths and folktales and its foundational role in global trade, transport and energy. He examines a world in which the winds, once steady companions, are now rendered volatile by human activity – a reminder of our fragile place within the natural order.

Compelling, erudite and suffused with an undimmed sense of wonder, Winchester reflects on how these invisible currents can both imperil our lives and sustain them, offering a profound meditation on power, vulnerability and our enduring dependence on the unseen forces of the world.

Presented in partnership with RMIT University