The Voyage of Sorcerer II

Explains with admirable clarity the science and technology involved in this global ocean-sampling expedition. – Simon Ings * The Telegraph *
Part science writing and part travelogue, the coauthors use a combination of interviews, media accounts, ship’s logs, blogs, and scientific publications to describe the mission and travels of Venter and Sorcerer II, as well as what they see as the outcomes and meanings of these expeditions…clear and enjoyable to read. – Kristoffer Whitney * H-Net *
This well-organized narrative of exploration and scientific discovery details the work of an important global science endeavor and brings together the topics of travel, microbiology, and sailing. – Catherine Lantz * Library Journal *
Writing with award-winning science journalist Duncan, Venter presents a lively account of a groundbreaking exploration of the microbiome of the Earth’s waters…Important and adventurous science on the high seas. * Kirkus Reviews *
An entertaining story of scientific fieldwork. – Nuno M. Oliveira * H-Net Reviews *
“[Venter’s] claims as an adventurous pioneer hold up under scrutiny…Duncan also makes Sorcerer II’s logs come alive. We sense there is adventure afoot. – Pat Reber * Arts Fuse *
J. Craig Venter, famous for his work with the human genome, is the hero of this book cowritten with journalist David Ewing Duncan. The two recount exhilarating stories from Venter’s 15-year journey across the world’s oceans aboard a sailing ship as he studied microbes and the science of some of the smallest living things around us. * Alta Journal *
An epic travelogue, brimming with the excitement of discovery. With characteristic panache, Venter unveils the teeming array of bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotes that crowd our planet’s oceans. His research will undoubtedly shape our understanding of the global ecosystem for decades to come. – Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies
An exhilarating account of how creative science is accomplished. Few would guess just how many microbes live with us and how much they contribute to human health, both directly in our bodies and by making sure the air we breathe supports life. I have always loved bacteria, but after reading this I have an enhanced appreciation of their value to life on this planet. I highly recommend it. – Sir Richard J. Roberts, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Voyage of Sorcerer II combines panoramic linguistic imagery with trenchant scientific insights to provide the reader a virtual seat aboard the most important ship of discovery since Darwin’s Beagle. Venter reveals to us why Earth should be called ‘Water’ and why the ocean’s microscopic life is our deepest and most magical reservoir of genetic diversity. This page-turner gives each of us the thrill of seeing our planet’s largest universe through the brilliant, intrepid eyes of the scientist who has done more than anyone to unlock the secrets of life. – Martine Rothblatt, founder and CEO, United Therapeutics
A tour de force. Following in the paths of the Beagle and the Challenger, Venter has expanded biology’s horizons. This book explores microbial life on a global scale, providing cutting-edge solutions to problems of environmental change. – Aristides Patrinos, Chief Scientist and Director of Research, NOVIM
A fascinating inside look at Venter’s historic expeditions that makes the experiences, the analysis, and the transformative discoveries come alive. – Margaret Leinen, Director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
We humans may think we are the most important species on Earth, but we’re actually just bit players in a far broader and more complex microbial world. In this exciting journey into that deeper world, Venter and Duncan expand our scope of what it means to be alive. – Jamie Metzl, author of Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity
A ripping tale of how a sailing adventure and science can be combined to revolutionize our understanding of our bodies, the oceans, and the planet. – Jack Gilbert, Associate Vice Chancellor for Marine Science and Director of the Microbiome and Metagenomics Center, UC San Diego School of Medicine

J. Craig Venter was founder, Chairman, and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute, a nonprofit research organization. A cofounder of the biotechnology companies Celera, Synthetic Genomics, and Human Longevity Inc., he received numerous public honors and scientific awards throughout his career, including the US National Medal of Science.

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