The Lost Empire of Atlantis, By Gavin Menzies

Given the fevered nature of most works on Atlantis, it is slightly alarming to read this sentence: "In 1970, as captain of the submarine HMS Rorqual, returning from America to Scotland, I requested permission to vary my orders… "

Fortunately, there is nothing in Menzies's speculations to make the reader fear for the mental state of our submariners.

His intriguing hypothesis that Minoan traders not only settled in Britain but also acquired copper from Lake Superior (North America is the real Atlantis) at least benefits from an in-depth knowledge of the Gulf Stream.