The strip of sea that the English call the Channel and the French call the Sleeve is, quite simply, the most fascinating piece of water in the world. The globe's busiest seaway, the Channel is a stormy passage that remains a wild frontier between two closely related peoples who, by long tradition, detest each other's manners and philosophy. Nigel Calder, whose informative, witty books have explained the mysteries of science to millions of readers, here embarks on a wide-ranging exploration of a body of water extraordinarily rich in natural and historical interest, an "untidy museum," touching on everything from geology and archaeology, history and politics, to navigational principles and the lore of the sea. - Jacket flap.