Sea Journal

by Lisa Woollett

This beautiful and unusual book brings together a year's wanderings along Britain's shores with compelling stories of their natural history, geology and evolution - from ancient myth to current science - and the author's striking contemporary photography. Whether paddling through the shallows, sheltering in a sea cave or crouching on a cliff in a hailstorm, we are taken on a journey of fascinating diversions. Against a backdrop of the shifting seasons, weather and tides, there are mermaid's purses, hag stones and by-the-wind sailors, alongside stories of wind-sellers and nineteenth century fossil hunters, the evolution of whales and Lego dragons lost at sea. As the threads draw together there is the sense that a walk on the beach, with all its chance finds and everyday wonders, stretches both back into the deep past and ahead into the uncertain future of our oceans. Above all, we are inspired to go out and explore for ourselves, reminded of the pleasures of discovery, and of looking and listening more closely.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

168 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2016

Reviews

[Sophy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautifully curated book by Lisa Woollett.

The accompanying photographs to Lisa's journal of seashore wanderings are simply stunning. I find real pleasure in just taking them all in.

A 5 star read and recommended for anyone who loves staring out at the sea or meddling in rockpools.

[Rubery Book Award · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rubery Book Award Non-Fiction Winner 2016

A beautifully produced book of photographs of the coast, with detailed close-ups that confound and amaze. Every time you examine the images, you feel you’re having your eyes gently opened by an artist who is guiding you to see familiar objects in a new way. There’s a hidden world along our shores that you can so easily take for granted, and extraordinary natural patterns. This book draws our attention to the beauty of those patterns. There is, however, more to this book than photography. With pleasing clarity, the text explores the images and makes sense of them with local knowledge and expertise. The book progresses logically through each month of the year in a well thought out format. The resulting exploration of our glorious coast line is deeply satisfying.

www.ruberybookaward.com

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful observational nature writing. Particularly enjoyed as the author lives where I grew up, and thus I have my own memories and a real connection to the places described.

[Tim Corke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea Journal is Lisa Woollett’s musing from a year by the coast, exploring rock pools and beaches for their wonders. Documented with stunning photos and drawings this is much a meditative and mindful book as it is a marine biology book. You will feel calmer in the way a brisk walk along the beach makes you feel,‘or being caught in a fresh breeze.

This was my late mums book - she enjoyed beach combing, exploring the seashore and this has given me fond memories of doing that with her - and will stay on my shelf at home, as an almost physical connection to her life sadly ended too soon.

[Gilly Prior · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow.