The Draw of the Sea

Wyl Menmuir

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Hardback

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English

Aurum
05 July 2022

Memoirs; Sea life & the seashore; Surfing, windsurfing, water skiing; Travel writing

Since the earliest stages of human development, the sea has fascinated and entranced us. It feeds us, sustaining communities and providing livelihoods, but it also holds immense destructive power which can take all those away in an instant. It connects us to far away places, offering the promise of new lands and voyages of discovery, but also shapes our borders, carving divisions between landmasses and eroding the very ground beneath our feet.

In this beautifully-written meditation on what it is that draws us to the waters' edge, author Wyl Menmuir tells the stories of the people whose lives revolve around the sea in the Cornish community where he lives. In twelve interlinked chapters, Menmuir explores the lives of local fishermen steeped in the rich traditions of a fishing community, the beachcombers who wander the shores in search of the varied objects which wash ashore and the stories they tell, and all number of others who have made their lives on the beautiful Cornwall coast. He also writes movingly about his own connection to the sea, telling heartfelt personal anecdotes about what it has come to mean in his and his family's lives.

This book is a meaningful and moving work into how we interact with the environment around us, and how it comes to shape the course of our lives. As unmissable as it is compelling, as profound as it is personal, this must-read book will delight anyone familiar with the intimate and powerful pull which the sea holds over us.

By: Wyl Menmuir
Imprint: Aurum
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 135mm,
ISBN: 9780711273962
ISBN 10: 0711273960
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 05 July 2022
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Map 1. St Randline Gleaner-Beachcombing & wrecking around Cornwall’s coast 2. Island Fisher-Eel fishing & lobster potting in St Martin’s & St Agnes 3. Rock Pool Pilgrim -Spring tide on the north coast 4. Depth Plumber-Freediving off the Lizard Peninsula 5. Caul Child-Making handplanes & bellyboards in Porthtowan 6. Wind Worker-Running away to sea 7. Memory Keeper-Searching for cowrie shells 8. Wave Rider-Surfing Cornwall’s Badlands 9. Ocean Wanderer-Watching a walrus in St Mary’s 10. Dawn Patroller-Swimming in St Ives 11. Oar Raiser-Pilot gig rowing in Mount’s Bay 12. Horizon Scanner-Wildlife watching at St Agnes Head 13. Song line Shaper-Beach art at Porthcurno A Glossary of Sea Words Notes Bibliography Index Acknowledgements

Wyl Menmuir is a novelist, editor and literary consultant based in Cornwall. He is the author of the Man-Booker nominated novel and Observer Best Fiction of the year pick, The Many, and Fox Fires. His short fiction has appeared in Best British Short Stories and he has been published by Nightjar Press, Kneehigh Theatre and the National Trust. He has written for Radio 4's Open Book, The Guardian and The Observer, and is a regular contributor to the journal Elementum. Born in Stockport in 1979, Wyl now lives in Cornwall with his wife and two children. He is co-creator of the Cornish writing centre, The Writers' Block, and works with Arvon Foundation, National Literacy Trust and Centre for Literacy in Primary Education on national literacy programmes, as well as lecturer in creative writing at Falmouth University. When he is not writing or teaching writing, Wyl enjoys messing around in boats.

Reviews for The Draw of the Sea

'Light and wonder illuminate the pages of this magical book, a fitting tribute to the majesty and mystery of the sea' The Observer 'Wyl Menmuir explores the different ways in which people can be drawn to the sea, content to leave it a mystery why they are drawn - and perhaps the mystery is the point.' The Spectator 'Wyl Menmuir poetically explores our fascination with and dependence on the sea. He talks to fishermen, beachcombers, surfers and other locals about living their lives by the tides, and explores his own personal emotional connection to the water.' Wanderlust magazine 'A beautiful exploration of how the ocean shapes and intrigues us' Lovereading.