The Draw of the Sea

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In this lyrical 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 coastline and all it has to offer. His second novel Fox Fires was published in 2021 and his short fiction has been published by Nightjar Press, Kneehigh Theatre and National Trust Books and appeared in Best British Short Stories. He even has a go at free diving, those amazing people who can hold their breath for minutes at a time.

In this beautiful collection of essays the author journeys from place to place, person to person, examining his own relationship with the sea and encountering others who hold a mirror up to his own feelings and experiences. 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. The sea’s great indifference was a comfort in a way I can’t easily explain and it continues to play its part.There are 13 chapters; each one dedicated to a different person’s relationship with the sea and the coast. I don't think any stone was left unturned as we learn about its shorescapes, wildlife and the people who use and roam these areas. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.

I might not have the nerve or the opportunity freedive or sail a boat, but I felt saltwater in my heart.Throughout the book there is a subtle but strong theme; man must respect the ocean, its creatures and change our terrible polluting ways, because we cannot survive without the seas. As Darke’s widow says to him, these objects “make the whole world seem a whole lot smaller, a lot more connected”. The connection and affinity certain people have for the sea comes through strong and is so beautiful to read about. Description Description Wyl Menmuir’s The Draw of the Sea is a beautifully written and deeply moving portrait of the Cornish Coast and the people who make their livings there, examining the ephemeral but universal pull the sea holds over the human imagination.

Andrew Watts, The Spectator ‘Much more interesting than simply another bound-beating book about Cornwall.Now, in The Draw of the Sea, Menmuir, whose 2016 Booker-longlisted novel The Many was set in a fishing village in Cornwall, has turned his focus on the place the sea plays in Britain’s collective consciousness, the way we have been shaped by the waters that surround us. There is a great deal of wisdom here, and I loved the way that he lets these different viewpoints speak to one another, sometimes in harmony, sometimes not. In many ways, it’s like the writing process itself, a wandering, sifting, picking up and looking with new eyes approach that asks questions of the things that wash up on the mind’s shore. It also celebrates the people who go down to the sea and do business in great - or even small - waters. forget about touching grass, i need to touch THE SEA I NEED TO GO INTO THE WATER I NEED TO DIVE INTO THE SEA!