The Book of Tides

by William Thomson

This is a book for those who want to understand better how the waters surrounding us affect our daily lives, how it imperceptibly but crucially shapes our actions, and has shaped our landscape for millenia. It's for anyone who knows and loves our coast, and who wants to understand, discover, surf, or sail it better.

Inspired by his own witnessing of the power of the sea through travelling around Britain's coastline in a panel van with his young family, William Thomson tells the story of the cycles of the sea. He combines a lyrical, passionate narrative with graphically beautiful renderings of the main forms of water which affect Britain: Rip, Rapids, Swell, Stream, Tide, Wave, Whirlpool, Tsunami.

The Book of Tides is a book for all of us who feel the pull of the sea and the tug of the tide.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, British Literature

224 pages, Hardcover

Published October 6, 2016

About the author

William Thomson is an artist, writer, and world traveler, who follows the coasts and maps the tides. Renowned for his hand-illustrated tidal charts, he’s the author of the UK bestseller The Book of Tides. He’s been written about in BBC, Telegraph, iNews, and LifeEdited. He lives with his partner, daughter, newborn son, and dog in a camper van wherever the water is best.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twice every day without fail the UK expands in area, and twice every day it shrinks. This phenomenon is caused by nothing more than the tide going in and out, driven primarily by our celestial neighbour, the Moon. Seeing the power of the sea inspired Thomson to develop his own business and to travel around the British coast living with his young family in their camper van and studying the tides whilst indulging in a spot of surfing whenever he could.

The book is divided into eight chapters on all aspects of the tides around the UK. Each chapter uses bold, clear and beautiful infographics as he explains all about rip tides, rapids, whirlpools and waves. There are further chapters on the concept of stream, something that I had never heard of before, and just what a tidal bore is and the best rivers to see them on. The tsunami merits a whole chapter; thankfully they are rare, in this country at least.

I have always been fascinated by the sea and the effects that the tide has on the coastal environment. My closest patch, Poole Harbour, merits a special mention because of its double high tide twice a day. Strangely, Jersey, which has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world doesn’t get any mention at all. Even though the books is crammed full of facts and fascinating details, it is still very readable and more importantly it is a beautiful book to hold and refer back to.

[Sarah Ensor · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting undemanding book about the behaviour of water around the coasts of Britain affected by wind and air pressure. There's lots about kayaking and surfing and the information is equally useful for open water swimmers. The author wants people to think about the behaviour of water and its attendant dangers to avoid them. So besides the chapters on asteroids, tsunamis and earthquakes, there's practical information about quicksands on beaches, whirlpools and rip currents. I've been caught in a rip current off a beach in the south of the Spanish state. I looked up from a minute or so of steady swimming to get my bearings and found I was 100s of metres from the beach. There's very useful info here about getting out of a rip, which I remember as swim diagonally back to the beach. Don't panic is the first part, you can freak out when you're back in shallow water. 

Small criticism, his editor could have cut the smugness. “When we were living in a sixteenth-century smuggler’s cottage on Deal seafront..” ufff and.. “For a change of scenery we popped into London… looking around at the suits and ties, i wondered why nobody was dressed in swimwear and beach towels- don't they know at spring tides an expanse of golden sand runs from the London Eye all the way along to the Tate Modern?” 

Of course they do and I've been on that beach in fine weather when it was busy with children digging and shrieking happily in the shallows and other people still had to work. 

[Jrwest · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author who is an Englishman travels one spring to a remote island in Norway to assist at an Eider Duck Station. Norwegians living in the archipelago of islands off of Vega island historically would encourage the nesting of wild Eider ducks on their islands. Eider ducks as in Eider down. The ducks would line their nests with the Eider down and at the end of nesting season would harvest the down from the nests. With the depopulation of the archipelago the art and practice of Eider duck nest farming has slowly been lost but has been maintained by only a few people often women who travel out to the remote islands for the ten week season every spring.These duck farmers must make and maintain nesting boxes to encourage the ducks onto their islands. The author is a master of description and an expert at creating excitement out of the nesting of the ducks. Very incredible

[Michal Paszkiewicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy to read popular approach to tides and all matters coastal. Well worth a read for the interested, but doesn't go into enough detail for a professional researching the tides. Nonetheless I enjoyed it and it was a pleasure to read.

I would give this 5 stars if the author gave more of his learnings from making tidal charts.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I have learnt so much about tides, currents, streams, waves etc which is really useful as a sea swimmer.
What I particularly loved though was the diagrams, maps and illustrations which beautifully match the tactile cover. As a visual person these were really helpful. I love the sea and so this was a delight of the senses.

[J. E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read even if it was meant for those into surfing and other coastal sports! Very factual on coastal conditions so informative for geographers but maybe not enough depth for those studying. Curious illustrations of the conditions fill the book and add a lot of interest once the key is interpreted.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a relatively fast read but nonetheless packed full of facts and interesting view points about Britain's water. Plus this book is so beautifully illustrated. You can tell a lot of time and effort went into this book and I feel like I've learnt so much.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Book of Tides has lots of good advice and some novel info-graphics type illustrations. If I was being picky, it feels a little thin on content at times. Maybe a book to dip into every now and then rather than read cover to cover. 3.5 stars.

[Rick Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, informative and a must for anyone enjoying themselves on or in our coastal waters.

[andrea parker jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book but not kindle friendly

Really interesting but doesn't fit into kindle format. The pages are small and hard to read. Would recommend a hard copy.

[Carol Flux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Present from Debbie

[Tay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and accurate. The book was very visual but still a little dense and focused on the experience of seafarers a little too much for my liking.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant pictures, clear text, enjoyable read but so informative too.
I can now estimate low tide in my area well enough to walk the dog on the beach. Thanks for that!

[E E M Saadatzadeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful non-fiction book. Interesting, simply written and beautifully illustrated. This appealed to me as a Geographer and a traveller.

[deni Tomgirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, like the illustrations, but mislead by newspaper review which didn't indicate the book had so much reference to surfing? Don't think I learnt anything new sadly.

[Jules Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating! As someone who SUPs regularly it gives invaluable insight into how the sea works & what to look out for. Beautifully illustrated too.

[Runningrara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like an outward facing take on the tv series Coast. Graphically astounding. I wanted to learn more about how to swim safely in the sea and have learnt much. Informative yet enjoyable read.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Broad overview. Interesting. Easy to read. Lovely graphics. Tries to cover too much. Lots of surfing influence