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The Draw of the Sea
WINNER OF THE HOLYER AN GO AWARD 2023
Wyl Menmuir’s The Draw of the Sea is a beautifully written and deeply moving portrait of the sea and the people whose livelihoods revolve around it, examining the ephemeral but universal pull the sea holds over the human imagination.
Since the earliest stages of human development, the sea has fascinated and entranced us . It feeds us, sustaining communities and providing livelihood, but it also holds immense destructive power that threatens to destroy all we have created.
It connects us to faraway 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 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.
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 that wash ashore and the stories they tell, and all number of others who have made their lives around the sea.
In the specifics of these livelihoods and their rich histories and traditions, Wyl Menmuir captures the universal human connection to the ocean’s edge. Into this seductive tapestry Wyl weaves the story of how the sea has beckoned, consoled and restored him .
The Draw of the Sea 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.
Wyl Menmuir’s The Draw of the Sea is a beautifully written and deeply moving portrait of the sea and the people whose livelihoods revolve around it, examining the ephemeral but universal pull the sea holds over the human imagination.
Since the earliest stages of human development, the sea has fascinated and entranced us . It feeds us, sustaining communities and providing livelihood, but it also holds immense destructive power that threatens to destroy all we have created.
It connects us to faraway 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 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.
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 that wash ashore and the stories they tell, and all number of others who have made their lives around the sea.
In the specifics of these livelihoods and their rich histories and traditions, Wyl Menmuir captures the universal human connection to the ocean’s edge. Into this seductive tapestry Wyl weaves the story of how the sea has beckoned, consoled and restored him .
The Draw of the Sea 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.
304 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2023
57 people are currently reading
902 people want to read
About the author
Wyl Menmuir
11 books67 followersWyl Menmuir is an award-winning author based in Cornwall. His 2016 debut novel, The Many was longlisted for the Man-Booker Award and was an Observer Best Fiction of the year pick. 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. Wyl's first full-length non fiction book, The Draw of the Sea, won the Roger Deakin Award from the Society of Authors and is published in 2022. A former journalist, Wyl has written for Radio 4’s Open Book, The Guardian and The Observer, and the journal Elementum. He is co-creator of the Cornish writing centre, The Writers’ Block and lectures in creative writing at Falmouth University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 4, 2022
I have always been drawn to the sea, whether spending time at the beach watching the waves gently lap the sand or being in awe at the power of a storm crashing into the rocks. Wyl Menmuir is another who feels this draw too. So much so that he moved from the centre of the country down to Cornwall to be closer to the coast.
In this book, he travels around Cornwall and Scilly Isles and all the way up to Svalbard finding out the stories of the people who live and love the coast in the same way that he does. Across twelve chapters, he meets rock poolers, scavengers, wreckers and surfers. He even has a go at free diving, those amazing people who can hold their breath for minutes at a time.
Most fascinating was his walk with Lisa Woollett who has become a collector of the random items that wash up on the seashore and Tracey Williams who has a thing about finding the Lego pieces that wash up from a container that was lost at sea many years ago. He begins his own collection, but his wife asks him to move it outside as the smell worsens…
I must admit I loved this book. Menmuir has picked an interesting bunch of people that have a story to tell about their life on the coast. He wants to be involved or participate in the thing that he is investigating. I think that this gives him a better perspective on their lives and his prose about the subject is lyrical and informed. If you have the slightest interest in the sea then I can highly recommend this.
In this book, he travels around Cornwall and Scilly Isles and all the way up to Svalbard finding out the stories of the people who live and love the coast in the same way that he does. Across twelve chapters, he meets rock poolers, scavengers, wreckers and surfers. He even has a go at free diving, those amazing people who can hold their breath for minutes at a time.
Most fascinating was his walk with Lisa Woollett who has become a collector of the random items that wash up on the seashore and Tracey Williams who has a thing about finding the Lego pieces that wash up from a container that was lost at sea many years ago. He begins his own collection, but his wife asks him to move it outside as the smell worsens…
I must admit I loved this book. Menmuir has picked an interesting bunch of people that have a story to tell about their life on the coast. He wants to be involved or participate in the thing that he is investigating. I think that this gives him a better perspective on their lives and his prose about the subject is lyrical and informed. If you have the slightest interest in the sea then I can highly recommend this.
October 15, 2023
I've started to realise that there are two types of books I rate 5 stars. There's the page turners I can't put down, that I race through cause I just wanna know what comes next. And then there's the ones where I wanna pause on almost every page and just- I wanna live in them and the feeling and atmosphere they bring. Where you often drift off, not because it's not engaging but because they make your mind wander, and remember, and dream and I don't really know where I'm going with this. Anyway, this is one of the latter.
Absolutely gorgeous. Made me long for the ocean which is unfortunate given my geographical location. Also lots of great conversations about the effects of climate change on our seas.
TL;DR: as tumblr user koloocheh put it,
"forget about touching grass, i need to touch THE SEA I NEED TO GO INTO THE WATER I NEED TO DIVE INTO THE SEA!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Absolutely gorgeous. Made me long for the ocean which is unfortunate given my geographical location. Also lots of great conversations about the effects of climate change on our seas.
TL;DR: as tumblr user koloocheh put it,
"forget about touching grass, i need to touch THE SEA I NEED TO GO INTO THE WATER I NEED TO DIVE INTO THE SEA!!!!!!!!!!!!"
August 9, 2022
The Draw Of The Sea by Wyl Menmuir is a non-fiction book based around the Cornish coastline. Wyl considers what the ocean and the shoreline mean to the many people who live and work in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
There are 13 chapters; each one dedicated to a different person’s relationship with the sea and the coast. They include the beachcomber, the lobster fisherman, rock pool enthusiasts, free divers, surf board makers, dawn swimmers, gig rowers and artists. Wyl has found a way to the heart of each of these types and brings to life how the sea affects and influences them.
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 well as the urgency to protect our oceans, I felt a deep sense of peace while reading this and I sat and questioned what I like about the coast and the ocean. Why does it appeal to me? I think I fall into the beachcomber category, but I wouldn’t mind trying some of the gig rowing too.
Sprinkled with lovely black and white photos, this book would make an ideal gift or just for anyone who enjoys the coast, particularly in Cornwall.
There are 13 chapters; each one dedicated to a different person’s relationship with the sea and the coast. They include the beachcomber, the lobster fisherman, rock pool enthusiasts, free divers, surf board makers, dawn swimmers, gig rowers and artists. Wyl has found a way to the heart of each of these types and brings to life how the sea affects and influences them.
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 well as the urgency to protect our oceans, I felt a deep sense of peace while reading this and I sat and questioned what I like about the coast and the ocean. Why does it appeal to me? I think I fall into the beachcomber category, but I wouldn’t mind trying some of the gig rowing too.
Sprinkled with lovely black and white photos, this book would make an ideal gift or just for anyone who enjoys the coast, particularly in Cornwall.
July 5, 2022
Wyl Menmuir’s first full-length non-fiction book, The Draw of the Sea, offers a lyrical meditation on the human fascination with our oceans. What draws us to the water’s edge? Why does the sea both enrapture and terrify? And what it is like for those people who live their lives intimately connected with the sea’s ebb and flow?
Across twelve beautifully written interlinked chapters, Menmuir explores the many aspects of our relationship with the sea. Starting from his own fascination with the coast – a draw that sees him settle on the south-west coast – The Draw of the Sea follows Wyl as he travels around Cornwall and the Scilly Isles meeting other people whose lives are intimately involved with the sea.
From the wreckers who scour secret beaches for modern day ‘plunder’ to the free divers who can hold their breaths for minutes at a time, Wyl’s journey sees him meeting with an eclectic group of people who have one thing in common: they love the sea and its inhabitants as much as he does. Wyl goes walrus-watching and sea swimming, gig rowing and hunting for cowrie shells, and meets naturalists, surfers, beachcombers, and artists. There are portraits here of families who have generations-long connections to the sea (including a fascinating chapter about a small-scale lobster fisherman who is trying to fish sustainably and utilise only natural materials in making his lobster pots), of modern-day mermaids, and of the next generation of young naturalists who go rock-pooling with their parents.
As someone who spent many happy years living on the Welsh coast – and feels a regular need to escape my current land-locked home and return to the sea air – The Draw of the Sea was a book that filled me with both longing and nostalgia. It was also a fascinatingly rich and endlessly joyful insight into the lives of communities and people for whom the sea is more than just a landscape.
Anyone who enjoys creative non-fiction and nature writing is sure to find much to enjoy in The Draw of the Sea. It is perfect for dipping into and out of as the variation in the chapter content provides constant interest, whilst the over-arching theme of the sea and its pull ensures that the book never loses pace or feels disjointed. And for those who live near the sea or, like me, have lived by the sea’s rhythms but are now landlocked and shoreless, it will hold even greater resonance.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Across twelve beautifully written interlinked chapters, Menmuir explores the many aspects of our relationship with the sea. Starting from his own fascination with the coast – a draw that sees him settle on the south-west coast – The Draw of the Sea follows Wyl as he travels around Cornwall and the Scilly Isles meeting other people whose lives are intimately involved with the sea.
From the wreckers who scour secret beaches for modern day ‘plunder’ to the free divers who can hold their breaths for minutes at a time, Wyl’s journey sees him meeting with an eclectic group of people who have one thing in common: they love the sea and its inhabitants as much as he does. Wyl goes walrus-watching and sea swimming, gig rowing and hunting for cowrie shells, and meets naturalists, surfers, beachcombers, and artists. There are portraits here of families who have generations-long connections to the sea (including a fascinating chapter about a small-scale lobster fisherman who is trying to fish sustainably and utilise only natural materials in making his lobster pots), of modern-day mermaids, and of the next generation of young naturalists who go rock-pooling with their parents.
As someone who spent many happy years living on the Welsh coast – and feels a regular need to escape my current land-locked home and return to the sea air – The Draw of the Sea was a book that filled me with both longing and nostalgia. It was also a fascinatingly rich and endlessly joyful insight into the lives of communities and people for whom the sea is more than just a landscape.
Anyone who enjoys creative non-fiction and nature writing is sure to find much to enjoy in The Draw of the Sea. It is perfect for dipping into and out of as the variation in the chapter content provides constant interest, whilst the over-arching theme of the sea and its pull ensures that the book never loses pace or feels disjointed. And for those who live near the sea or, like me, have lived by the sea’s rhythms but are now landlocked and shoreless, it will hold even greater resonance.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
November 3, 2023
This entire book was like an ode to the sea. It was beautiful.
Wyl Menmuir explores everything sea related around the Cornish coastline. He does so with finesse, passion and ease. His writing is like having a conversation with a friend over a good cup of coffee.
I just loved this. And the photographs are an added joy.
Highly recommended if you like the Cornish coast, the sea, or contemplation at a remote shoreline spot.
Wyl Menmuir explores everything sea related around the Cornish coastline. He does so with finesse, passion and ease. His writing is like having a conversation with a friend over a good cup of coffee.
I just loved this. And the photographs are an added joy.
Highly recommended if you like the Cornish coast, the sea, or contemplation at a remote shoreline spot.
June 30, 2023
I really loved the Draw of the Sea. It's a beautiful collection of stories of people whose lives are connected in different ways to the water.
I loved reading about various people, their livelihoods and the way their lives have been shaped by the sea. This book also serves as a strong reminder of why we need to take action to protect our oceans and seas before it is too late, managing to do so in a serious but not completely hopeless way.
I would recommend this book to anyone who's ever inexplicably felt drawn to the sea or who would like to know more about life on the Cornish coast and its inhabitants.
I loved reading about various people, their livelihoods and the way their lives have been shaped by the sea. This book also serves as a strong reminder of why we need to take action to protect our oceans and seas before it is too late, managing to do so in a serious but not completely hopeless way.
I would recommend this book to anyone who's ever inexplicably felt drawn to the sea or who would like to know more about life on the Cornish coast and its inhabitants.
May 30, 2024
Fantastisk bok om vår tilknytning til havet <3 Den består av en rekke beretninger om hvordan havet er en stor del av livet, og er et perfekt sted å finne ro og komme tilbake til det som virkelig betyr noe. Elsker måten han beskriver tidevannet som jordas innpust og utpust.
Mange spennende historier som inspirerer til å ta i bruk og oppholdes mer ved havet. Og at det faktisk er med på å bidra til bedre helse, både mentalt og fysisk. Eller bare rett og slett et avbrekk.
Ble særlig inspirert til å dykke litt mer igjen!
Likte særlig godt måten han brukte personlige historier, andres fortellinger og historiske fakta til å forme et helhetlig bilde. Skikkelig godt skrevet <3
Mange spennende historier som inspirerer til å ta i bruk og oppholdes mer ved havet. Og at det faktisk er med på å bidra til bedre helse, både mentalt og fysisk. Eller bare rett og slett et avbrekk.
Ble særlig inspirert til å dykke litt mer igjen!
Likte særlig godt måten han brukte personlige historier, andres fortellinger og historiske fakta til å forme et helhetlig bilde. Skikkelig godt skrevet <3
July 30, 2023
This book is gorgeous! It’s beautiful inside and out. I loved reading about the many different ways that people over time have interacted with the sea, from surfing and beach combing to creating sand art and free-diving (which is basically diving while holding your breath). It’s packed with well-researched information and is written beautifully. Highly recommended for anyone who loves the sea.
July 8, 2022
I love the sea, I am half Cornish and have such good memories of childhoods spent down in Cornwall with my grandparents and my aunt and uncle. That’s why I felt so drawn (pun intended) to this book. The cover is stunning, and I liked how it was broken down into sections that you can dip in and out of. I did not read this in order, rather jumped back and forth depending on my mood and I loved it. The connection and affinity certain people have for the sea comes through strong and is so beautiful to read about.
Combing the beaches for things that have washed ashore, rock pooling and free diving just lend themselves to an idyllic and peaceful life. I miss and long for the sea when I am not near it and Wyl Menmuir has so beautifully captured that sentiment. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, it is just stunning and really brought out my emotions in an unexpected way.
Thank you to RandomThingsTours, Aurum Press and the author for my gifted copy.
December 3, 2023
"And that, perhaps, is what the sea is - respite from time."
I have to confess that my relationship with the sea is deeply - melodramatically - romantic and if I'm not near it, I just want someone to describe it and tell me how it makes them feel. And this did exactly that but also so much more. By including such an interesting range of stories, it also expanded my perspective of other people's relationships with the sea too. I often turn to the sea and nature writing - or perhaps think I do - as a break from people but this left me with a very deep sense of connection to others that I didn't expect, expanding not only my love for the sea but love more generally.
It also brought me right out of another book rut, and therefore as usual, improved my entire mental climate. Might pass this onto a few friends tbh, it was a lovely treat of a book and am sad it's over. Great balance of sea based facts, personal reflection, conversation and poetic description. The photos were also a great bonus.
I have to confess that my relationship with the sea is deeply - melodramatically - romantic and if I'm not near it, I just want someone to describe it and tell me how it makes them feel. And this did exactly that but also so much more. By including such an interesting range of stories, it also expanded my perspective of other people's relationships with the sea too. I often turn to the sea and nature writing - or perhaps think I do - as a break from people but this left me with a very deep sense of connection to others that I didn't expect, expanding not only my love for the sea but love more generally.
It also brought me right out of another book rut, and therefore as usual, improved my entire mental climate. Might pass this onto a few friends tbh, it was a lovely treat of a book and am sad it's over. Great balance of sea based facts, personal reflection, conversation and poetic description. The photos were also a great bonus.
October 27, 2024
*4.5 stars
I came across this when I searched for Robert MacFarlane on Everand (there are no audiobooks by him on there, sadly), and it filled my craving nicely though doesn't go into as much depth as MacFarlane's books do. It discusses our various relationships with the sea from diving and beachcombing to plastic pollution, and from the positive impact it has on our mental health to our fear of it. It's a pleasant book, makes you want to live by the sea!
I came across this when I searched for Robert MacFarlane on Everand (there are no audiobooks by him on there, sadly), and it filled my craving nicely though doesn't go into as much depth as MacFarlane's books do. It discusses our various relationships with the sea from diving and beachcombing to plastic pollution, and from the positive impact it has on our mental health to our fear of it. It's a pleasant book, makes you want to live by the sea!
August 29, 2024
This book was a delight to read - it affirmed my own deeply-rooted pull to the sea - whilst intriguing me to learn of other’s connections to our wondrous and increasingly enervated oceans. Wyl Menmuir made all of this possible through his inviting and warm manner, dedicated research, and by candidly sharing his own draw to the sea.
November 18, 2023
Whenever I would listen to a chapter I would be transported into the moment Wyl Menmiur, or the people he met, lived through when they were drawn to the sea.
Menmiur is very talented, conveying depths and truths that are new and yet shared by us all.
Highly recommend to people who live in England or are close to Cornwall. This is a definite read because he explores lots of cool surfing coves, beaches, and artists who are located there.
P.s. the last chapter was breathtaking, it makes all the chapters come together
Menmiur is very talented, conveying depths and truths that are new and yet shared by us all.
Highly recommend to people who live in England or are close to Cornwall. This is a definite read because he explores lots of cool surfing coves, beaches, and artists who are located there.
P.s. the last chapter was breathtaking, it makes all the chapters come together
January 17, 2023
Didn't inspire me. I kept on reading for a bit, because I really wanted to love it. But the stories didn't catch me and I stopped picking the book up. So I decided to put it aside, enough other books out there that do capture me. It might be personal, so don't let it put you off giving the book av try.
July 5, 2022
They that go down to the sea in ships,
that do business in great waters;
These see the works of the Lord,
and his wonders in the deep.
(Psalm 107, 23-24)
When I was a child, the family would sometimes go to the seaside (New Brighton) on a winter's day and sit in the car watching the waves break on the beach. This sounds weird, but I gather it's actually quite a common thing to do.
Menmuir's book - part memoir, part travelogue, all salty and haunting - explores that same instinct, although it celebrates rather closer engagement with the water than I've ever had - which is one of the things that makes The Draw of the Sea such an enthralling read.
Here you'll meet beachcombers ('wreckers'), surfers, sailors, fishermen, conservationists, artists and everyone in between. Based in Cornwall, Menmuir has many opportunities to explore the seashore and he weaves the results together into a bewitching, hypnotic and all-absorbing hymn to the waves, the shifting pebbles, the animals and plants that make their homes in the water. It also celebrates the people who go down to the sea and do business in great - or even small - waters.
It isn't a romanticised or idyllic account. Menmuir makes clear the challenges of the life: for example, physical dangers and hardships (in past times, those wreckers depended on what they could scrounge from the shore - and no, they didn't lure ships onto the rocks). He also draws attention to the damage being done to wildlife and ecosystems by modernity in general or, sometimes, simply by foolish individuals; to the unimaginable quantities of plastics polluting the seas, the oil spills, overfishing and sheer thoughtlessness of humanity. It's grim reading in places, but we do also meet people who are trying to make a difference - and the author admits that there can be a sort of syncronicitous beauty in the bizarre findings from beaches, even in all that plastic.
The chapters are short, focussing on the different ways the sea can be approached, understood or enjoyed and woven into it are Menmuir's own memories, beginning with a life far from the shore and then describing all the facets of his relationship with it now - including resorting there for healing and calm, surely one of the most common reasons for walking the beach or living near the sea. Even that, though, has its drawbacks. We are shown the effect on coastal communities of second-home ownership and overtourism, the impact on humans of other humans being strangely similar to that of humans on the wildlife.
In exploring what the sea means to us, and allowing us to hear from those who who work with it, live by it, enjoy it, struggle with it or seek to preserve it, Menmuir presents a wonderful variety of voices and of experiences. 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. The book benefits from the fact that Menmuir is part of the communities described here - this isn't a journalists's fleeting account, it's grounded (maybe I should say watered?) in his lived experience and drips with a gentle authenticity that makes it a joy to read.
The photographs and maps add to that, ranging from the intimate - beach gleanings or individuals - to the epic - seascapes and wild views. In fact the book itself is a gorgeous item, the cover a treat to the eye, the endpapers marbled, the photos atmospheric and numinous. Definitely one to hold in one's hands and read, I think - though if you're actually going to take the book onto those Cornish beaches you might want the e-book too.
that do business in great waters;
These see the works of the Lord,
and his wonders in the deep.
(Psalm 107, 23-24)
When I was a child, the family would sometimes go to the seaside (New Brighton) on a winter's day and sit in the car watching the waves break on the beach. This sounds weird, but I gather it's actually quite a common thing to do.
Menmuir's book - part memoir, part travelogue, all salty and haunting - explores that same instinct, although it celebrates rather closer engagement with the water than I've ever had - which is one of the things that makes The Draw of the Sea such an enthralling read.
Here you'll meet beachcombers ('wreckers'), surfers, sailors, fishermen, conservationists, artists and everyone in between. Based in Cornwall, Menmuir has many opportunities to explore the seashore and he weaves the results together into a bewitching, hypnotic and all-absorbing hymn to the waves, the shifting pebbles, the animals and plants that make their homes in the water. It also celebrates the people who go down to the sea and do business in great - or even small - waters.
It isn't a romanticised or idyllic account. Menmuir makes clear the challenges of the life: for example, physical dangers and hardships (in past times, those wreckers depended on what they could scrounge from the shore - and no, they didn't lure ships onto the rocks). He also draws attention to the damage being done to wildlife and ecosystems by modernity in general or, sometimes, simply by foolish individuals; to the unimaginable quantities of plastics polluting the seas, the oil spills, overfishing and sheer thoughtlessness of humanity. It's grim reading in places, but we do also meet people who are trying to make a difference - and the author admits that there can be a sort of syncronicitous beauty in the bizarre findings from beaches, even in all that plastic.
The chapters are short, focussing on the different ways the sea can be approached, understood or enjoyed and woven into it are Menmuir's own memories, beginning with a life far from the shore and then describing all the facets of his relationship with it now - including resorting there for healing and calm, surely one of the most common reasons for walking the beach or living near the sea. Even that, though, has its drawbacks. We are shown the effect on coastal communities of second-home ownership and overtourism, the impact on humans of other humans being strangely similar to that of humans on the wildlife.
In exploring what the sea means to us, and allowing us to hear from those who who work with it, live by it, enjoy it, struggle with it or seek to preserve it, Menmuir presents a wonderful variety of voices and of experiences. 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. The book benefits from the fact that Menmuir is part of the communities described here - this isn't a journalists's fleeting account, it's grounded (maybe I should say watered?) in his lived experience and drips with a gentle authenticity that makes it a joy to read.
The photographs and maps add to that, ranging from the intimate - beach gleanings or individuals - to the epic - seascapes and wild views. In fact the book itself is a gorgeous item, the cover a treat to the eye, the endpapers marbled, the photos atmospheric and numinous. Definitely one to hold in one's hands and read, I think - though if you're actually going to take the book onto those Cornish beaches you might want the e-book too.
May 29, 2024
Yo ho, yo ho, the life at sea’s for me...
As someone who loves the seas and oceans and felt drawn to the coasts since teenage years, reading this book was an absolute pleasure and a fully immersive experience. I felt as if the author was sitting right next to me, telling me all these stories and showing me the pictures included on the pages of this book.
‘The draw of the sea’ is definitely an ode to the sea, coastlines, sailors and all the people who feel drawn to the beauty of deep waters. The author’s adoration for the coasts and the sea has really shone through, making me feel a longing for all the places he mentioned and sadness that instead of sitting in a crowded tube where I spend most of my days, I could be diving along with him and learning from professional mermaids, surfing the waves in Cornwall, collecting cowries and watching whales and walruses in Svalbard and watching the tide on the beach.
Lucky for me, I will be able to do at least some of these things very soon...
This book, this memoir took me a while to read but not because it was boring but because it’s hard to read about something so dear to you, when you can’t have it. For someone who loves those massive blue spaces on our lovely planet, this book felt like a warm blanket and cup of tea on a rainy autumn day. It was such a cozy read, even when the author was talking about the negative things caused by human pollution of the waters, problems with overcrowding of the beaches and literal trash and toxic waste being thrown into the sea (FU British government). Ironically, the author used all those bad stories to tell the readers about how people can come together in an attempt to fight for the health of our seas, how there are whole communities of people collecting whatever plastic things the sea throws out on the beach not as a trash but as a representation of human existence! Not only that, many people track where the plastic from the massive containers swept to the sea ends up, on which beaches and in which countries and how the currents in seas and oceans delivers those things to these places. It’s fascinating!
I could go on and on about how many interesting things the author talks about in this book! I could literally spend hours talking about it but… I won’t. Because I think you all should read this book and find out for yourself.
June 16, 2022
The Draw of the Sea by Wyl Menmuir offers the reader glimpses into the lives of the people Menmuir has known as well as into what makes the sea (or any large body of water for that matter) so compelling.
The portraits that comprise so much of this book, along with Menmuir's personal experiences throughout, draw the reader into a world (or worlds) where nature, in this case the sea, is an integral part of each person's identity. It isn't just about living near the water or working on the water, it is how life, of the person, the sea, and the community, all come together into a whole.
Particularly compelling is the way the reader is led to relate things to their own lives. If you've lived near an ocean or a major bay (as I have) or near any other natural formation that dominates all around it, you will likely find some parallels with some of the stories in the book. In fact, you may find yourself gaining a new perspective on things in your own life.
While I would recommend this to most readers who enjoy creative nonfiction, I would highly recommend it to people who have spent any significant time living near the water. In fact, I think those of us who have spent a fair part of our lives near water but now find ourselves more landlocked are the ideal readers. We will feel a bit of nostalgia while we learn about these kindred spirits.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
The portraits that comprise so much of this book, along with Menmuir's personal experiences throughout, draw the reader into a world (or worlds) where nature, in this case the sea, is an integral part of each person's identity. It isn't just about living near the water or working on the water, it is how life, of the person, the sea, and the community, all come together into a whole.
Particularly compelling is the way the reader is led to relate things to their own lives. If you've lived near an ocean or a major bay (as I have) or near any other natural formation that dominates all around it, you will likely find some parallels with some of the stories in the book. In fact, you may find yourself gaining a new perspective on things in your own life.
While I would recommend this to most readers who enjoy creative nonfiction, I would highly recommend it to people who have spent any significant time living near the water. In fact, I think those of us who have spent a fair part of our lives near water but now find ourselves more landlocked are the ideal readers. We will feel a bit of nostalgia while we learn about these kindred spirits.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
July 21, 2022
Will change how you engage with the coastline - compelling and beautifully written
Across 13 chapters, this mix of memoir, travelogue and nature writing engages with the people and communities of coastal Cornwall and Menmuir’s adventures as he explores the draw of the sea. It’s beautifully written, personal, yet universal - the sea calls us all in different ways.
Menmuir writes that if you ask ten people what they see when they look at the coastline you’ll get eleven different answers. His book transformed a stretch of coastline I thought I knew - I grew up on the so called ‘badlands’ between St Agnes and Portreath - as I read, I saw it with fresh eyes. From surfing to beach-combing to collecting cowrie shells he changed the landscape for me and remade it with everyday magic.
I now live as far inland in England as it is possible to get. This stunning edition bought the sea to me. The cover design and endpapers are exquisite and the glossary of sea words is full of salty delight. It should however, come with a warning: it is impossible to read this book and not long for the sea! I might not have the nerve or the opportunity freedive or sail a boat, but I felt saltwater in my heart. I’ll return to the sea as soon as I can.
Across 13 chapters, this mix of memoir, travelogue and nature writing engages with the people and communities of coastal Cornwall and Menmuir’s adventures as he explores the draw of the sea. It’s beautifully written, personal, yet universal - the sea calls us all in different ways.
Menmuir writes that if you ask ten people what they see when they look at the coastline you’ll get eleven different answers. His book transformed a stretch of coastline I thought I knew - I grew up on the so called ‘badlands’ between St Agnes and Portreath - as I read, I saw it with fresh eyes. From surfing to beach-combing to collecting cowrie shells he changed the landscape for me and remade it with everyday magic.
I now live as far inland in England as it is possible to get. This stunning edition bought the sea to me. The cover design and endpapers are exquisite and the glossary of sea words is full of salty delight. It should however, come with a warning: it is impossible to read this book and not long for the sea! I might not have the nerve or the opportunity freedive or sail a boat, but I felt saltwater in my heart. I’ll return to the sea as soon as I can.
October 22, 2022
This was a fantastic read. I loved ever minute of this book and had to read it all in one day. It was such a fascinating book that I learnt so much from reading it. I don't have any knowledge of Cornwall or the islands off its shores. So it was brilliant exploring them through this book. 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. I really loving learning about the shore combers or wreckers as they are called and some of the things they find. It was brilliant how each fascinating chapter cover an even more exciting thing. I absolutely loved the authors style of writing not only do you feel like your learning so much in a fun way but I felt like I was experiencing them aswell. The author certainly had plenty of knowledge and had research topics with great passion. I really can't recommend this book enough. If you love the sea and its coastline then this is a book for you. It also has some fantastic maps and pictures to breakup the interesting text. Give you that extra dimension to enjoy.
Only the highest of praise goes out to the author and publishers for taking us on this fantastic journey of discovery. I will definitely love to read more from this wonderful author.
Only the highest of praise goes out to the author and publishers for taking us on this fantastic journey of discovery. I will definitely love to read more from this wonderful author.
August 25, 2022
We're used to stories of the sea being a grand voyage; a tale of derring-do; perhaps a romantic escapade. Sometimes a combination of all three (hat tip to Shirley Conran's Savages).
But what is less common is the sea as told through the eyes of people who work with it, play in it; live their lives in the unassuming everyday of the coastal off-season, barely brushing shoulders with the tourists seeking out shots for the 'gram.
In this mesmerising collection of short sketches; Menmuir explores the lives and stories of people's different experiences of the sea, including his own. There's diving, art, surfing, sailing and talk of the mysterious Badlands (no, not Springsteen)... but there's also the simplicity of beachcombing, tales passed down from one generation to the next, a grandfather sharing his experiences out on the water.
This is a book you can dip in and out of, a story at a time, or get fully submerged in. Beautifully written and truly unique, The Draw of the Sea is up there with the very best writing on nature and the great outdoors. One to treasure.
But what is less common is the sea as told through the eyes of people who work with it, play in it; live their lives in the unassuming everyday of the coastal off-season, barely brushing shoulders with the tourists seeking out shots for the 'gram.
In this mesmerising collection of short sketches; Menmuir explores the lives and stories of people's different experiences of the sea, including his own. There's diving, art, surfing, sailing and talk of the mysterious Badlands (no, not Springsteen)... but there's also the simplicity of beachcombing, tales passed down from one generation to the next, a grandfather sharing his experiences out on the water.
This is a book you can dip in and out of, a story at a time, or get fully submerged in. Beautifully written and truly unique, The Draw of the Sea is up there with the very best writing on nature and the great outdoors. One to treasure.
February 20, 2023
In The Draw of the Sea, Wyl Menmuir investigates just that - the invisible force that pulls some of us to the coast, whether to simply gaze in awe at the vastness of the ocean or to fully immerse ourselves in its watery depths, to dive in, to swim, surf or sail.
It's a beautifully written and often very personal view of the liminal world of the shoreline. The chapters are themed around different activities that take place in, beside or near the sea, such as beachcombing, freediving, watching wildlife or surfing. He tries new experiences, interviewing the people he meets, finding out what it is that draws them to the coast. These interactions are interspersed with recollections and meditative musings about what the sea means to him and his family as he tries to answer the question: why it is that some of us are unable resist the force of the tide on our souls?
Most of the book is set around the Cornish coast, with occasional forays further afield to the Isles of Scilly and even Svalbard in Norway. He meets some fabulously interesting people, artists, scientists and passionate hobbyists alike, all of whom offer a different viewpoint about what is so vital to them about the parts of the coastline that host their work or play. It's an occasional and wonderful delight when a friend pops up in a book like this - Cornwall can be a small world!
The Draw of the Sea is Wyl Menmuir's first nonfiction book, and I sincerely hope it isn't his last. I'm looking forward to hearing him speak at the inaugural Redruth Book Feast https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/redrut....
It's a beautifully written and often very personal view of the liminal world of the shoreline. The chapters are themed around different activities that take place in, beside or near the sea, such as beachcombing, freediving, watching wildlife or surfing. He tries new experiences, interviewing the people he meets, finding out what it is that draws them to the coast. These interactions are interspersed with recollections and meditative musings about what the sea means to him and his family as he tries to answer the question: why it is that some of us are unable resist the force of the tide on our souls?
Most of the book is set around the Cornish coast, with occasional forays further afield to the Isles of Scilly and even Svalbard in Norway. He meets some fabulously interesting people, artists, scientists and passionate hobbyists alike, all of whom offer a different viewpoint about what is so vital to them about the parts of the coastline that host their work or play. It's an occasional and wonderful delight when a friend pops up in a book like this - Cornwall can be a small world!
The Draw of the Sea is Wyl Menmuir's first nonfiction book, and I sincerely hope it isn't his last. I'm looking forward to hearing him speak at the inaugural Redruth Book Feast https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/redrut....
August 5, 2022
The Draw of the Sea by Wyl Menmuir is a beautifully written book, which I really enjoyed. I wish I had it with me when I was away at the coast a few weeks ago. Set in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the book is split into 13 different chapters, or short stories told by the author about a different aspect of the sea and coastal life. From beachcombing or wrecking, fishing, free diving, surfing, shell seekers, sailors, beach art, Menmuir tells the stories of the people that live in or near to the sea. How they live with nature, how the sea has affected them and how they affect the ocean. It is clear that the author loves the Cornish coastline and the sea. This is a part memoir, part travel book, part nature book. Beautifully written prose, it is a wonderful book, so evocative and spellbinding. I really loved reading this book.
October 6, 2022
This is exactly my kind of non-fiction - a personal account of the natural world starting from a narrow focal point and widening out to everything it touches. If you enjoyed The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World or A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey I think you will like this book.
November 13, 2022
Beautiful!!
Enjoyable read,”The Draw of the Sea” which is filled with interesting people, places, sea and land creatures, livelihoods, discoveries,facts, memorable moments and various reflections why so many are drawn to the sea.
A reminder how fortunate I have always lived by the sea. First, living on the West coast in Washington state next to the Pacific Ocean and now living in Florida next to the Gulf of Mexico. It is a sanctuary, a place of balm for me that I return to often.
The Ocean has a way of drawing us in with its grand beauty and power.Unique to each one of us. It is a place that enlivens our senses,rejuvenates and nourishes our souls. It is a place that holds and offers much magic, peace and healing to all!
A place I am immensely grateful for.
Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea,
drink the wild air.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Enjoyable read,”The Draw of the Sea” which is filled with interesting people, places, sea and land creatures, livelihoods, discoveries,facts, memorable moments and various reflections why so many are drawn to the sea.
A reminder how fortunate I have always lived by the sea. First, living on the West coast in Washington state next to the Pacific Ocean and now living in Florida next to the Gulf of Mexico. It is a sanctuary, a place of balm for me that I return to often.
The Ocean has a way of drawing us in with its grand beauty and power.Unique to each one of us. It is a place that enlivens our senses,rejuvenates and nourishes our souls. It is a place that holds and offers much magic, peace and healing to all!
A place I am immensely grateful for.
Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea,
drink the wild air.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
August 5, 2024
A stunning journey of endless wonder.
The Draw of the Sea is a collection of true stories of those that live, work or play around the shores of Cornwall, treated with great care and retold with passion and heart. It is a true love letter to the single greatest natural feature of our planet; an astonishing adventure led by curiosity.
Uncover deeply personal tales connected only by the merciless, mysterious, yet majestic force of nature that surrounds us. Full of discovery and wonder, at once reverential or childlike, these are stories that deserve to be shared — some cautionary, some amusing, but all utterly timeless.
You will finish the book even more fascinated with the sea than you were when you began, a place where the imagination conjures fear and wonder in the same breath. Like drifting upon the sea on a sunny day, or watching a storm from somewhere dry, it’s glorious.
The Draw of the Sea is a collection of true stories of those that live, work or play around the shores of Cornwall, treated with great care and retold with passion and heart. It is a true love letter to the single greatest natural feature of our planet; an astonishing adventure led by curiosity.
Uncover deeply personal tales connected only by the merciless, mysterious, yet majestic force of nature that surrounds us. Full of discovery and wonder, at once reverential or childlike, these are stories that deserve to be shared — some cautionary, some amusing, but all utterly timeless.
You will finish the book even more fascinated with the sea than you were when you began, a place where the imagination conjures fear and wonder in the same breath. Like drifting upon the sea on a sunny day, or watching a storm from somewhere dry, it’s glorious.
February 1, 2024
This book has been a truly captivating and deeply resonant read. It perfectly encapsulates the wonder of the sea and the way it makes you feel deep in your bones. It was fascinating to read about the different perspectives of people living on the coast and how they all have a profound love and respect for the sea, and how that can tie into climate activism and a longing to protect the ocean and its inhabitants. It filled me with hope and awe, and inspiration as I read each chapter.
If you yourself have a calling to the sea, an inexplicable, wild and wondrous draw to it in your soul then this book is most definitely for you.
If you yourself have a calling to the sea, an inexplicable, wild and wondrous draw to it in your soul then this book is most definitely for you.
April 24, 2024
What a journey! Menmuir writes beautifully, and it is easy to feel as if you are taking a stroll with him along part of the coastline, exploring, turning over rocks, or hanging out on the waves.
With undeniable passion, he managed to interweave history, myth, local culture alongside promoting the issue of climate change - but in a way that is non-preachy, merely there to be read and mulled over in our own time.
I could almost feel the sea spray on my face and the wind in my hair at points. The perfect book for when this Dorset reader is in need of her beloved coastline whilst being land locked. Thank you 🩵
With undeniable passion, he managed to interweave history, myth, local culture alongside promoting the issue of climate change - but in a way that is non-preachy, merely there to be read and mulled over in our own time.
I could almost feel the sea spray on my face and the wind in my hair at points. The perfect book for when this Dorset reader is in need of her beloved coastline whilst being land locked. Thank you 🩵
August 12, 2025
I'm not usually one for non-fiction, but the author really has a way with his writing style. It almost read like a documentary in all the right ways. He also doesn't shy away from the underlying environmental impact we have as a society on the oceans, but at the same time, toes the line of staying cautiously optimistic about how we can improve. And the different aspects of how people interact with the sea were really well organized and weaved really well with the author's own personal life. Only downside is some of the chapters on ships and the ins and outs kind of went over my head at times. Still, a solid read.
July 14, 2022
Beautifully written and full of passion, the book flowed so well and felt very poetic.
I also have always felt drawn to the sea and after reading this book I now understand that many people feel the same way and we all explore the sea in different ways and each have our own unique experiences from its presence.
On that note, I’m making a plan to go to sea as soon as possible, I can hear it’s call.
I also have always felt drawn to the sea and after reading this book I now understand that many people feel the same way and we all explore the sea in different ways and each have our own unique experiences from its presence.
On that note, I’m making a plan to go to sea as soon as possible, I can hear it’s call.
December 21, 2023
Actually cant fault this book so another 5 stars it is.
So beautifully written and really captures everything I feel about the sea. So interesting to hear all different perspectives of the various people and their connections to the sea. Really enjoyed how much he immersed himself in each chapter and actually took part in/got involved in each thing rather than just writing about it.
Perfect balance of informative and poetic
So beautifully written and really captures everything I feel about the sea. So interesting to hear all different perspectives of the various people and their connections to the sea. Really enjoyed how much he immersed himself in each chapter and actually took part in/got involved in each thing rather than just writing about it.
Perfect balance of informative and poetic
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