What We Heard From the Sea – An Anthology edited and designed by Louisa Albani

The inspiration of London based artist, Louisa Albani, who is interviewed for this month’s Writers Talking feature, the contributors are from Cornwall to Canada and points in between.

The title hints at the contents, a slim but intelligent volume of varied stories, poems, paintings and recollections based around or, in some way, inspired by the sea. So, for example, we are treated to a few lines from TS Eliot’s ‘Four Quartets’, a lengthier extract from Hemingway’s ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ and even a line from Plato. Coming right up to date, although it’s unfair to pick out one contribution, I must mention Helen Fry’s ‘The Mystique of Cornwall: in Praise of Oral Tradition’ and not just because she has traced her roots back at least 500 years to Cornwall. It reminded me of some of the places and history outlined in Philip Marsden’s fascinating book The Levelling Sea (reviewed for Roseland online in 2012).

Whilst I was sorely tempted to cut out Louisa’s exquisite paintings, which illustrate the cover and many of the pages, and are just right for framing, the well-chosen text prevented me from taking such precipitative action.

As the festive season approaches (yes, really!), this might be just the gift to post to those difficult to buy for lovers of the sea, or simply as a little treat for yourself. Read it, admire the pictures, frame them!

Available via www.nightbirdpress.com