This is such a difficult book to quantify; it is not all about the sea; just a series of anecdotes, stories, histories and tales that are in some way or other linked to the sea. His main philosophy here is that we are all derived from the sea, and are still made from water, and he quotes Arthur C Clarke, who says that the third planet from the Sun would have been more aptly named Sea, rather than Earth.

The interaction with the sea has defined this island, and what Hoare does is weave his daily interaction with the sea and landscape around Southampton with stories of people, creatures, history, mythology and the future of the ocean environment. The stories are in no particular order, and are loosely linked, in a meandering sort of way. He is a big advocate for the natural world, whales and dolphins in particular, and recounts his swimming with several types of them.

It is such a difficult book to categorise, in some ways it reminds me of the meanders of a river, and it is not focused in the way that Levathian was. That said the writing is exquisite at times, and he conveys his emotions and feeling for a huge passion of his. ( )

A readable, rambling reflection as much about birds or Britishness as the sea. Though I enjoyed the book well enough, it is so diffuse that I can not imagine recommending it particularly. The type of book that seems fun to write. ( )

En el mar interior, su autor nos propone redescubrir el mar, sus islas, aves y bestias. Navegando entre la historia humana y natural, entre la ciencia y el mito, Hoare construye su relato del mar. ( )

Mr. Hoare's beautiful writing style brought me in from page one. The is a slight melancholy to his writing that, counterintuitively, makes you a bit happy for being included in his explorations around the world. I find it hard to express how much I loved this book and the quality of the writing. I haven't been as enamored with an author's language in quite a long while. He ranks up there with Julian Barnes, just brilliant. ( )

summer-2013, radio-4
Recommended for: BBC radio listeners
Read from August 04 to 11, 2013

BOTW

The Sea Inside

Fradio> R4> BOTW
Nonfic> Memoir> Travel> seven seas
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Blurb: Over 5 episodes, abridged by Katrin Williams, the author Philip Hoare tells us about a lifetime's association with the sea. The sea that is local to him and other seas that wait in far flung parts of the world. He walks by them, dives into them, and is wholly inspired by them.

1: The family house is now empty and the author uses it as his base. Nearby is a 'suburban sea', which lures him every day..
2: Philip Hoare recalls his early London years, a place full of watery stories, past and present, which concludes with the subject of whales.
3: Sri Lanka. Crack of dawn. Aboard the Kushan Putha. On the glassy surface a sight of fins, then flashes of colour, then something magnificent appears.
4: On the deck of a boat in New Zealand, the author sees a huge grey shape - and it is straight ahead.
5: Travelling the world, yet it is the 'suburban sea' of childhood that draws the author home

Reader Anthony Calf
Producer Duncan Minshull.

I love nature and travel non-fiction, yet dislike the airy-fairy overtures on show here; was so laid back, it fell over.
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