'I recommend Heather's book to everyone. It's brilliant!' Dara McAnulty, author of Diary of a Young Naturalist An entrancing book of exploration, marine life and natural wonders. 'Wherever I go, I seek out beaches. They are woven through my life; a changing constant in a constantly changing world. Every walk through the rock pools, from the tideline to the low water mark, takes me on a journey into the sea and challenges my understanding of my world and of myself.' The British beach is full of creatures that we think we know - from crabs to clams, starfish to anemones. But, in fact, we barely understand how many survive or thrive. In Rock Pool the delights of childhood paddling are elevated to oceanic discoveries, as the fragile beauty and drama of intertidal existence is illustrated through the incredible lives of twenty-four individual creatures. The eye-opening account of a life-long passion by a talented writer and naturalist. 'Here are three simple steps to help you feel better about the world: read Heather Buttivant's marvellous book, grab a pair of wellies and get yourself to a rocky shore ... [a] thoughtful, enlightening and entertaining read.' BBC Wildlife Magazine
The marine environment is a remarkable place – otherworldly and a source of endless fascination. The rocky shore where land meets sea, its array of life ever-changing with the tides, offers us a chance to explore this hidden world. This book reveals the astonishing diversity of wildlife on rocky shores and in the rockpools around the coast of Britain and gives readers a greater under-standing of the myriad creatures that can be found using a bit of simple detective work. Rockpooling is an activity enjoyed by children and adults alike. This guide will make your exploration even more rewarding, whether you are enjoying a day out at the seaside or seeking to expand your knowledge of a unique habitat. Detailed descriptions of around 400 common and rare rocky shore species Clear colour photographs of all the species described Tips and techniques describing how to find the more cryptic animals Ideas for rockpool-related family activities Information on threats to the intertidal environment Measures we can all take to safeguard the future of our rocky shore wildlife
First published in 1936, and long out of print, this famous novel is now presented in a new edition with a new, informative introduction by Peter Quennell to whom the book is dedicated.This totally engaging satire chronicles the clash between two cultures - the snobbish, cliche-ridden English world that Naylor, the hero, represents, and an international group of artists and writers who inhabit a French Riviera town. Naylor, a smug young literary man from Oxford, at first studies the dissolute inhabitants as if they were aquatic organisms in a pool. But he is soon demoralized and swindled by them, and as winter approaches he remains, scarcely to be distinguished from them.Much has been written of the expatriate temper, but nowhere has it been treated with greater wit, spirit, and elegance of style than in this small, enduring classic.
Rock Pools of Sydney is a visual journey through the eyes of photographer Vincent Rommelaere of Australia Unseen. From Palm Beach to South Cronulla, there are more than 30 rock pools in Greater Sydney. They are at the heart of local communities and rich in history. With words from Amanda Woods, we dive into the history of the pools and the people who love them.
When a curious little crab tip-taps out of her rock pool to explore the big blue sea, she discovers a world full of wonderful creatures. But after she's counted everything from one noisy seagull and two sleepy sea lions to nine silent sharks at the bottom of the sea, the little crab soon realizes that her very own rock pool is the most amazing place of all. And so she tip-taps happily home... closely followed by her ten baby crabs. TIP TAP Went the Crab is an engaging board book about counting from Tim Hopgood, the winner of the Best Emerging Illustrator, Booktrust Early Years Awards.
When Neil Perry set out to open a steakhouse, it wasn't going to be just any steakhouse. It had to showcase not only Australia's best beef but also the best seafood, the best of everything. In his latest book, Neil shares the trials and tribulations of opening the ultimate steakhouse, Rockpool Bar & Grill, first in Melbourne, then Sydney and Perth. This is a book about the life of a restaurant and all the people who contribute to it, from the graziers to the scallop divers to the oyster whisperers. Tales from the restaurant and from his producers intersperse Neil's collection of 150 recipes that bring his restaurant into your home. His advice on handling seafood, how to cook the perfect steak, how to build a wood-fired barbecue, plus his signature condiments, side dishes and desserts, make this an indispensable and inspirational kitchen companion.
A beautiful debut novel set in the Outer Hebrides, The House Between Tides strips back layers of the past to reveal a dark mystery. In the present day, Hetty Deveraux returns to the family home of Muirlan House on a remote Hebridean island estate following the untimely death of her parents. Torn between selling the house and turning it into a hotel, Hetty undertakes urgent repairs, accidentally uncovering human remains. Who has been lying beneath the floorboards for a century? Were they murdered? Through diaries and letters she finds, Hetty discovers that the house was occupied at the turn of the century by distant relative Beatrice Blake, a young aristocratic woman recently married to renowned naturalist and painter, Theodore Blake. With socialist and suffragist leanings Beatrice is soon in conflict with her autocratic new husband, who is distant, and wrapped up in Cameron, a young man from the island. As Beatrice is also drawn to Cameron, life for them becomes dangerous, sparking a chain of events that will change many lives, leaving Hetty to assemble the jigsaw of clues piece by piece one hundred years later, as she obsessively chases the truth. In The House Between Tides, author Sarah Maine uses her skills as a storyteller to create an utterly compelling historical mystery set in a haunting and beautifully evoked location. 'Last night, debut author Maine dreamed of a contemporary spin on classic Gothic tropes. Orphan Hetty Deveraux has inherited a crumbling, wind-battered mansion on a remote Muirland Island in western Scotland, "on the edge of the world." The day she arrives to inspect her new property, however, local assessor James Cameron has found a skeleton beneath the floorboards. Who is it, and how long has it been there? Abandoned since the war, the house was the refuge of Theo Blake, a Turner-esque painter-turned-mad recluse and a distant relative of Hetty's. At loose ends since the deaths of her parents, Hetty hopes restoring the house will serve as a new beginning. Meanwhile, in 1910, Theo Blake brings his new bride to Muirland House, whose landscapes have inspired some of his most famous paintings. Maine skillfully balances a Daphne du Maurier atmosphere with a Barbara Vine-like psychological mystery as she guides the reader back and forth on these storylines. The two narrative threads are united by the theme of conservation versus exploitation: Muirland is a habitat for several species of rare birds, threatened in the 1910 plot by Blake's determination to kill and mount them for his collection and in the 2010 story by Hetty's half-formed plans to transform Muirland House into a luxury hotel. Local man Cameron wants to see the island preserved as "a precious place, wild and unspoiled, a sanctuary for more than just the birds." The setting emerges as the strongest personality in this compelling story, evoking passion in the characters as fierce as the storms which always lurk on the horizon. A debut historical thriller which deftly blends classic suspense with modern themes.' Kirkus 'Muirlan Island in Scotland's Outer Hebrides provides the sensuous setting for British author Maine's impressive debut, which charts the parallel quests of two women a century apart. [...] Vivid descriptions of the island's landscape and weather enhance this beautifully crafted novel.' Publisher's Weekly 'There is an echo of Daphne du Maurier's Rebeca in Sarah Maine's appealing debut noel, when human remains are found beneath the floorboards of a derelict mansion on a Scottish island... a highly readable debut.' Independent 'A tremendous accomplishment. So assured, so well-judged, and with such an involving story to tell, this might be the author's fifth or sixth novel, not her first. A literary star is born!' Ronald Frame, author of The Lantern Bearers and Havisham