Swamp Songs by Tom Blass

The Times Literary Supplement described this book as a blend of travelogue, local history and reportage, filled with vivid, evocative writing, and it's easy to see why. Travelling from Romney Marsh to the Danube Delta, from Cyprus to the bayous of Louisiana and on to the Bay of Bengal, Tom Blass journeys through swamps, marshes and wetlands to meet the people who have built their lives in these in between landscapes.

Along the way, he gathers true stories and enduring myths, smugglers and runaway slaves, fishermen, shepherds and salt gatherers, alongside tales of tiger gods, flocks of flamingos and the ever present threat of flooding. The result is a vivid exploration of life lived where land and water are constantly in tension, offering both a serious reappraisal and a genuine celebration of people and environments bound tightly together.

A thoughtful, wide ranging read for anyone drawn to the world's overlooked, waterlogged corners and the communities who call them home.

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