Boater: A Life on England’s Waterways by Jo Bell

For over twenty years, Jo Bell, archaeologist and poet, has travelled the waterways of England (and sometimes Wales) meeting extraordinary people in an extraordinary environment. It’s a journey that’s taught her about human nature, including her own; about rope and Brasso and bravery; about ducks and locks, and above all, about the necessity for a constant supply of biscuits.

In this smart, funny memoir she describes an alternative nation within a nation, a place of different maps and deep history, and home to people who live and work in a world quite separate from the land a few feet away on the banks.

Always at home, always on the move, Jo’s peaceful life is interrupted when a turbulent relationship takes her on a year-long odyssey through tranquil waters and on to the treacherous Bristol Channel. Join her as she navigates shallow waters and deep trouble, and welcomes readers onboard a remarkable voyage through the past, present and future of our remarkable canals and the communities they support.