* An antidote to bad news, this is pure armchair escapism, described variously as `joyful', `glorious' and `spirited'.; * Lyrical, insightful and brimming with personality, it's the perfect British travelogue for the generation inspired by Roger Deakin's Waterlog.; * Up-and-coming talent Matt Gaw brings a journalist's storytelling flair and a naturalist's eye for observation to this entertaining and evocative journey.; * Matt is a literary festival organiser with a strong focus on nature writing.

Tales of escape and adventure on Britain's waterways; In The Pull of the River two foolhardy explorers do what we would all love to do: they turn their world upside down and seek adventure on their very own doorstep.; In a handsome, homemade canoe, painted a joyous nautical red the colour of Mae West's lips, Matt and his friend James delve into a watery landscape that invites us to see the world through new eyes.; Over chalk, gravel, clay and mud; through fields, woodland, villages, towns and cities, they reveal many places that otherwise go unnoticed and perhaps unloved, finding delight in the Waveney, Stour, Alde/Ore, upper and lower Thames, Lark, Great Ouse, Granta and Cam, Wye, Otter, Colne, Severn and the Great Glen Trail.; Showing that it is still possible to get lost while knowing exactly where you are, The Pull of the River is a beautifully written exploration of nature, place and friendship, and an ode to the great art - and joy - of adventure.