a kaleidoscopic portrait of the borders of the land

Beautiful, intensely visual prose, born from deep intimacy with subtle borderlands: land and sea, England and Scotland, people and environments. Lingard expertly probes the margins for their hidden riches

Like a hungry gull, Ann Lingard explores her beloved Solway shoreline for every living detail that catches her eye. In so doing she has created a portrait of this nation-cleaving water that is as broad and deep as the estuary itself

Lingard writes vividly about this estuary ... an excellent point of reference for locals, visitors and for those simply intrigued by this lesser-known corner of Scotland

Lingard's scientific knowledge of the area and its multitudinous inhabitants [is] delivered in riveting prose. This is deep and beautiful natural history writing

A natural history in the richest sense of the term. … There’s a lot of erudition in The Fresh and the Salt but also a squeaking, sloshing immediacy to almost every page

Mesmeric ... an engaging portrait not only of place but of a particular way of seeing; one that sets out to investigate and celebrate much more than that which lies merely upon the surface

You can sense Ann’s unwavering dedication and interest … refusing to stop with the knowledge she already holds, and seeking out those with additional stories and information to add. She never fails to make the reader feel as if they are right alongside her (knee deep in mud at times) exploring all the same locations. There is truly something for everyone [here]...