Journeying along London's waterways on a canal boat called Pike, Helen Babbs puts down roots for two weeks at a time before moving on. From Walthamstow Marsh in the east to Uxbridge in the west, she explores the landscape in all its guises: marshland, wasteland, city centre and suburb.

From deep winter to late autumn, Babbs explores the people, politics, history and wildlife of the canals and rivers, to reveal an intimate and unusual portrait of London - and of life.

About the Author
Helen Babbs is a writer and journalist. Her work has been published by the BBC, Guardian, Telegraph, New Statesman and Time Out, among others. Helen's first book - My Garden, the City and Me, about urban nature and the glory of growing things - was published in 2011 and nominated for two garden writing awards.

Reviews
Adrift is an engaging introduction to living on a narrow boat, held together with atmospheric descriptions of reconnecting with life's simple pleasures ... It is at its best when capturing the transition from a life on land to a life on board, as well as mapping the evolving relationship between urban building developments and the canal's ecology. -- Times Literary Supplement
Babbs is an excellent nature writer, evoking the lives and emotions tied to the water. Charming -- Steven Cooper * Waterstones Events Manager, The Bookseller *
A compelling exploration of river living * Homes and Gardens *
One of the best waterways books for decades * Waterways World *
A treat ... Babbs's effortless prose is tight and lyrical, moseying along at a calm, steady pace, but there are moments both barbed and cutting ... A serious and fascinating book * Hackney Citizen *
Chapter after chapter of utterly captivating prose * Caught by the River *
Waterways writing at its finest: the breathtaking, boat-eulogising Adrift. -- @TheBookBarge



Book Information
ISBN 9781785781278
Author Helen Babbs
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Icon Books
Publisher Icon Books
Weight(grams) 244g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 18mm