The Drowned Places

Beautifully written…The Drowned Places is one of the best books on diving that I have ever read * Literary Review *Le Bas is a fine, vivid writer… I’ve read few better descriptions of the contradictions of the sport, its wonder and its terror, its grace and its absurdity – Alex Diggins * Sunday Telegraph *A very good book. THE book about diving I couldn’t find a few years ago: giving both the technicalities and the wonder – AMY LIPTROTLe Bas goes on a compelling dual journey in this book, both historical and personal. His curiosity brings the ancient myths and stark realities of the ocean vividly to life. A various, rich exploration – SOPHIE ELMHIRST, author of Maurice and MaralynI loved this book - a wonderful interweaving of diving and exploration with coming to terms with grief, beautifully written and endlessly fascinating. One of the best books that I have read in a long time – DAVID GIBBINS, author of A History of the World in Twelve ShipwrecksBeautiful and thought provoking – Tom Lathan * TLS *[Le Bas] writes well about grief, finding rich metaphors in each submarine landscape – Guy Stagg * Spectator *Loss, risk, adventure and redemption. Le Bas has written the most compelling and evocative of underwater odysseys – KATE HUMBLE, author of A Year of Living SimplyAn enthralling exploration of the liminal by one of the most exciting writers around. A breathtakingly good book – TRISTAN GOOLEY, author of How to Read a TreeThe most captivating book on diving that I have ever read. But it is not about diving as a sport; it is about diving as an accessway to submerged landscapes, the festival of life that inhabits them and, above all, the drowned ruins of lost civilisations – MENSUN BOUND, author of The Ship Beneath the Ice

Damian Le Bas is a writer, filmmaker and visual artist. His first book The Stopping Places won the Somerset Maugham Award, a Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Award, and was shortlisted for the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year. Damian is widely published as a journalist and poet and has taught for the Arvon foundation. A recipient of a Society of Authors Travelling Scholarship, he is a member of the European Film Academy, holds a First Class degree in Theology from the University of Oxford, and was awarded an honorary Master of Education by the University of Chichester. Besides getting in the sea he loves music, walking and spending time in the woods and hills with his family and friends. The Drowned Places is his second book.