Caught by the river - Jeff Barrett

'Pitched as an antidote to the 'modern slavery' of Blackberry's, mobiles etc, Jon Savage's memoir of navigating the pre-gentrification Docklands with Derek Jarman is a highlight, while poignant pieces about epic canoe trips, ice-skating through the Fens and innumerable idyllic tributaries constitute an extended billet-doux to the landscapes and idiosyncrasies of the British Isles' - (4 STARS) - "Mojo" magazine. From the Thames to the Telford, the Wear to the Wellsbourne; from canoe adventures to ice-skating, from angling to day-dreaming, "Caught by the River" is an exceptional new take on nature writing. Here, the writers take you on a journey down some of our most famous waterways and some of its best kept secrets. Funny, surprising, delightful and poignant, they all share one thing - a passion for the rivers of Britain and Ireland. The result is a uniquely modern take on an age old writing tradition - a rock 'n' rock nature book ever. The authors, many acclaimed and the rest soon to be, each contribute to a collection of writing as varied and unexpected as the rivers themselves.This evocative anthology of the best new nature writing is presented in a collection of essays on some of our favourite rivers, covering the entire length of the country. A diverse collection of authors share their thoughts, experiences and reminiscences on the river that means something special to them. Contributors include Gavin Pretor-Pinney who retraces a canoe trip his grandfather made 60 years ago, Roger Deakin writes about the history of ice skating in the fens, Jon Savage describes a trip down the Thames with the Sex Pistols, Irvine Welsh recounts the courtship rituals witnessed by the River Forth, plus there are many more contributors including Bill Drummond, Edywn Collins, John Niven, Jarvis Cocker, and Chris Yates to name a few.