{"product_id":"9781804253878","title":"What the Sea Gives","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublishing September 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Book: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFake news rules the airwaves, AI fills the skies, where’s the information you can trust?\u003cbr\u003eAlan Riach’s new collection of poems provides two answers: only in the work of art, whether poem, painting, musical composition, or else in the object of your closest attention, a lover, close family, friends. These gifts you find or dive for, sometimes simply walking on the beach, sometimes swimming deep, into the abyss. There are new discoveries, particular points that make co-ordination possible, and even, maybe, progress. But each of these moments of focus are on the edge, a coastline between land and sea, vulnerable and open to tide or storm, landslide or hurricane, the rising swamp of apathy, the tornado of mob populism. Art can be hijacked. Friends can be seduced.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat the Sea Gives\u003c\/em\u003e is perfect for not only lovers of poetry but any readers who value the importance of art and the connection it provides us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eReviews for Alan's Previous Work:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMagisterial\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eTHE TIMES on \u003cem\u003eScottish Literature: An Introduction\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eObviously indispensable; I am learning new facts and \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003epossibilities on every page. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNEAL ASCHERSON on \u003cem\u003eScottish Literature: An Introduction\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA major Scottish poet...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDOUGLAS GIFFORD on \u003cem\u003eHomecoming\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI love the order and shape of the manuscript, the air and breath in it. The Scottish landscapes that close the book are the root and Right True End of the collection: 'Bus Stop, Alloway' and 'Lanarkshire, January', the February flightpaths and unexpected bursts of hail - all these poems are sharp, soar, and help you to really see - and maybe my favourite is 'Drumelzier': not a poem about an eldritch experience but one that is an eldritch experience. It's an extraordinarily rich and varied collection.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eLIZ LOCHHEAD on \u003cem\u003eHomecoming\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e...lively and intelligent... wide-ranging, adventurous, often witty...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEDWIN MORGAN on \u003cem\u003eHomecoming\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e...full of passion and intelligence... Scotland is his agenda...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eANDREW MCNEILLIE, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT on \u003cem\u003eHomecoming\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Winter Book is a vision of our times. It’s full of big poems which encompass a range of experiences, engaging with ideas, situations, places, and the why of it. Political anger is poured into strong, argumentative, emotionally engaging poems: no easy task.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eGERRIE FELLOWS on \u003cem\u003eThe Winter Book\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Author:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0421\/5573\/7238\/files\/alan_riach_be013a8c-66ec-4438-b1eb-a0dc39a8c080.png?v=1754477024\" style=\"margin-right: 16px; margin-bottom: 16px; float: left;\"\u003eAlan Riach was born in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, in 1957. He studied at Cambridge and Glasgow and worked in New Zealand at the University of Waikato from 1986-2000. He is the author of Hugh MacDiarmid's Epic Poetry and Representing Scotland in Literature, Popular Culture and Iconography. He is currently the Professor of Scottish Literature, University of Glasgow, and Presid\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eent of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Luath Press","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":55562681155960,"sku":"9781804253878","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0421\/5573\/7238\/files\/Whattheseagives_22.04.26.jpg?v=1779093919","url":"https:\/\/luath.co.uk\/products\/9781804253878","provider":"Luath Press","version":"1.0","type":"link"}