Move Like Water

My Story of the Sea

By: Hannah Stowe

Narrated by: Anna Rust

A book to sweep you away from the shore, into a wild world of water, whale, storm, and starlight ― to experience what it’s like to sail for weeks at a time with life set to a new rhythm.

As a young girl, Hannah Stowe was raised at the tide’s edge on the Pembrokeshire coast of Wales, falling asleep to the sweep of the lighthouse beam. Now in her midtwenties, working as a marine biologist and sailor, Stowe draws on her professional experiences sailing tens of thousands of miles in the North Sea, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Celtic Sea, and the Caribbean to explore the human relationship with wild waters. Why is it, she asks, that she and so many others have been drawn to life at sea―and what might the water around us be able to teach us?

Braiding her powerful and deeply personal narrative with stories of six keystone marine creatures―the fire crow, sperm whale, wandering albatross, humpback whale, shearwater, and the barnacle―Stowe invites listeners to fall in love, as she has, with the sea and those that call it home, and to discover the majesty, wonder, and vulnerability of the underwater world.

For fans of Rachel Carson and Annie Dillard, Move Like Water: My Story of the Sea is an inspiring, heartfelt hymn to the sea, a testament to finding and following a dream, and an unforgettable introduction to a deeply gifted nature writer of a new generation.

Beautifully written

Beautifully written memoir of the life at sea, of love for marine beings, about ways of water.
Very informative, adventurous, and at times sad; a perfect balance of strength and vulnerability.
Great narration.

Immersive and explains animal life patterns

Loved the hope at the end and ways to help make a difference. Sharing the women who are actively doing things helps encourage me to do whatever I can also.

Every sentence is so beautiful

One of my favorite books of all time. This author has such a wonderful perspective. From her time growing up by the sea, to owning her own boat, to working as a biologist on a nature vessel- she weaves in stories of species and history to a poetic book. The peaceful and rhythmic nature of listening to this book has helped me feel calm through a rough time. I finished it and immediately restarted.