I HAVE JUST finished reading “The Levelling Sea” by Philip Marsden. By describing many aspects of the history of the town of Falmouth in Cornwall, he not only brings the town’s colourful and important past to life but also gently introduces the reader to many facets of English maritime history.

I have visited Falmouth many times. This book makes sense of many things I have seen there. It has also introduced me to many features of the town, past and present, that I had not known about. Likewise, it has enlightened me on aspects of English maritime history that were new to me.

The book is well-researched, yet is not stolidly scholarly. “The Levelling Sea” is beautifully written. Although not poetry, its prose feels almost poetical.