The People of the Sea: Celtic Tales of the Seal-Folk

David Thomson's account of collecting oral folklore about seals and the seal-folk around Scotland and Ireland in the fifties. You really get a sense of place with Thomson's writing - he makes you feel like you're right there with him sitting next to the fire, the air damp and heavy with stoor, as we listen to an ageing fisherman bring to mind the time he encountered a selkie while he hauled in his nets. A little rambling at times, but that's easily forgivable. Thomson's deep love for his subject shines through the whole of this book.