the sea close by

I didn't know a great deal about Albert Camus or his works until a few weeks ago. Then, whilst paying for a few novels in my local bookshop, I noticed the above little booklet on the counter. That title and cover? Most intriguing, I thought... Into my basket it went. (Well, it would have done if my bookshop had baskets.) This new edition of The Sea Close By was published in August as part of the Penguin Classics campaign celebrating 100 years of Albert Camus - Nobel Prize winning author, journalist and philosopher. First published in 1954, The Sea Close By recounts the author's experience on board a sailing ship voyaging around the New World. It's a light, summery daydream of a story - hazy and delicious - I read it on holiday and enjoyed it very much indeed.

Then, yesterday, I came across a short film, shot by director and photographer (and my friend's boyfriend) Tom Beard: a visual interpretation of The Sea Close By created in further celebration of the author's birth. Clara Paget takes a sojourn around the English South Coast whilst reading an extract from the story in her husky, cut-glass British tones. It's hauntingly good...