And Now The Shipping Forecast: A tide of history around our shores

Gave this book as a gift to my father. He said it. was an interesting read.

And I though I was the only person who has dropped off to sleep whilst listening to the late night edition of the shipping forecast!!!Many a Master Mariner has approached the British shores knowing exactly at what time of day or night the shipping forecast is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 (formerly, and for many years, the BBC Home Service) and they would miss that programme at their peril. With the BBC being a public service organisation, it is only right and proper for them to provide this service. From a personal viewpoint, on first becoming a scuba diving instructor - many years ago, I quickly learned the importance of weather and tides when planning the weekend's diving. Listening to the Shipping Forecast was such an important part of that process that the subject of where and when it might be heard became questions in the national Class One Diver examination.What I did not know was that for over 40 years the owner of that rather familiar voice was Peter Jefferson and this is his story of that time. Whereas I did find it rather turgid in places, he does have an interesting tale to tell which includes the background and back-room detail which go into providing the service.Albeit, perhaps, only a reasonable read, this book will be of interest to anyone who wants to know more about the subject and, for those, it will be particularly useful.NM

Fun & interesting. Lots of British in-jokes and history. Wish the maps were better and there was a discussion of inland waterways locales and the rest of the long forecast as well.

Does anybody know where one might obtain recordings of Peter Jefferson's Shipping Forecasts? His voice and the content were hypnotic on a late drive home.

If you have ever listened to the Shipping Forecast and wondered just where are North Utsire, Fastnet, Malin and all the other intriguing names, this fascinating book by Peter Jefferson, the voice of the forecast for over 40 years, provides the answer to that and many other aspects of providing the information to help to keep seafarers safe. Writing it has obviously been a labour of love by a man wholly committed to his career, but who was always surprised by the vast numbers of the ordinary public who had no connection to the sea and yet found the regular recitation of sea areas and coastal waters and their imminent weather a compulsive listening. The book is written with humour and many personal anecdotes, and is the kind of book one finds only occasionally, and usually by accident, but will be returned to and re-read many times. I recommend it highly.

Jefferson read the shipping forecast at the Beeb for over 40 years and so takes us right into the history but also into the studios for the history of the shipping forecast, introducing us to all that is involved in it arriving in our homes (or on our boats). There is a light-hearted vibe about it, but the humour seems slightly forced. However, a quick and informative read (I read it in an evening) which took me on to other books on the subject (Connolly and Collyer).

The book is interesting and numerous, I really enjoyed it. It brought back childhood memories, from when my father always listened to it on the radio.

Very well written by the author who read the shipping forecast on radio 4 for over 40 years. The book has a lot of information about weather, the history of the shipping forecast areas and a lot of information on what goes on behind the scenes (along with much humour) in broadcasting this very British institution,

Better condition than I expected