The Herring Man by Cyril James Morris
There’s something of an innocence to great storytelling, and a story that tells of great friendships and emotions, and in The Herring Man, Cyril James Morris encapsulates the passion for great storytelling in a tale of grief, longing and friendship.
The Herring Man tells of a young boy’s friendship with Gwyn, a lonely man who avoids human contact preferring his isolation and working on his fishing nets, but as we discover, Gwyn has a tale to tell, but not of his own life, but his grandfather’s adventures travelling the world. What begins as an awkward friendship blossoms into a true friendship, even family love, with the boy seeing Gwyn as a father figure to him, and after tragedy strikes, the boy is left to discover the story of Gwyn and set about solving a new mystery.
The Herring man relates the importance of storytelling, and passing on what we know in order to preserve our own history and heritage. Set in the heart of South West Wales, an area renowned for its fishing industry, The Herring Man shows how important this industry is even to the smallest of fishers, and how it means more than just a livelihood to so many.
With stories being passed on only orally through generations so many tales have been lost through time, The Herring Man is not only a testament to preserving our history and our stories, but also an enchanting tale of grief, family and friendship.
- The Herring Man by Cyril James Morris is published by Parthian Books (£7.99). To order a copy go to www.parthianbooks.com
