The subtitle says it all, really. This is an account of how the unique West Australian landscape has formed Tim Winton's writing as well as his character, and also helped form the Australian character. He grew up on the coast, developing an early relationship with the sea where it meets the land; that relationship has continued, and now Winton is passionately exhorting us to both simply notice the world around us, and care about the preservation of the planet. Beautifully written and presented, this book is a powerful call to arms. Anyone who has read Winton's fiction will enjoy this memoir.