This is Alan Rosss fourth volume of autobiography (following on from Blindfold Games Coastwise Lights and After Pusan)... Winter Sea like his previous volumes is an intriguing mix of memoir poetry and travel writing. PN Review
Fragmentary and delightfully idiosyncratic... Winter Sea] has a distinctly maritime flavour and the wartime memories recalled after 50 years mostly concern North Sea or Baltic cities... The smell of the Baltic Ross writes is a fusion of salt sand dunes pine trees and tar... Wherever Ross travels he has a book in his pocket and more often than not his reading is by way of homage to a native poet or writer... The symphonic quality of this wistful and at times very moving collection is maintained with a final section of 15 new poems mostly relating to the authors more recent travels. Winter Sea is a book to savour; Alan Ross brings history to life as only a poet can. Euan Cameron Independent