• Writers of fictional sea stories invent a hero, perhaps a villain and a few horrendous storms, then throw in a little romance to hold the interest of the reader. Life, of course, does not fit such neat patterns and only two parts of the formula, the hero and the storms, are needed to make Cyril Jolly's book. The Loss of the English Trader (Acorn Editions, soft back, £3.60), as gripping as any sea adventure story.

The book gives an account of one of Coxswain Henry Blogg's rescues during the last war, when he rescued 44 men from a merchantman which grounded on Hammond Knoll off Norfolk. Three men were swept from the decks of the vessel and when Cromer lifeboat tried to get alongside, five lifeboatmen, including Henry Blogg, were washed into the sea. They were all hauled back into the lifeboat but Signalman Edward Allen lost his life and the book is dedicated to him.

Cromer lifeboat put into Gorleston for the night and a rescue attempt by Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat also had to be abandoned. The next morning Cromer lifeboat set out again and this time the rescue was successful.

Mr Jolly has talked to survivors and lifeboatmen and captures the atmosphere of the howling storms, the fears of the survivors, their horror as thev saw their friends die and the frustration of the lifeboatmen on their early rescue attempts. The final outcome must have heartened the 65-year-old coxswain.

HMS Vesper, which stood by English Trader throughout the rescue, signalled to ask if the survivors wished to be transferred to her from the lifeboat.

Henry Blogg turned to the men for their answer. 'We're coming with you,' they said. 'You rescued us. We'll stay here with you.'—R.K.

• Maritime England by Michael Shea (Country Life Books. £12.50) has been published to coincide with the English Tourist Board's promotion. A large book, lavishly illustrated in colour, it has been written in two parts. The first traces England's maritime heritage through its naval history, its trade and engineering development. The second is concerned with the present, including the leisure aspect and the preservation of the sea shore and its wild life. With such a vast subject the author can only hope to paint with a broad brush—this he does to good effect.

Maritime England is also the title of another publication by the English Tourist Board. It represents very good value at £1.25, again being lavishly illustrated in colour. There are details of many places to visit and things to see throughout the country, special interest holidays and a calendar of events for Maritime England Year.—H.D.

• There is no doubt that G. M. Dixon, who has written For Those in Peril, The Lifeboatmen (Minimax Books, soft back, £3.25) holds the lifeboat service in very high esteem; his book is an appreciation of the work of lifeboatmen and this appreciation cannot fail to rub off on the reader. What it cannot be described as, however, is a definitive reflection of the RNLI as a whole and perhaps with a little more research some inaccuracies could have been avoided. In a way. it is reminiscent of a well-kept and catalogued scrap book, containing many photographs, pieces of information and stories collected by an enthusiastic admirer.—E.W.-W.

• Ennal's Point by Alun Richards, first appeared as a hardback in 1977 when the reviewer in THE LIFEBOAT, describing it as both exciting and absorbing, wrote: ' There cannot be many works of fiction based on the lifeboat service and of these few are likely to ring true to the men who man the boats . . . A/i/n Richards has succeeded brilliantly in portraying the fortunes and misfortunes of an imaginary Welsh lifeboat community and makes it clear that the dramatic aura of the rescue service extends far beyond the lifeboathouse or the homes of the crew. He has clearly researched his subject in depth and in doing so has achieved a close rapport iv /i the men who liave told him of their own experiences . . . .' Upon Ennal's Point is based the television series by the same name and by the same author currently being shown by BBC 2. and the book itself is now available in a soft back Penguin edition, price £1.50..