Granta sets sail with Stephen Battersby’s ‘cosmic story’ on the impact of tides
Granta MD and publishing director Bella Lacey has acquired world English-language rights to Universal Tide: How Tides Drive Life and Shape the Cosmos, from Beaches to Black Holes by science writer Stephen Battersby, from Peter Tallack at The Curious Minds Agency.
Partly inspired by Battersby’s years living on a houseboat on the Thames, Universal Tide explores the impact of tides, from the intimacy of a tidal river via the deep ocean and Earth’s ancient past, to the planets and moons of the Milky Way and the outer reaches of the cosmos.
In the book, he uncovers a phenomenon which shapes the universe – creating habitats, destroying worlds, stirring galaxies and shredding matter in black holes – and which may be a crucial force in the origin and evolution of life, on Earth and beyond.
Lacey said: “Universal Tide opens our eyes to the extraordinary workings of outer space and how this cosmic story closely affects us all. Rich in scientific detail and full of the stories of our universe, it is communicated with a beautifully light touch that makes it a very inviting and companionable read. I’m delighted to welcome Stephen to the Granta list and to be exploring the universe with him.”
Universal Tide will be published by Granta in autumn 2027.
