Supernumerary Fellow Professor Charles Foster to publish latest book The Singing Sea

Supernumerary Fellow at Exeter College, Professor Charles Foster, is set to publish his latest book, The Singing Sea, on 4 February 2027 with Doubleday. The book, which explores Britain’s seals and their enduring relationship with humans, is available to pre-order now. 

In The Singing Sea, Professor Foster journeys through a year in the life of grey and harbourseals, combining scientific insight with personal experience to examine why these animals hold such fascination for humans. His encounters take him from swimming with seals in Scotland, kayaking through Faroese fjords, joining tourists on a boat trip in Norfolk, and hearing whisky-fuelled stories about seals beside turf fires. 

Along the way, the book explores seal biology, behaviour, and intelligence, as well as the mythology that has grown around them. From fishermen’s tales of selkies and the mysterious character of grey seals to the playful behaviour and far-ranging travels of harbour seals, Professor Foster considers the many ways in which seals have shaped human stories and imaginations. 

Blending science, nature writing and meditative reflection, The Singing Sea continues Professor Foster’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach and his longstanding interest in relationships between humans, animals, and the natural world. A Supernumerary Fellow at Exeter College since 2022, he is also a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law and a Senior Research Associate at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics. 

The Singing Sea is available to pre-order from Blackwells and other major booksellers.