Stone Will Answer

A beautiful memoir, travelogue, and meditation on stone and the transformative power of craft, by young British stonemason Beatrice Searle. Throughout human history, people and cultures have been on the move, often taking with them objects that define and strengthen them. At 26, Beatrice Searle made a journey of 1,300 miles from Orkney across Norway and back, with a 40-kilo piece of Orkney stone. Stone Will Answer. is framed around this journey and the people she encounters along the way, as the stone becomes a talisman of sorts, a bedrock of home, inspired by the ancient 'Kingship' stone, St Magnus' Boat. Shot through with insights and stories from Beatrice's own life and work, Stone Will Answer. reflects on solidity and transience, and our desire to put down roots, drawing together elements of geology and ecology, philosophy and personal enquiry. This is a book about progress and process: on foot, underground and under chisel. It will introduce readers to the fascinating craft of stonemasonry, while exploring notions of resilience, belonging, nomadism and knowing where to plant your feet.