Author(s): Carl Hobbs

Natural History

For those with a curiosity about shores or a desire to better understand them, The Beach Book shares the basic science behind waves, tides, sea level, sand dunes, salt marshes, and beach erosion. It tells sunbathers why the beach widens and narrows from week to week and helps boaters and anglers understand why tidal inlets change. It gives home buyers insight into gauging erosion rates and provides natural-resource managers and concerned citizens with richer information on sediments, erosion control, beach nourishment, and coastal-zone development. Carl Hobbs also proposes methods for keeping our beaches healthy by discussing ways to combat erosion and the decline of habitats. The more people learn about coastal processes, Hobbs argues, the better they can appreciate and understand the dynamic environment of the beach. Primarily using examples from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America, although the characteristics of these shorelines can be found worldwide, Hobbs explains several fundamental geoscience concepts and animates the workings of such phenomena as wind and storms and their effects on beaches, barrier islands, and inlets. He details and compares different beach aspects, describes the processes causing sea-level rise, and illustrates the forces that change sea level. Informed by the latest science and infused with a passion for its subject, The Beach Book offers an informative, useful, and wide-ranging introduction to anyone who loves, lives, and plays on the beach.