A book by Orrin H. Pilkey, William J. Neal, James Andrew Graham Cooper and Joseph T. Kelley
Published by University Of California Press
” Beaches are the most dynamic features on Earth, constantly changing shape and providing vital ecological functions and a home to environments of amazing biodiversity. Understanding the importance of the beach’s role vis-a-vis the land, the nearshore and the ocean and its biodiversity is crucial to its protection and preservation.”
—Santa Aguila Foundation
” We, the authors of this book, often think we are the luckiest people in the world. We have walked on and looked at beaches all over the world, on all seven continents. With our feets and eyes we study one of the world’s most dynamic natural environments. Best of all, the work is part of our job: we study the present as geologists in order to understand the past, and as educators to pass on our global experience to students”
– Orrin H. Pilkey, William J. Neal, James Andrew Graham Cooper and Joseph T. Kelley.
Orrin H. Pilkey is James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of Geology at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, and Founder and Director Emeritus of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, based at Western Carolina University.
William J. Neal , is Professor Emeritus of Geology, Department of Geology, at Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI.
James Andrew Graham Cooper, PhD, is Professor of Coastal Studies, at the University of Ulster.
Joseph T. Kelley is Professor of Geology and Oceanography, at Lehigh University.
Pre-order available now on Amazon.com
REVIEWS
“Take this book to the beach; it will open up a whole new world…
Illustrated throughout with color photographs, maps, and graphics,”The World’s Beaches” explores one of the planet’s most dynamic environments, from tourist beaches to Arctic beaches strewn with ice chunks to steaming hot tropical shores…This fascinating, comprehensive guide also considers the future of beaches, and explains how extensively people have affected them, from coastal engineering to pollution, oil spills, and rising sea levels.” —Guardian, Culture, Book Review.
“The World’s Beaches: A Global Guide to the Science of the Shoreline,” By Orrin H. Pilkey, William J. Neal, James Andrew Graham Cooper and Joseph T. Kelley.
Best Sellers: Geology, March 1, 2012.
—Library Journals list of Best Sellers in Geology, Book Review.
“The World’s Beaches: A Global Guide to the Science of the Shoreline,” a comprehensive, readable guide to the physical features of many kinds of beaches and some of the threats they face.” —The New York Times
The World’s Beaches, A Global Guide to the Science of the Shoreline, by Orrin H. Pilkey, William J. Neal, Joseph T. Kelley, and J. Andrew G. Cooper.
Illustrated throughout with color photographs, maps, and graphics, The World’s Beaches tells how beaches work, explains why they vary so much, and shows how dramatic changes can occur on them in a matter of hours – from tourist beaches to Arctic beaches strewn with ice chunks to steaming hot tropical shores. This fascinating, comprehensive guide also considers the future of beaches, and explains how extensively people have affected them. —Patagonia
The authors of “The World’s Beaches: A Global Guide to the Science of the Shoreline,” explain what kinds of changes late-season beachgoers can expect in the wake of Hurricane-turned-Tropical-Storm Irene. —Metro Focus
Made possible by the Santa Aguila Foundation (a non-profit dedicated to coastline preservation around the world), “The World’s Beaches: A Global Guide to the Science of the Shoreline,” has wide appeal. The aim is not to dazzle, but to inform, and in this way encourage preservation efforts worldwide. Written in an engaging style, the text covers classifications of beaches; the action of waves, currents, and tides; and how to “read” a beach through a close look at surfaces, wind action, beach creatures, and shells. —Review, Reference & Research Book News / SCITECH Book News, October Issue
“The World’s Beaches: A Global Guide to the Science of the Shoreline,” EARTH Magazine, December 1, 2011, Kathryn Hansen, Included in a holiday roundup of the editors’ favorite books from 2011..—Earth Magazine
When will we ever learn the lessons of hurricanes? A Special to CNN.
“Orrin Pilkey is the James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of Earth Science at Duke University. His latest co-authored books are “Global Climate Change: A Primer” (Duke) and “The World’s Beaches” (University of California Press).” —CNN
“ The World’s Beaches: A Global Guide to the Science of the Shoreline (2011),” written by Orrin Pilkey and three fellow scientists from around the world — William J. Neal, James Andrew Graham Cooper and Joseph T. Kelley — is a comprehensive but relatable guide to the science of the shoreline, teaching readers precisely how beaches work and how to read the “character” of any given shoreline…
Dr. Pilkey, professor emeritus of Geology and of Earth and Ocean Sciences at Duke University, is unusual in his willingness to advocate for changes in policies that affect the environment. “Scientists, in my view, have a responsibility to spread the word,” he told Kirkus. While the book may appear academic to the everyday reader, Pilkey warns that beaches remain one of the best indicators of things to come with global warming.
“Part of the purpose of The World’s Beaches is to get people to love and appreciate beaches on a different level. They are the most dynamic geomorphic feature on the surface of the Earth.”— Clayton Moore, The Kirkus Review
