Between Pacific Tides: Fifth Edition [Paperback]

Edward Ricketts (Author), Jack Calvin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0804720681 | ISBN-13: 978-0804720687 | Publication Date: January 1, 1992 | Edition: 5

One of the classic works of marine biology, a favorite for generations, has now been completely revised and expanded. Between Pacific Tides

is a book for all who find the shore a place of excitement, wonder, and beauty, and an unsurpassed introductory text for both students and professionals.

This book describes the habits and habitats of the animals that live in one of the most prolific life zones of the world—the rocky shores and tide pools of the Pacific Coast of the United States. The intricate and fascinating life processes of these creatures are described with affectionate care. The animals are grouped according to their most characteristic habitat, whether rocky shore, sandy beach, mud flat, or wharf piling, and the authors discuss their life history, physiology, and community relations, and the influence of wave shock and shifting tide level.

Though the basic purpose and structure—and much of the text—of the book remain the same, content has been increased by about 20 percent; a multitude of changes and additios has been made in the text; the Annotated Systematic Index and General Bibliography have been updated and greatly expanded (now almost 2,300 entries); more than 200 new photographs and drawings have been incorporated; and an entirely new chapter has been added—a topical presentation of the several factors influencing distribution of organisms along the shore. This edition also includes John Steinbeck’s Foreword to the 1948 edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“John Steinbeck himself wrote the Foreword to the revised edition for Ricketts and his co-author Jack Calvin.”—Palo Alto Times

“Ritchie Lovejoy’s exquisite line drawings, 100 pages of them form a treasure trove both for the scientist and the lover of nature who is not scientifically trained. The general reader may take refuge here on hot days. To the scientist the book is a must.”—The Book Shelf

“The book is filled with interesting information on familiar acquaintances, from crabs and limpets to the toredo, and many less familiar.”—CTA Journal

“This revised edition of Between Pacific Tides, is an intensely interesting account, for laymen and beginners, about . . .strange and unusual animals and plants.”—Long Beach (Calif) Press

“As Steinbeck says in his foreword: “There are good things to see in the tidepools and there are exciting and interesting thoughts to be generated from the seeing.” This is the book to introduce one to these forms, and, certainly, to generate those thoughts.”—Nature Magazine

From the Inside Flap

One of the classic works of marine biology, a favorite for generations, has now been completely revised and expanded. Between Pacific Tides

is a book for all who find the shore a place of excitement, wonder, and beauty, and an unsurpassed introductory text for both students and professionals.
This book describes the habits and habitats of the animals that live in one of the most prolific life zones of the world—the rocky shores and tide pools of the Pacific Coast of the United States. The intricate and fascinating life processes of these creatures are described with affectionate care. The animals are grouped according to their most characteristic habitat, whether rocky shore, sandy beach, mud flat, or wharf piling, and the authors discuss their life history, physiology, and community relations, and the influence of wave shock and shifting tide level.
Though the basic purpose and structure—and much of the text—of the book remain the same, content has been increased by about 20 percent; a multitude of changes and additios has been made in the text; the Annotated Systematic Index and General Bibliography have been updated and greatly expanded (now almost 2,300 entries); more than 200 new photographs and drawings have been incorporated; and an entirely new chapter has been added—a topical presentation of the several factors influencing distribution of organisms along the shore. This edition also includes John Steinbeck’s Foreword to the 1948 edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 680 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press; 5 edition (January 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804720681
• ISBN-13: 978-0804720687
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Biology > Marine Biology

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The standard field guide for the Pacific Coast of the USA, May 19, 1999

By 

Alan R. Holyoak - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between Pacific Tides (Hardcover)

I can't believe that someone else has not reviewed this excellent guide to the intertidal biota of the Pacific Coast. This book has set the standard for reference guides to marine life along the Pacific Coast, as well as other locations. It is much more than a field guide -- though it also serves that role. This book describes the intertidal zonation patterns of the Pacific Coast as well as the ecology and aspects of the natural history of the organisms that live there. The book contains good taxonomic references as well. This is the book that many of the country's marine scientists cut their professional teeth on. If you are interested in marine biology, the diversity of life, or the ecology of nearshore habitats, this book is definitely for you. The main strength of the book is the logical organization by type of habitat and vertical elevation on the intertidal zone. The main challenge of a book like this is to remain up to date, which the publisher has managed by producing revised editions on regular basis. This book is a must for any field or arm chair marine naturalist!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still & always the classic, July 12, 2003

By 

John Anderson (Bar Harbor, ME USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between Pacific Tides: Fifth Edition (Paperback)

This is probably THE serious book to have if one is going to immerse oneself in the California intertidal. Originally produced by Ed Ricketts (of Steinbeck/Cannery Row/Log From The Sea Of Cortez fame) the book has been upgraded, revised, re-edited by a plethora of "co-authors" since Ricketts' untimely death. It still retains much of Ricketts' then-revolutionary Habitat focus, which will either work for you (it does for me) or annoy the hard-core systematists out there. This ISN'T a light book to lug into the field or a light book to read -if you are just day-tripping The UC Press has a number of smaller & more accessibly illustrated field guides that I would reccomend, But if you are seriously into mmarine Bio and have some time on your hands along the California Coastline, you owe it to yourself to get this book. Even here on the Coast of Maine and twenty years removed from the West I still fid myself referring to it...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A timeless classic, November 26, 2005

By 

Lisa "Cyclothone" (Central CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between Pacific Tides: Fifth Edition (Paperback)

This is an amazing book. It was a landmark in its time, and is still useful today.