Customer Reviews

Florida's Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am astounded at the quality and quantity of information in this book. Every page has three or four color photos of the items being covered. These items range from beach foam, through shells, plants, rocks, seabeans, floats, coins, fossils, birds and more. I was about to say it didn't have mammals - but checked and they are there too. Each item has the scientific name, the area in Florida and season it might be found, scale information on the photo, and a "Did You Know" section with fun facts. I have seen many nature guides - Sibleys, Audubon, Peterson etc - and this ranks near or at the top - yes it's that good. See you at the beach!

This is a comprehensive identification guide, but it is much more. Unlike most identification guides, it is possible to sit down and read this book for pleasure.
There are wonderful photographic illustrations, often with more than one picture to illustrate a subject. The text is clear and concise but not too concise. On every topic they have a feature called " Did you Know". This is a paragraph about some odd fact about the subject. For example, "Laughing Gulls are the beach bird most likely to steal food from your hand..."

This may be the only field guide I will bring with me on future trips to the beaches in Florida.

I purchased this book for our trip to the beach as a resource for the family. Each person who looked and used this book LOVED it. In the few weeks we have had it, our daughter has gone back to this book time and time again. Also several asked where we got the book --- this book will be their next birthday or Christmas book! Great photographs and detailed explanation about everything BEACH.

Lavishly illustrated with 985 full-color photographs and 431 maps, Florida's Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber is an amazing catalogue of the many treasures a beachcomber can discover along Florida's 1200 miles of coastline. Printed on high-quality glossy paper with a water-resistant dust jacket, Florida's Living Beaches describes beach features, animals, plants, and minerals at length, as well as items (and pollution!) that are the legacy of humans. Simple diagrams also reveal along which parts of Florida's coast that different individual features can be found. A one-of-a-kind guide enthusiastically recommended for Florida beachcombers and armchair beach-travelers alike.

Having lived in a beachside community most of my life, I fully understand the pleasure of strolling the beach and exploring all of the "treasures" that are washed up by the tides. But this book adds a whole new level of enjoyment to the wonderful pastime of beachcombing.

What makes Florida's Living Beaches so unique? With 985 color images, 431 maps and descriptive accounts of 822 items, the book is a well-researched guide that belongs in the reference department of every library.

But as soon as you open the book and start thumbing through the beautiful color photos, you will realize that the book is far too personal to lay idle with the other stodgy old tomes on the reference shelves. This book was written by two naturalists who are truly in love with the sea.

If you have ever gone to the beach and sat in a lawn chair, lain on a blanket, or taken a walk, you have probably encountered at least a few items that caught your eye and peaked your curiosity. Whatever that mystery was, this book can help you identify it.

Don't go to the beach without out!!

...so much so that its colorful pages leap forth with clear revelations of all things beach. This guide has solved several agonizing mysteries for me already, and its guidance on "beach quests" is marvelous. The books design is pleasant. Its images are abundant and often stunning. Its depth is astounding (about 1000 items of animal, vegetable, mineral, and human origin). And its descriptions are concise, clear, occasionally philosophical, and often amusing. The book is a real joy for anyone who wants a connection to Florida beaches.

Loved this book.....Pictures and descriptions are great ..... I have two other books on shelling and beach stuff and none compare to this ... Tells the season and areas that are the best for seeing the item....a true must for beach lovers

If you love walking Florida beaches, you'll find this book to be a fabulous guide. Having lived in Florida most of my life, I'm happy at last to have a book which will help me easily identify the shells, birds, sea animals, and fish that I see on my walks. Great layout and design and beautiful photographs in addition to being a well organized and interesting book.

This book is the most comprehensive book with color photos I have found. We frequent the Bahamas, and everything you see in this book you can also see in the islands. The author's don't forget a thing. Worth every penny!

This book is dense both by weight and in useful content. I bought it to take on an upcoming trip to Sanibel Island (of which half is set aside as nature preserve) and decided to test out the shell identification photos against a handful of shells I picked up last time we were there. Bingo! The photos are great, showing variations in accurate colors and with helpful descriptions, I was able to pin down with certainty what all my little beach treasures are. The only photos I think are potentially less useful are those of the marine mammals, which of course, are very hard to photograph above the surface of the water, maybe the next edition should include little drawings to help with whale and dolphin ID.
I also love the the chapter on "beach features" which includes topics like ecology, weather, surf patterns, sand action, and the chapter on "the hand of man." What a beautiful little book!