Ribbon of Sand: The Amazing Convergence of the Ocean and the Outer Banks (Chapel Hill Book) [Paperback]

John Alexander (Author), James Lazell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Chapel Hill Book | Publication Date: May 3, 2000

Ribbon of Sand is a rich and beautifully written explanation of the unique natural history and romantic past of the Outer Banks, the fragile barrier islands that stretch for almost two hundred miles down the North Carolina coast. First published in 1992 and now updated, this new edition brings the Banks' story to the present—from the on-going excavtion of what is believed to be Blackbeard's ship, to the impending threat of oil drilling at Manteo Point, the authors reveal the controversies, natural wonders, and fascinating legends that make the Outer Banks one of the nation's most beloved treasures.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

North Carolina's Outer Banks region, 180 miles of shifting sands, has both a romantic past--including the lost colony of Roanoke Island, the Wright brothers, pirates and shipwrecks--and a unique natural history. Alexander, a former newspaper editor, and naturalist Lazell, president of the Conservation Agency, examine this fragile ecosystem and unravel an evolutionary mystery. Explaining the actions of ocean currents, winds and waves, they show how island contours change, how inlets open and close. They describe the fauna and flora of maritime forests and beaches and search for a rare Ocracoke king snake, sticticeps. Their finding it yields an engrossing story of field science and discloses a remarkable example of relatively recent co-evolution (snake, rice rat, warmyrtle) . The authors also chart the changes brought by development of the island. As natural history or as description of barrier islands, this book leaves the reader with a clear sense of place and an understanding of the forces of wind and water. Illustrations.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In a popular style of science writing that will appeal to lay readers, the authors discuss the history, geography, and ecology of North Carolina's Outer Banks in the context of barrier island geology and ecology. Among the topics they explore are the interactions of wind, sea, sand, and land on the Outer Banks, the influence of the Gulf Stream, geological development, and the ecological role of the maritime forest. Line drawings of native flora and fauna and maps (not seen) accompany the text. Alexander, a journalist, and Lazell, a scientist, love the unspoiled Outer Banks and warn of possible threats to the area. A useful supplement to more specialized studies (Orrin H. Pilkey's From Currituck to Calabash, Duke Univ. Pr, 1982, and Paul V. Godfrey's Barrier Island Ecology of Cape Lookout National Seashore and Vicinity, N. Carolina, G.P.O., 1976), this work is suitable for natural history collections in public and academic libraries.
- Judith B. Barnett, Pell Marine Science Lib., Univ. of Rhode Island, Kingston
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (May 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807848743
• ISBN-13: 978-0807848746
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #686,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Man and Nature on a Tiny Strip of Land, July 23, 2001

By 

Sleehrat "Tarheel Boy in NJ" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ribbon of Sand: The Amazing Convergence of the Ocean and the Outer Banks (Chapel Hill Book) (Paperback)

I picked this book up during a recent week's stay on Topsail Island (one of the southernmost of the Outer Banks). Having never read a book on natural history or the ecology, I was prepared for the paper-pulp equivalent of Sominex.

Never have I been more wrong in my preconceptions about a book. Ribbon of Sand captures PERFECTLY the true mystique of North Carolina's Outer Banks -- how a half-mile wide band of barrier islands survive both because of nature . . . and in spite of it. Each segment of the book ties together both human and natural history. How the wind the shapes the wonderfully high dunes near Kill Devil provided the Wright Brothers with the means to test their gliders and to develop the first airplane. How shifting tides and currents that continue to shape the Outer Banks both abetted . . . and spelled doom for Blackbeard the Pirate.

In short, Ribbon of Sand captured my imagination and instilled in me a greater appreciation for the fragile balance of nature and man on the Outer Banks. I very highly reccomend this book!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing, April 5, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ribbon of Sand: The Amazing Convergence of the Ocean and the Outer Banks (Chapel Hill Book) (Paperback)

I purchased this book to learn more about the Outer Banks, which I have long wished to visit and where we will spend a week this summer. It is an amazingly interesting and informative book. Geology, geography, biology, weather, ecology, politics, and more are all discussed as is the importance of each in relation to the others. I found the book engrossing and would recommend it even if you are not going to this unique area of the world. Now when the kids ask me why there is a forest in the dunes I will be able to tell them and I will be much better able to appreciate the beauty of the place.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 5 Star Subject, 3 Star Writing, November 3, 2003

By 

James Carragher (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ribbon of Sand: The Amazing Convergence of the Ocean and the Outer Banks (Hardcover)

Anyone who has visited the Outer Banks -- and many who have only seen them from the famous 1970-era Apollo space shot -- knows that the islands are unique, fragile, and someday going to be overrun, either by trashy tourism or, eventually, nature. Alexander and Lazell hope, but are hardly convinced, that nature will get the chance to run its long course. Beyond the fascinating subject, the authors' chapter by chapter analysis of the forces that compete on the Banks -- sand, wind, land, forest -- is a clarifying approach to writing about the science of the Banks. In separate chapters, Alexander and Lazell then effectively show how the forces combined to impact Blackbeard's last battle and the Wright Brothers efforts to fly. The final chapter, Convergences, is like reading a decade-early preview of the impact on the islands of Hurricane Isabel. I would call Alexander and Lazell prescient, but I suspect they themselves would be the first to admit they were simply documenting the inevitable future. Only problem with this excellent book is that the writing feels as if it was done either in turn or by compromise, and is often far less compelling than its subject matter. Still, Ribbon of Sand offers some science, some entertainment, and a whole lot of appreciation for this wonderful speck of the world.