Synopsis:

Seashells--from exotic tropical specimens and ancient fossils to the most commonplace clam--captivate with their beauty and inspire wonder about their origins.  Combining stunning images with scientific exploration, this volume artfully explores how shells develop and how they serve the creatures that made them.

Book Excerpt:

My grandmother’s seashell collection fills me with great joy. I think of her walking slowly on the beach, where the calm found in the confluence of sand and tide can be pocketed in the form of a bit of calcium carbonate.

Seashells are reminders—of people and places, of summer, of toes in the sand—more powerful than any snapshot.Their symmetries, spirals, and patterns are fascinating to gaze upon; their dialectical strength and fragility, awesome to ponder. When we take the time to inspect our precious finds, they provoke so many questions about how they were made.

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Topics/Categories:

fossils, paleontology, shells, the beach

Genre:

General Nature, Nature

Type of Work:

Photography

Publishers:

Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

Purchase From:

Abrams website

Original Publish Date:

2007-07-01

ISBNs:

978-0-8109-9327-3 0-8109-9327-9

Publishing Notes:

7" x 7" hardcover, 144 pages, with dust jacket