Ever wonder, as you stroll along a beach, why the beach is there? Why is it shaped the way it is? What made the sand? Why are there rocks or no rocks? Why do those waves keep rolling in and rolling back out? Why does that delightful breeze shift? How can I keep my umbrella anchored in the sand? This book may not answer that last question, but it will answer all the others, and many more. 'This book by an internationally well-known coastal expert translates science into comprehensible popular language. Readers will especially appreciate the profusion and variety of illustrations from the entire globe.' -- Dr. Ervin G. Otvos, Head Geology Section, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and Emeritus Professor, Department of Coastal Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi This book explains how beaches originate, what they are made of, and how wind, waves, tides, storms, sea level change, and human development affect them. Includes a section on the most beautiful and interesting beaches in the world--a good many of them in Florida.