While The Sea Around Us is the better known volume, I prefer The Edge of the Sea because I prefer . . . the edge of the sea, the intertidal zone, the rocky shores, sandy beaches, and even the mudflats. Here, Carson walks us through the different types of shores, of creatures, and of plants. I was happy to reread this volume for this project. I'd forgotten how well Carson presents the material; the book is academic without the mere dryness of most academic texts.
---. The Sea Around Us. Revd. Ed. New York: Signet, 1961.
Carson's book is a classic, and it is still relevant. Her accurate and practical descriptions of the ocean and of ocean processes are presented in a style that can only be described as poetic and philosophical. Grounded in reality, the book still soars. I am always cheered up by reading even a few pages of this book.
