The Edge of the Sea

From the National Book Award–winning author of Silent Spring: An exploration of marine life that takes us into “a truly extraordinary world” (The Atlantic Monthly).


Known for “catching the life breath of science on the still glass of poetry,” nature writer and marine biologist Rachel Carson is an icon of environmentalism, and her first love was the sea (Time). In this book, she explores rocky shores, sandy beaches, and coral reefs, leading us into unknown worlds to catch the evanescent beauty of a tide pool and tell the story of a grain of sand, and conveys the true complexity, beauty, and wonder of marine life, both animals and plants. With an introduction by Sue Hubbell, author of A Country Year, and illustrations by Bob Hines, The Edge of the Sea serves as both a field guide and a pleasurable, enlightening read.


“It is a truly extraordinary world which Miss Carson vividly unfolds to us . . . a world full of marvels such as the tiny periwinkle, which has 3,500 teeth, and the sea pansy, which has responded to the struggle for survival by turning itself from an individual into a colony.” —The Atlantic Monthly