Beaches in Space and Time

In true Beloit fashion, Richard Davis evaluates the beach from both a scientific and cultural point of view in his latest book, taking readers on an international tour from the icy shores of Antarctica to the balmy Florida coast.

Along the way, he analyzes factors such as sediment deposits, tide patterns, and weather systems to explain how various beaches get their unique physical attributes. Yet Davis also writes at length about the role of beaches in human culture as tourism destinations, battlefields, sporting arenas, and artistic settings, demonstrating to the audience that these areas have much more to them than just aesthetic value.

Davis is a professor emeritus of geology from the University of South Florida and a research associate at the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University.