Waves and Beaches, Willard Bascom
Waves and Beaches, Willard Bascom
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

Waves and Beaches
The Powerful Dynamics of Sea and Coast

Author: Willard Bascom, Kim McCoy

Narrator: Rich Miller

Unabridged: 9 hr 52 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 05/10/2022

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

The Bestselling Classic Updated for Surfers, Sailors, Oceanographers, Climate Activists, and Those Who Love the Sea

First published in 1963 and updated in 1979, this classic was an essential handbook for anyone who studies, surfs, protects, or is fascinated by the ocean. Willard Bascom was a master of the subject and included a wealth of information, based on theory and statistics, but also anecdotal observation and personal experience. It brought to the general public understanding of the awesome and complex power of the waves.

This revision from Kim McCoy adds recent facts and anecdotes to update the book's relevance in the time of climate change. One of the most significant effects of global warming will be sea-level rise. What will this mean to waves and beaches, and what effects are we already seeing? New text covers events such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, Hurricane Katrina flooding of 2005, and the 2011 earthquake and resulting devastation in Fukishima.

As well as students, surfers, and the general public, this updated edition of a beloved classic is an essential handbook for climate scientists and ocean activists, providing clear explanations and detailed resources.

About Willard Bascom

Willard Newell Bascom (1916-2000) was an engineer, adventurer, and scientist, as well as a writer, photographer, painter, miner, cinematographer, and archeologist, who first proposed using Neoprene for wetsuits to fellow scientist Hugh Bradner. He authored several books, which include the topics of waves, geology, archaeology, poetry, and oceanography. In his book Deep Water, Ancient Ships, he first proposed the hypothesis that anoxic water in the Black Sea would preserve ancient Black Sea shipwrecks. He led the first test drillings for Project Mohole, and was project director from 1960-1962. Bascom was a consultant to the Advisory Committee on Government Organization. He also served as the technical director of the Advisory Committee on Civil Defense of the National Academy of Science and National Research Council. He is the original author of Waves and Beaches, originally published in 1963 and reissued in 1979 (Anchor).


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jake on March 25, 2021

Pretty scientific and informative but not too dense. The author uses tons of interesting anecdotes, historical events, and some genuinely funny writing to keep the book light and easy to read. As someone whose life is largely dictated by waves and beaches, it was meaningful to read one of the founda......more

Goodreads review by Kris on May 25, 2011

A story about the project to find ways to accurately predict the behavior of waves and beaches, in preparation for the DDay invasion. Very cool science, informative and entertainingly written.......more

Goodreads review by Gilbert on January 28, 2025

It's always nice to pick up a science book that explores the world around us in terms that non-scientists can understand. This one, as the title indicates, is on how waves and beaches are made and interact with each other. I truly enjoyed it, but I will also admit that there were times in which the......more

Goodreads review by Ron on September 21, 2021

Amazing, a classic with a new edition.......more