Florida's Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber

FIVE STARS!!!! (Though it deserves ten!) I've lived along coasts all my life. I grew up peering into the tidepools of the Pacific, looking over the edge of docks, and wandering along the West Coast's beaches from San Diego to the San Juans. I've spent the last 30 years on the Gulf Coast with visits to the southern Atlantic beaches. Beachcombing is one of my great joys, and my shelves are full of guides to flora and fauna. When the Witherington's guide arrived yesterday, I sat down with it...and by the end of the evening, I'd read it cover to cover. I'll be tucking it in my beach bag, and using it as a constant companion. It's just that good. What sets this guide apart from others is its clear organization, graphic clarity, conversational tone, and concise information-packed descriptions. If you live in Florida and love the beach, buy this book. You will learn about all the forces that shape the beach environment, from tides and weather to human incursions. AND you'll find a clearly illustrated comprehensive guide to virtually everything you could discover washed up in, on or near the sand, along the inner and outer coasts. If you've ever picked up a bit of flotsam, or stooped over a mysterious blob on the beach, and wondered, "What is this?", this guide will tell you. Dr. Witherington's background in biology zoology is apparent, as he provides fascinating insights in every entry. Ms. Witherington's design and illustrations make it a visual feast. This is the second edition. I hope the Witheringtons will continue to revise and update this gem. Perhaps future editions will tell us about the long term effects of the Deepwater Horizon spill, and give us more beach quests for Northwest Florida.

Wow, this was the book I didn't know I needed! I grew up on the Gulf Coast and have been an amateur birder and naturalist since I was a kid. I bought this as a quick reference for shore birds. Suddenly, I found myself in a whole new world when it came to shells and other items that was ashore. It really brought them to life for me. After a recent hurricane, I went out several times a day to find new and exciting things with this book in hand. I appreciate the chord it strikes with being easy to use and fairly scientific. I love the "did you know feature" and the way items are grouped. I'm so glad I found this book!

As a native coastal Floridian, I grew up in awe of the sea and all of its wonder. I was hooked after my first shelling expedition at the tender age of two. Since then, my curiosity to learn about all things in, on, and near the water has been insatiable. I'm now 52 and just discovered this book and I've been so impressed with it that I sent it to my brother (also an amatuer enthusiast). This book is full of gasp-inspiring facts that I sincerely never knew. The best part is that this brilliant couple has put everything into easily readable and understandable bits, even when explaining complex things like ecosystems. They break down everything into categories, I found this helpful and convenient for referencing purposes. It helps the reader to understand where to find things, what to look for and when to look for it. The descriptions of anatomies of beaches to mollusks and everything in between is not only fascinating, but understandable. I feel like it has rekindled my passion for the sea in a way that speaks to my inner child, but as an adult living in a complicated world. And if you're the beach enthusiast that is also into beach/beach wildlife conservation, even on a small scale, then please get a copy. Entertaining (a few bits of dry humor here and there), informative and down right essential as a beachgoer in Florida. I highly, highly recommend this book!

This is one of the best books we have in our field guide library! Spent a month traveling in Florida with my family and we enjoyed exploring so much more because we could identify what we saw. Very well laid out with pictures and information. Covers more than just one topic (birds, shells, marine life, plants, etc). This makes it a perfect book to grab for a hike or tidal pool exploring!!

Love this book! I live at the beach and use this book often o identify my finds. I’ve read through the book and it has helped me become a better shell finder! I buy this book as a house warming gift for any friend moving to FL who loves the beach.

This is a wonderful, easy to use, guide for beachcombers. The pictures are excellent and the organization intuitive. One minor problem: paper is not waterproof and it would take a real beating if you used it right on the shoreline. I came to using it after beachcombing with either pictures (preferred) or specimens. We visit beaches in southwest Florida primarily and almost everything we observed on the beach was in this book.

This book is excellent! For anything on the beach that I want to identify, this is my go-to resource. The pictures and the descriptions are very well done. I typically use it for shells, but it has a variety of different topics and it's actually a fun read. I really like that it goes through the formation of the beaches and even shows the different types of sand (magnified). This book is worth every penny!

I collect shells when we visit the Tampa Bay area each year. This book has been very helpful in identifying and learning about them. In addition, there is an abundance of information about other flora and fauna that you might encounter on or near the beach. Lots of pictures accompany the text. I highly recommend this book.

This was recommended by several people who led nature talks along our Florida gulf coast beaches. I'm so glad we purchased it. Very informative and easy to find what I'm looking for. Highly recommend if you like going to the beach and learning about everything you find there. Also bought another copy as a gift.

This is a great reference for anyone spending time at the beach and wondering, "what was that thing I just stepped on?" Full-color pictures and illustrations make it a beautiful book to flip through. Authoritative scientific writing, but using a layman's terms.

FIVE STARS!!!! (Though it deserves ten!) I've lived along coasts all my life. I grew up peering into the tidepools of the Pacific, looking over the edge of docks, and wandering along the West Coast's beaches from San Diego to the San Juans. I've spent the last 30 years on the Gulf Coast with visits to the southern Atlantic beaches. Beachcombing is one of my great joys, and my shelves are full of guides to flora and fauna. When the Witherington's guide arrived yesterday, I sat down with it...and by the end of the evening, I'd read it cover to cover. I'll be tucking it in my beach bag, and using it as a constant companion. It's just that good. What sets this guide apart from others is its clear organization, graphic clarity, conversational tone, and concise information-packed descriptions. If you live in Florida and love the beach, buy this book. You will learn about all the forces that shape the beach environment, from tides and weather to human incursions. AND you'll find a clearly illustrated comprehensive guide to virtually everything you could discover washed up in, on or near the sand, along the inner and outer coasts. If you've ever picked up a bit of flotsam, or stooped over a mysterious blob on the beach, and wondered, "What is this?", this guide will tell you. Dr. Witherington's background in biology zoology is apparent, as he provides fascinating insights in every entry. Ms. Witherington's design and illustrations make it a visual feast. This is the second edition. I hope the Witheringtons will continue to revise and update this gem. Perhaps future editions will tell us about the long term effects of the Deepwater Horizon spill, and give us more beach quests for Northwest Florida.

Wow, this was the book I didn't know I needed! I grew up on the Gulf Coast and have been an amateur birder and naturalist since I was a kid. I bought this as a quick reference for shore birds. Suddenly, I found myself in a whole new world when it came to shells and other items that was ashore. It really brought them to life for me. After a recent hurricane, I went out several times a day to find new and exciting things with this book in hand. I appreciate the chord it strikes with being easy to use and fairly scientific. I love the "did you know feature" and the way items are grouped. I'm so glad I found this book!

As a native coastal Floridian, I grew up in awe of the sea and all of its wonder. I was hooked after my first shelling expedition at the tender age of two. Since then, my curiosity to learn about all things in, on, and near the water has been insatiable. I'm now 52 and just discovered this book and I've been so impressed with it that I sent it to my brother (also an amatuer enthusiast). This book is full of gasp-inspiring facts that I sincerely never knew. The best part is that this brilliant couple has put everything into easily readable and understandable bits, even when explaining complex things like ecosystems. They break down everything into categories, I found this helpful and convenient for referencing purposes. It helps the reader to understand where to find things, what to look for and when to look for it. The descriptions of anatomies of beaches to mollusks and everything in between is not only fascinating, but understandable. I feel like it has rekindled my passion for the sea in a way that speaks to my inner child, but as an adult living in a complicated world. And if you're the beach enthusiast that is also into beach/beach wildlife conservation, even on a small scale, then please get a copy. Entertaining (a few bits of dry humor here and there), informative and down right essential as a beachgoer in Florida. I highly, highly recommend this book!

This is one of the best books we have in our field guide library! Spent a month traveling in Florida with my family and we enjoyed exploring so much more because we could identify what we saw. Very well laid out with pictures and information. Covers more than just one topic (birds, shells, marine life, plants, etc). This makes it a perfect book to grab for a hike or tidal pool exploring!!

Love this book! I live at the beach and use this book often o identify my finds. I’ve read through the book and it has helped me become a better shell finder! I buy this book as a house warming gift for any friend moving to FL who loves the beach.

This is a wonderful, easy to use, guide for beachcombers. The pictures are excellent and the organization intuitive. One minor problem: paper is not waterproof and it would take a real beating if you used it right on the shoreline. I came to using it after beachcombing with either pictures (preferred) or specimens. We visit beaches in southwest Florida primarily and almost everything we observed on the beach was in this book.

This book is excellent! For anything on the beach that I want to identify, this is my go-to resource. The pictures and the descriptions are very well done. I typically use it for shells, but it has a variety of different topics and it's actually a fun read. I really like that it goes through the formation of the beaches and even shows the different types of sand (magnified). This book is worth every penny!

I collect shells when we visit the Tampa Bay area each year. This book has been very helpful in identifying and learning about them. In addition, there is an abundance of information about other flora and fauna that you might encounter on or near the beach. Lots of pictures accompany the text. I highly recommend this book.

This was recommended by several people who led nature talks along our Florida gulf coast beaches. I'm so glad we purchased it. Very informative and easy to find what I'm looking for. Highly recommend if you like going to the beach and learning about everything you find there. Also bought another copy as a gift.

This is a great reference for anyone spending time at the beach and wondering, "what was that thing I just stepped on?" Full-color pictures and illustrations make it a beautiful book to flip through. Authoritative scientific writing, but using a layman's terms.

Although I just received my copy this week, I can say that it wildly exceeded my expectations, I plan to bring it to Sanibel with me next week. Beautiful book with high quality paper, photos, and excellent descriptions. I bought it for reference, but now plan to read the entire book. Thank you Blair and Dawn Witherington, great work!

I got this for my daughter and I gave it to her today. She absolutely loves it. Not only shells but plant life and animal life and I’ll kinds of stuff in there. I haven’t really looked at it yet but I will, she said all of it, LOL

I recently moved to Florida and this book has been a great resource for me. We have identified birds and shells throughout the book. Every time we go shelling, I use the book to identify new shells. Highly recommend.

Nice book that covers the Florida area. Saves you having to purchase multiple books. I purchased the individual shell book, which is included with this book. I could have saved myself some money had I known.

I'm very impressed with this seller. Very carefully packaged with extra cardboard to protect this soft covered book. And tied with pretty ribbon with a personal signature of thanks from the seller. It was sold as used but looks 100% new to me. So I'm very pleased and will get lots of good use out of this book !! Thank you

This book is a comprehensive reference about Florida beaches. It includes information about the floral, fauna, and shells around Florida beaches.

Fantastic Field Guide for Florida Beaches! This is the perfect companion for our frequent trips to Fort Lauderdale Beach. We are always finding shells, fish, and other creatures that we need to identify. If you are a homeschool family in Florida or planning a trip this is a fantastic source! The photographs are incredibly detailed and sharp. Great for visual learners. I also love all the interesting facts that are added to each page.

I noticed this book in the lobby of our lovely beach resort in St. Pete Beach and was immediately captured by the fantastic photos and accompanying, comprehensive texts and after returning home ordered it from Amazon at an amazingly affordable price. The quality of the paper is also fantastic. It is a book I will come back to a lot since it has a wealth of beach information. I even found a small, which I had assumed wrongly to be a shell, sea bean which I had found years ago on Crand Cayman but never could figure out what it was. This is a super fun book and I credit the authors for having done a phenomenal job with their research and photography of the highest quality.

I love this book because I now live by the beach and go there often. Of course every single species isn’t listed under every category like a professional science textbook but there is a multitude of species under each category and it is definitely informative.

Living near the ocean I wanted to learn more about what all I see on the beach. I was in search of a book that would help me learn more and included pictures to help identify (pictures as opposed to drawing illustrations). I came across this book and liked the other reviews it received, so I ordered it. This book is by far one of the best books I've ever purchased! So much information for the price. It's an amazing book. Packed with great full-color photos of all the things I've seen on the beach and others I'll start keeping an eye open for. Wonderful layout, great images, just enough information, etc. This book will be one that my family uses for many years to come. It's awesome! Even my 4 year old was in awe over the pictures and started learning new things as she kept asking me what everything was. Two thumbs way up on this one. I can't see anyone purchasing this book and being disappointed.

I had bought several field books, but none of them filled the bill like this one. It has clear, color pictures as well as descriptions of shells, birds and other things that you might see at the beach. It also shows which beaches each species is likely to be seen, and even the time of year and how common they are. It even shows shells in different stages of wear, from pristine to beach worn, so that the pictures in the book are more likely to resemble shells that you actually find. It has interesting info on different things, such as sea foam, currents, beach weather, tides and sand bars. It shows things that you might find on the beach, such as fishing gear (lobster floats, crab traps, etc.) and Spanish coins, to help identify objects that you might find. It is also a handy size. If you are at all interested in nature, don't go to the beach in Florida without this book.

Living at the beach in S E Florida leaves lots of questions on the little treasures to be found there. This book with great photos and descriptions helps to clear up the unknown; clarify the questionable and support the known. Fabulously knowledgeable writer and photographer. Should be renamed as a "only textbook needed for beachgoers" !

This book is such a rich delight that it's hard to know where to begin in praising it. If you want to understand the beaches of Florida, look no further than this guide, which is both beautifully written (clear, brief, conversational, precise) and gorgeously illustrated. I love the format of photos in a column down the edge of each page, illustrating the points made in the text with particular care and appropriateness. The only thing that puzzles me slightly is the heading of 'Seasons' to explain spring and neap tides, which aren't seasonal but occur monthly. That's a bit confusing and I don't know what the authors meant us to understand by 'Seasons'. But that is a grain of sand in a paradise of fascinating natural history. Can't recommend this book highly enough.

This book is dense both by weight and in useful content. I bought it to take on an upcoming trip to Sanibel Island (of which half is set aside as nature preserve) and decided to test out the shell identification photos against a handful of shells I picked up last time we were there. Bingo! The photos are great, showing variations in accurate colors and with helpful descriptions, I was able to pin down with certainty what all my little beach treasures are. The only photos I think are potentially less useful are those of the marine mammals, which of course, are very hard to photograph above the surface of the water, maybe the next edition should include little drawings to help with whale and dolphin ID. I also love the the chapter on "beach features" which includes topics like ecology, weather, surf patterns, sand action, and the chapter on "the hand of man." What a beautiful little book!

This guide is fantastic. I wish I had bought it years ago. It is a comprehensive guide that covers everything related to coastal animals, plants, shells tides, beach erosion, wave movement etc. I learned so much from just skimming through it! If you are traveling to Florida even for a weekend you will be glad you have this guide with you. This is the best one I have seen! Buy it you will be so happy that you did!

Started beachcombing around 10 years of age and thought that I knew a lot. Well, this book is comprehensive and yet for the novice and I learned MUCH. Anyone with an interest in life on the beach should seriously consider getting this book.

I'll just be one more chiming in that this book is worth getting if you plan to spend any time on the coast of Florida and want to learn what you'll be seeing when you do. Since moving back to the Atlantic side of south Florida I've been spending a lot of time at the beach. I've developed a fondness for shell collecting and that's what led me to eventually find this book. I needed a good shell identification guide. I almost bought another book, but an Amazon reviewer recommend this book over the other I was about to buy, so out of curiosity I checked out the review page which was nothing but 5 star review after 5 star review. What impressed me was seeing that it covers the entire gambit of everything and anything a person may find at the beach, from shells to corals, sponges, jellyfish, land and water animals, plant/tree life, seabeans and seeds and even drift item that commonly wash ashore. And more! The opening chapter is devoted to explaining the anatomy of a beach and all its components, which is very informative. I bought it for the shell identification guide primarily but it's been great for everything else. As others have mentioned it's full of photographs on every page, a corresponding map telling you where in Florida you'll tend to find each particular item and during what season, and is a well organized, easy and fun to read high quality book. It's a must-own resource if you visit Florida beaches and like to learn about what you're surrounded by. And as far as I can tell, every shell I've found so far was in the book. And it was nice to learn exactly *why* one of my fave beaches is always a milky seagreen color, versus others that tend to be a rich blue green. :D It's all in here.

I don't usually buy books like this, especially without physically looking through them first, but this was totally a good choice! It's really well done and full of illustrative photos. The text is informative enough to get you a basic understanding of what you are looking at, and gives you a starting place for research if you want more detail about something. I learned a lot about beaches and sand movement from the "Beach Features" section. I would definitely recommend for any beachcomber or beach enthusiast.

Definitive guide to things found on beaches in Florida

This book will be accompanying me on a vacation to Miami. Beautiful photos !!!

This book is excellent. I purchased it before our annual trip to Florida. I have been spending a few weeks in Florida nearly every year for the past 12 years and this guide caught my eye. It is well-written and incredibly informative. I learned things from this book that I had been wondering about, or observing, for years. A warning: you may want to purchase more than one copy. It is so entertaining and informative that you can spend hours with it and you will certainly be referring to it often to identify things that you see on the beach or shells that you collect. I found myself reaching for it, only to find another family member or friend engrossed in it. :)

Comprehensive and easy to read. Greatphotos

This a great guide for any beachcomber. It is well organized and the pictures are very helpful. I like this one so much I plan to get their guide for Georgia and the Carolinas. Highly recommend.

I bought this for my wife who is an avid sheller. She's always looking for new and better reference books to help identify some of her treasure she finds and this book is chock full of info. Get it!

How often does one come across a book on Amazon that has no 1, 2 or 3 star reviews? Almost never. So I said this must be good. Sent a copy to my sister who is on the beach every day and she homeschool's her kids too. What a great way to learn about all the things one sees in the sand. The book contains 822 items, 983 color images, and 431 maps. The paper and photos are of the highest quality so you should get years from this book. My sister has done nothing but praised the book since she received it. Did you know the Great White Shark comes into the Gulf of Mexico in the winter? I lived there for thirty years and didn't know that. You can find their teeth on the beach and this book will identify them. Taking a Florida Vacation? Get this book.

A gift for my parents' new condo in Naples. This book goes beyond just identifying shells and such to detailed overviews of beaches, tides, even common pollutants/litter and ecological issues.

Jim has loved Fl since he went diving off the keys back in the 70s. At the beginning of this year he tricked me into going to fl and I fell in love too. Now we are going to Fl about every three months. A lot of our trip consists of "hey, look at that bird, what is it? Hey, look at that plant,what is it? Hey, look at that shell.." well, you get the idea. Florida's living beaches is full of information on birds, shells, plants, animals, minerals, etc. This book has beautiful and helpful pictures, maps of where items are found. Interesting tidbits on animal habits, were minerals are found, relatives of birds etc make this book above and beyond the usual dry informational type book.

Good gift for an adult or young beachcomber. Beautiful pictures and descriptionof where you are most likely to find each object described. Plus, if you read the first 30 pages, you'll understand more about beach morphology (formation) than any 1st year college student

this book has everything you need to know about FL shells , wildlife and beaches. I have also given this book as gifts Great information

This book is exactly what I needed to identify what I see at the Canaveral National Seashore Park in Florida. It is full of information about what you will see and what to look for at specific beaches of Florida. I found out what was washing up that was very curious looking, whelk eggs. The books tells you about plants, birds, shells, reptiles and more. It is a little great coffee table book. The photos are very clear and colorful. I recommend this book for anyone that is a beach goer.

PERFECT reference book for most age levels. Good science that is very well organized and presented, with great illustrations and photos. You may have to read the info out loud to your young ones, but they will most likely understand it. At the same time, this seasoned reader of science is fascinated by it, too. I am IMMENSELY gratified to finally have the answers to all the questions I've had about the interesting things I've encountered at the beach.

I love this guide. I live in Florida and use it often. Oriented to beach combers, not snorkelers, but everyone walks on the beach.

Book is packed with interesting facts and colorful photos to showoff the interesting wildlife around flordia

I had the first edition, which I gave to my husband, who is a park ranger in FL. Visitors are always asking him to ID shore birds, etc. He has been using it! So I bought the 2nd edition for myself; am very happy to see the additions to the seashells, new photos, etc. A really great book for beach lovers, shell collectors, and bird watchers. Highly Recommended!

This is the perfect book for those who love exploring Florida's beaches and want to learn more about what they find. As a Wisconsin resident, I don't see the ocean much, so when I do I am inspired by the sand and water. I also enjoy immersing myself in nature to get a feel for life and all it has to offer. In addition, I research the heck out of a place before and after I visit to fully understand everything it has to offer. As a result, this book is perfect for the Florida beach comber that doesn't want to miss out on something special.

When I think of Florida beaches I think of hunting for coins or shark teeth. There was almost no information on either.

used this for a trip to Georgia's Jekyll Island, and was very pleased with the images and descriptions of all the beach shells, insects, plants, jellies, birds, etc. Even had the shark, dolphin, turtles, and other things we found on our 18 mile hike down the beach and back.

Really attractive book crammed with great information. Well written and approachable. I learnt a lot and will use it as a handy reference for the future!

Used this book for Sanibel shelling, was fantastic for identifying what seashells were found and also some plant life.... never seen another book as good as this one!

Don't go to a Florida beach without this book! It's the best I've seen. Everything a curious beach comber wants to know. I bought this for a friend but after I started looking at it, I kept it and ordered another for my friend. Simply LOVE this!

This book is excellent. It covers grass, shells, jellyfish... you name it. It gives info as well as identifies them and has great pictures. Highly recommend. Also was great for Alabama beaches

A must have book for beachcombing.

Wonderful for learning how to identify shells. Though I'm a little bit upset that it leaves out a few iconic shells - the Cabrit's murex and fulgur olive, to name a few. Other than that, a very informative guide on beach ecology. Great for brushing up on my marine biology studies.

This is a comprehensive identification guide, but it is much more. Unlike most identification guides, it is possible to sit down and read this book for pleasure. There are wonderful photographic illustrations, often with more than one picture to illustrate a subject. The text is clear and concise but not too concise. On every topic they have a feature called " Did you Know". This is a paragraph about some odd fact about the subject. For example, "Laughing Gulls are the beach bird most likely to steal food from your hand..." This may be the only field guide I will bring with me on future trips to the beaches in Florida.

This is the best guide to natural history I've yet seen. It's fun to pick a page at random and learn something new about the plants, animals or physical properties of the beach environment. ...WELL DONE!

I love this book. It’s very informative and easy to read/understand. A must have for Florida beach combers!

Mom loved the book and took it to several Florida beaches during her recent trip here. She collected sea glass, saw stingrays, found a few conch shells, and enjoyed seeing the dolphins.

I spend a lot of time on South Florida's Atlantic beaches. I've often wonder about this or that shell, the shifting dunes, the plants that rim them, palms and mangroves and the little crabs that seem to multiply toward evening. I was looking for a guide that would explain these things to me without overwhelming with detail. Blair and Dawn Witherington's "Florida's Living Beaches" is a major find. The photographs are lovely and well-chosen, luminously illustrative, and the text is crisp, pertinent and to the point. I wholeheartedly recommend this superbly written and illustrated book to anyone living near or visiting our state's incredible shores. I know the authors would like to know where I often go (as authors should). Hobe Sound. Thanks Blair and Dawn. You deserve to sell a million copies, and I hope you do. Oh, and Dawn, nice cover!

We found this to be an attractive, very enjoyable and highly informative book. Most of the "information" is photographic, with the associated limited text useful in some instances as a basis for further in-depth research in other resources, . While it obviously purports to focus on "beaches," much of the material is equally relevant to other Florida venues. A great book that makes a great gift.

Best book if you want to explore the beach. We moved to Florida this summer and my son took a class to become a Junior Naturalist and learn all about the beach. He has an extensive collection of shells and beach treasures and the book was so helpful in identifying the finds. It has everything well presented with great pictures and easy enough for a 6 year old to use to look up. I nearly got the book on just sea shells by the same author but this has so much more of the wild life and plants too and worth getting over the seashell only one.

I bought this book when I was taking the Florida Master Naturalist classes. It was recommended by the instructor of the Coastal Module and I have used it ever since. I regularly buy this book for people who are new to Florida or who visit Florida, especially if they have children since the book is wonderfully useable by children as well as adults. It doesn't confuse you with animal and plant life that can be found in Nova Scotia or Cape Cod and focuses only on what you'll find in Florida.

Great reference to identify beach items. Use it alot. Carry it along in my beach cart.

Very comprehensive. Great photos and descriptions. Recommend for Florida beaches.

I love that the pictures are of real shells and they explain the difference of shells that look similar. Lots of good info on anything you might find on the beaches!!

Beautiful photography and lots of informative descriptions of Florida beach stuff! Excellent book. There is a newer edition that I can't wait for someone to sell at a reduced price! In any case, even a new one is well worth the $ if you love Florida's beaches.

This is by far the best "Beaches" book I've ever bought. We are sailors and so go to many secluded and one of a kind beaches. This book, in terms that anyone can understand, brings the technical, scientific and beauty to the person who loves strolling the beach. The author has customized, to a small extent, different states, but their basic book allows the reader to take the book from Florida to Maine and appreciate what they are seeing. A must have beach for anyone who likes to stroll the beach.

Was first introduced to this book at a beach condo where we stayed this summer. It was so handy and so well done that we purchased one for ourselves for our next beach trip.

A gift to grandkids near Pensacola. they found it very interesting.

Great book full of information that I need to identify everything I find during my most favorite pastime of walking along the beaches of Florida!

Loved the pictures and descriptions of each shell. This book has so much more than just shells, show sea beans, turtle tracks and most anything you would see on Florida’s beaches.

I love this book! Great pictures and easy to find reference. Very pleased. Would recommend!

This book is awesome. It has a little bit of everything you'll see or find at the beach. It would make a great gift for any age. My 12 year old daughter loves it. We keep it out so visitors can look through it and see what they've found each day.

As a lifelong Floridian who knows a thing or two about the beach, I still learned so much. It's beautiful pictures make it such a great reference tool. I especially like the section on human garbage found on the beach.

This is a wonderful guide for Florida beaches! We have been going to the beach for many years, and plan to move there soon. This will be an invaluable guide for us. We have found many shells, etc on the beach, and will always be happy to expand our knowledge of the sealife, birds, plants, etc. So great to have the correct information to teach our grandchildren, too. We have already leafed through this book, reading and enjoying the clear color photos. Wonderful to learn more about the place we love so much!

Informative guide & reference for the casual reader. No mention of Roseate Spoonbill, one of my favorite SW FL shore birds, perhaps because it is a wader in marshes, tidal flats, pools and not therefore considered a "beach" bird? I claim no expertise in this, just an observation.

This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to know more about all of the things we find on the beach. I love the book.

This a great guide! It's so nice to find or see something that you are not familiar with and be able to identify it and learn more about it. Pictures and descriptions are great!!!

I think I don't need to explain with many words what kind of book this is - you can see it yourself with the LOOK INSIDE feature on the Amazon page. I bought a first copy of it a few years ago, as a reference book for myself and for friends who visit me in Miami. I liked it so much and thought it presents Florida in such an interesting and attractive way that I bought a second copy recently and gave it to someone in Europe for Christmas.

I have lived at the Atlantic Ocean for 16 years and just found out about this book. I wish I had known about it sooner as it has so much information to share with my grand children on all our neat beach finds. I even bought a copy for family who life in another country, but visit us once a year, so they can read about their beach stash after they get back home.

Great research information on Florida beach environments...shells, plants, trees, birds, mammals, crabs...etc. Very detailed info on these species...tourist, residents, conservationists would all benefit from this reference book....great photos..colored...

Extremely detailed book with pictures, facts and interesting information.

Fantastic book. We have the last edition as well. Purchased this one for a friend. Wish it discussed more about the lighthouses. Nice pictures and details.

Beautiful pictures and well written. So much to learn!

I love this book! Has a bunch of great pictures, very easy to understand, just an overall great little guide to Florida's beaches. I would recommend this guide to anyone who lives here that likes to explore the beaches. If you find anything on one of those beaches and you don't know what it is, it's most likely going to be in this book.

This book is a MUST HAVE for those living on or near the beaches of Southwest Florida. Particularly if you are lucky enough to live on one of the barrier islands! Great photos for easy ID; quick reference guide...money well spent!

this book has everthing identified that you see at the beach, awesome

Used on recent vacation. Was helpful for bird identification. Was interesting to read how far away objects can be found from originating areas and carried by currents!

If you live in Florida, this is a must. Awesome pictures. I have picked up shells for years and never really knew they each had a name and that there are so many along our beautiful beaches. I would buy again!!

The photos are clear. I love the wide assortment of species this book covers. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know a bit more about their local beach inhabitants.

a wonderful guide for the Florida beachcomber, covering everything you'd find on your Florida beach walk. I've given this as a gift to my beach combing companions.

I love the beach and I thought this book would be helpful on my beach walks

I bought this book for friend's who are now snow bird's to Florida. They are enjoying all the different birdsl and shell species. The trick is to know what you are looking at and its name. This book fit's the bill. The picture's are wonderful and colorful. I might even get one for myself. Easy to spend hour's just looking through the picture's. I don't think you will be disapointed,

I was asked to buy this book for my university "freshwater invertebrates" class in Florida a few years back. We used it to easily identify at least 50 different species of shells, etc., that we found on Sanibel Island to.. wherever it was we went on the Atlantic coast. :) Great resource. I kept it for my next Florida vacation.

I bought this book for a friend who was going to Florida but after I read through it I knew I had to have one for myself, so I actually purchased two of these books. It is so informative and everything is divided into separate sections making it very easy to read. Florida tourism should have this book available at their welcome center, it's that informative! For information about what's on a beach, what inhabits a beach and how it all works, this is the book to have. I purchase a lot of books of all kinds and this is definitely a 5-star book.

Very informative book with good explanations and pictures

Can't wait to put it to use. Just love to plan out my next beach trip and I love to mark up books with my notes when I return.

This is one heck of a nice book - lots of beautiful pictures. A great book to add to the adventure collection!

As many do, we pick up seashells and other things along the Florida sea shores. This is a great book in that not only does it cover the basic seashells, but also the other natural items (rocks, driftwood, seaweed, etc) that one encounters walking along the beaches. Easy to read with lots of pictures. Great book to have even if one already other books that cover only seashells.

Very informative, well written, researched, and documented. Easy to read. I especially like the "Did you know" paragraph and the range map on each page.

Wealth of information Great Photos

I am astounded at the quality and quantity of information in this book. Every page has three or four color photos of the items being covered. These items range from beach foam, through shells, plants, rocks, seabeans, floats, coins, fossils, birds and more. I was about to say it didn't have mammals - but checked and they are there too. Each item has the scientific name, the area in Florida and season it might be found, scale information on the photo, and a "Did You Know" section with fun facts. I have seen many nature guides - Sibleys, Audubon, Peterson etc - and this ranks near or at the top - yes it's that good. See you at the beach!

Pictures, concise descriptions and I was given interesting information that I never would have thought about otherwisw.

What an incredible book! This books has everything you would ever want to know about Florida's beaches...and more! Superb illustrations and lots of fun facts!

I absolutely love this book! It breaks down, in great detail and with wonderful pictures, everything about the Florida beaches. I am so jealous of the authors - what a great job to have - traveling, photographing and researching the most beaches in the South! I will not travel to Florida without it - fantastic job, Mr. and Mrs. Witherington!

I have always wanted to learn more about our beaches, tides, and the creatures in our area. This beautifully detailed book has collected the key points and explained our beaches with ease. I love that the details are perfect for adults as well as younger readers. This is a simple "look it up" format, or read from front to back. It is the perfect gift for someone who visits or lives in the area. <3 It!

This is without a doubt the best all around nature book, and a must for every household with people living near or visiting our beaches. it is concise, without a lot of technical detail....a book for everyone, adults and children. The photographs are excellent! The text long enough to keep you interested and gives valuable information.

This book is excellent! I saw it recommended on another website & am soooooo pleased I purchased it. Packed full of fun and interesting information & PICTURES galore! I highly recommend this outstanding book!!!

This book makes it easy to find what you're looking to identify. It is packed with useful information and beautiful pictures.

I recently moved to Florida and was interested in learning what nature had to offer here. So, I went to the library and borrowed this book. Well I loved it so much, I came home and purchased it. Now we can take it to the beach with us and identify everything we see. It's in a very organized format and contains all the information any family can use. The grandkids learned a lot from it too. Very nice. I highly recommend it.

Highly informative book. Nice quality. Highly recommend. Anybody who walks the beach will enjoy this book.

I have Blair & Dawn's other book FLORIDA'S SEASHELLS A Beachcomber's Guide. That book is a great carry about guide. This book is for the more serious collector especially one living in Florida. It covers all info regarding Florida beaches including shells, birds, driftwood, plants, & man made items. I found it very informative.

Bought as a gift for someone who just moved to Florida. This was the best gift! They are absolutely thrilled with it

Thanks to this book I can now identify 73 different types of mud bearing invertabrates!

Informational and easy to carry with you on beach!

This was a gift for my brother's beach house in Florida. He's enjoying it so much already. Has identified previously unknown items found on the beach.

Wonderful book! My grandson lives the information that it provides

I am really enjoying this book. Very informative.

Great cocktail table book in my Florida house.

I appreciate the idea of common shells but expected certainly more in depth ,varied & more exotic and harder to find shells which were not exhibited in the book ,needed much more in-depth information regarding all segments included

If you are a visual person, this book is for you. The pictures are stunning.

Kindle book is clearly not made for Kindle. It is locked in landscape mode for some reason, even though the pages are portrait pages. Unlike most kindle books, you cannot adjust text size or search for text. It seems as if they just took the book and scanned the pages into picture files which are very difficult to manipulate on the Kindle. They are a little easier on an iPad or iPhone to manipulate and at least there, you can take advantage of the color pictures (unlike on the Kindle). The problem is......on the iPad and iPhone, you cannot see the text or pictures very well in the Florida sun....so I was hopeful I could use this on the Kindle. I would NOT buy this again. That being said, the information in this book seems helpful, so if you are planning to buy it in paperback....it may be helpful.

If you love walking Florida beaches, you'll find this book to be a fabulous guide. Having lived in Florida most of my life, I'm happy at last to have a book which will help me easily identify the shells, birds, sea animals, and fish that I see on my walks. Great layout and design and beautiful photographs in addition to being a well organized and interesting book.

Very helpful!

Books came with covers bent. I use them for closing gifts with my clients. Poor packaging.

Excellent source for Gulf of Mexico US beaches.. Recommended by Bon Secour national wildlife refuge volunteer located between Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan, Alabama. Easy picture book reference and details

This is a wonderful book, easy to reference and understand, highly recommend.

I purchased this book based on other reviews and I do not regret it! It is a fabulous book, easy to navigate and it's fun to just sit down to read it. I've learned so much - ready for our move to Florida! This will be going with me on day outings all the time.

I recently spent lots of time beachcoming on Florida's gulf coast and found this to be an invaluable resource for identifying a lot of the shells, corals, fossils and other fun stuff that washes up on the beach there. I checked it out of the local library, and then decided that I definitely needed a copy of my own. Great book for a serious beachcomer!

I've been a proud owner of Dawn and Blair Witherington's book since it was published years ago. I can't recommend this book enough. Florida's Living Beaches is an ideal beachcomber's companion. Not only does this book list the typical shorebirds or seashells, but it also contains the weird and strange, such as sea beans, or buoys, or random plastics that you might find. The book gives information about almost every species found on Florida's beaches whether you are walking in the Panhandle or the Keys, you'll be able to locate it. The text is descriptive, but far from dry and boring. I recommend Florida's Living Beaches for anyone who has ever walked on a Florida beach, and wondered "What's that?". Wonder no more.

The quality of the pictures is great. We live near the beach and keep this in our car for a reference.

Love this book! Life long Florida resident. Great for coffee tables. Lots of pictures.

I agree with everything everyone who rated this book 5 stars, says. I used this book every day while on Sanibel and I read it leisurely at night before bed. It has sooo much helpful info. I also bought the Audubon book for Florida, and I hardly ever opened it. "A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber", describes me to a "T", and this book was everything I needed.

Tons of interesting information. Glad I bought it, but it's deeper reading than I thought it would be.

This is one of my most favorite books. We have a place on the Gulf and this book is so useful. It is so easy to use which is so important.

This great book is perfect and came in time! Thank You1

This is just what a beachcomber needs. It is comprehensive, accessible, and above all, interesting. The pictures are clear and correspond to the actual plant, shell, or critter. It's a little large for carrying along the beach, but I suppose it has to be to be compete.

Tons of info on all things at the beach in Florida

Great book. It is filled with many colorful photos and is very informative. I use it is a reference for my shells and other random beach items I find on the Florida beaches. This is a great gift idea for any shell lover! Highly recommended!

I was so excited for this book! Unfortunately the book is only displayed in landscape mode, which makes it unreadable on my kindle. Amazon said it came from the publisher this way? Disappointed

Book is very informative. The pictures were very good

I bought this before my Florida trip. This book makes my family remember about our trip. Thanks :)

The book is easy to read and the descriptive information on each item is amazing. Reminds me of having internet access at your fingertips. No mater if you are looking to find the name of a bird, a shell or other sea animal the book is laid out for quick research. This book was recommended to me by a stranger while I was walking on a beach. The book is excellent.

It's beautiful but lots of birds were missing so it wasn't all that helpful when we were trying to identify what we saw. My 11 year old daughter really enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading about the different shells, though.

Really like the pictures for every item. Very informative!

I opened the book and it is everything i wanted to know about and then some!!! I am getting another for a friend!

Great guide to everything Beach in Florida. The ideal "I wonder what that is ?" Book for visiting the beach community. Helpful and informative reference.

My wife is obsessed with shelling and absolutely loves this book. Very informative. Great pictures. Good size print for reading. Highly recommend.

Have it on my coffee table!

Hobe Sound Wildlife center in Florida said this was the best reference book on beaches. I love it. Have 2 copies. One for Florida home & one for Pennsylvania!

Great book about Florida's beaches, plants and wildlife !

More detailed than the other two Florida beach books I have. My particular interest is in shells and sea glass opportunities as well as the time if year for specific water/sandy beach natural events.

What a great book for all who visit or live in Florida. So much to learn about and discover.

very interesting information in the book....pictures are small but well done...worth the price.

A must have for anyone that spends time on shoreline. Great photos and information.

Love this book good for a scientist or just general beach lover

Made a very good gift.

It is a wonderfully educational guide to Florida beach lovers. I have learned so much about so many of the shells I've collected over the past years.. It's fun to identify various ones and learn about their history.

LOVE this book! So many cool facts and info.

I would encourage people visiting Florida's beaches to get it. So much information and great pictures.

Just what I wanted. Thanks

Working in a marine lab we find many forms of marine life and the book makes it easier to identify them. I am sure I will get a lot of use out of the book.

We love looking for shells. We get lots of company who love to go shelling while visiting. This is great for helping identify the shells and flora of the beach environment.

Just what it says, a guide for the curious beachcomber. Covers all kinds of flora, fauna, shells, and other goodies that the sea delivers. If you find it on the beach, it's probably in this book. Great gift.

Best book on the market for identifying nearly everything one sees at the beach. We used it exclusively while in the Florida Keys. It is especially good to identify seabeans.

Has a little of everything i want to be able to look up. Very nice book and well worth the price.

Growing up in the mid-west we did't have these type of beaches to explore. Since visiting the Melbourne Beach area, I have learned a new appreciation for all the ocean and it's beaches have to offer. Every day is a new treasure hunt.

I wish I had purchased this book first for Florida trip. Well illustrated and well written with wonderful fun facts at the end of each presentation. Outstanding work.

great beachcomber's reference book......we always take this to Florida we are vacationing on the seashores. it answers all our questions.

its great

Great resource with tons of photos and info!

Great guide book! I love all of the pictures. It helped us identify some of our treasures.

Very comprehensive. Easy to use. Lots of pictures.

I love this book. I bought it for my Florida vacation and to identify shells that I have been given from other trips. It has a ton of color photos, and descriptions of each shell and where they are normally found. A must for the "curious beach-comber!"

Great book for my beachcomber husband. It helps identify just about anything you'd come across on the beach from shells, fish and birds.

Great because it is specific to each region of FL.

An amazing book with concise information and excellent photographs. I've already preordered the next edition due out in May.

If you are a sheller or just enjoy the ocean this is a great book. It talks about tides and erosion and their effect on the beach and shelling. Some of it is Florida specific; a lot applies to any coast.