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After a chapter on the geological makeup of sand and beaches, the authors chronicle the waxing and waning popularity of beaches through the ages. It seems that people did not always think of the beach as a good place to kick back, get a tan and leaf through a book with lots of pictures. During the Middle Ages many Europeans avoided the sea, in part because they believed water was connected to the horrible plagues that occasionally devastated the region. Later, an entrepreneur convinced the British upper class that drinking saltwater was a good way to cure "windiness of the spirit" and other ailments. Gradually, the rich figured out that the beach is not only healthful, it's fun! Technological innovations made it easier to get to the beach, and so more people of all classes went there. Swimsuit styles changed as textiles, sexual mores and ideals of beauty evolved. This book should appeal to many readers because it is packed with plenty to ponder between naps on the beach, such as the origins of suntan lotion, the development of the Australian crawl and the singing dunes of Kauai, Hawaii. -- Jill Marquis
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