"By ignoring political boundaries in favor of natural divisions, Mr. Thurston paints a clearer picture of the plants and animals of the region, the ecological niches they inhabit and the problems tormenting them. And the approach, all by itself, teaches that all of us, from algae to people, are creatures in a web of life - and that we ignore one another at our peril."

-The New York Times (Science)  

The North Atlantic coast of North America extends from Newfoundland and Labrador through the Maritime Provinces and the Northeastern United States south to Cape Hatteras. This North Atlantic region belongs to the sea. The maritime influence on climate, flora, and fauna is dominant - even far inland. 

The Atlantic Coast draws upon the best and most up-to-date science on the ecology of the region as well as the author's lifetime experience as a resident, biologist, and naturalist. The book explores the geological origins of the region, the two major forest realms, and the main freshwater and marine ecosystems, and describes the flora and fauna that characterize each habitat. It ends with a look at what has been lost and how the remaining natural heritage of the region might be conserved for the future.  

Harry Thurston is the author of several collections of poetry and twelve nonfiction books, including A Place Between the Tides: A Naturalist's Reflections on the Salt Marsh, which received the 2005 Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award. He has also written for such magazines as Audubon and National Geographic. Thurston lives in Nova Scotia.

Wayne Barrett is a partner in Barrett & MacKay Photography. His photographs have been featured in advertisements, magazines, and calendars and have appeared in numerous books. He lives in Prince Edward Island. 

At the peak of his power, in the 1940s and 1950s, William Francis Gibbs was considered America's best naval architect.

His quest to build the finest, fastest, most beautiful ocean liner of his time, the S.S. United States, was a topic of national fascination. When completed in 1952, the ship was hailed as a technological masterpiece at a time when "made in America" meant the best.

Gibbs was an American original, on par with John Roebling of the Brooklyn Bridge and Frank Lloyd Wright of Fallingwater. Forced to drop out of Harvard following his family's sudden financial ruin, he overcame debilitating shyness and lack of formal training to become the visionary creator of some of the finest ships in history. He spent forty years dreaming of the ship that became the S.S.United States. He was driven, relentless, and committed to excellence; he loved his ship, the idea of it, and the realization of it, and he devoted himself to making it the epitome of luxury travel during the triumphant post-World War II era. 

Biographer Steven Ujifusa brilliantly describes the way Gibbs worked and how his vision transformed an industry. A Man and His Ship: America's Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the S.S. United States is a tale of ingenuity and enterprise, a truly remarkable journey on land and sea.

This paperback Peterson Field Guide is a great companion for walks on the beach, strolls along the bay, and exploring in tidal pools. 

The seventy-fifth anniversary edition of the classic book about Cape Cod, "written with simplicity, sympathy, and beauty" 

-- New York Herald Tribune  

Henry Beston (1888-1968) wrote many books, including White Pine and Blue Water, Northern Farm, and The St. Lawrence.

A classic look at the world's oceans, now reissued with a CD and wall chart.

Discover the vast waters that cover the earth's surface - the sunlit shallows, the mysterious depths, and the amazing ocean wildlife.

This book, complete with a CD of clip-art and a wall poster, will bring hours of enjoyment as kids (and the entire family!) pore over the comprehensive facts shared in words and pictures. 

Ocean is a fun and engaging resource for imagining, anticipating, and reliving a trip to the sea.