The Shell Book

by Barbara Hirsch Lember

In this striking book of hand-tinted photographs, Barbara Hirsch Lember turns her eye toward the world of shells. Choosing fourteen shells commonly found along the shores of the United States, she reveals the stunning beauty of each one, transforming the most ordinary into the extraordinary. Each shell is photographed close-up and accompanied by a short, infor-mation-packed description. Ms. Lember describes, for instance, how Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans used to make a rich purple dye out of a yellowish fluid secreted by the Cabbage Murex when it was boiled and treated. This dye was then used to color cloth worn by emperors and Roman senators. The Shell Book is a book for anyone who has ever walked along the beach and paused to pick up a shell at their feet.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 1997

Reviews

[Bobbi Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shell Book
Rate: 5
This book had awesome descriptions and background histories of most of the shells you can find along the sea shore. The coolest thing was they put the measurement in the bottom for reference if you ever found one. The illustrations were great and made the shells really stand out and you noticed details that the particular shell would have if you ever found one. I really liked this book and would use it if I ever taught a lesson about the ocean and what you can find I them.