| Summary: | The geomorphology and sedimentology of coastal systems varies greatly from ice-influenced arctic gravel beaches to tropical coral lagoons. The controls on coastal evolution are manifold, including climate, climate change, tectonics, geology, sea level change, human impacts and prior evolution. The process controls are complex often involving tidal and wave interactions as well as mechanical and chemical processes both sub-aqueous and sub-aerial. This said it is not realistic to expect any text to comprehensively deal with all aspects of coastal evolution. Thus on opening this book, I was intrigued to discover what the main emphasis would be. The cover is attractive and, at the outset, I thought the preface would explain why the title is “Beaches and Coasts” as this seems to infer that the two subjects are different phenomena. Surely a beach is a coastal feature? However, as I began to browse, I was uncertain of what the text was aiming to achieve as no preface was provided to guide the reader. Instead, the first of 21 chapters briefly provides an introduction to the varieties of coastal environment, and the history of coastal research and human settlement on the coast. The linkages between these aspects are poor, if made at all, and the information content is decidedly elementary. There is a boxed section detailing the plight of Venice, Italy, described as slowly subsiding into the coastal lagoon on which it is built. However, this information is not cross-linked to the main body of the text. No references are cited in the text; rather a few key up-to-date and relevant texts are listed at the end of the chapter. Later chapters remain somewhat eclectic with poorly integrated sections, but overall these are better than the introduction, in-as-much as they each have a defined focus and once again include boxed examples that are interesting diversions. However, there is an odd mix of chapters; some focus on environments (e.g. barrier systems) whilst others are concerned with processes (waves or tides). It would have ...
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