The Beach: The History of Paradise on Earth The full story of the seashore -- its history (natural & human), customs, spectacles, & scandals. Charts the evolution of the seaside from a wasteland at the margins of civilization to its present role as a staging ground for escape & recreation. Covers such topics as the geologic origins of the shores themselves; Greek & Roman myths about the sea & its shore; 17th-cent. views about the beach's medicinal & social attractions; the rise of the great beach resorts; European explorers; the D-Day invasion of France; & the atoll of Bikini, the site of bomb testing but also the source of the name for the skimpy two-piece bathing suit. Illustrated. |
