A Coast Beyond Compare is an amazing book: a textbook, a reference book and an art book in one. Beautifully illustrated, it honors one of the world’s most spectacular coastlines. The book covers the evolution Alaska coast from the beginning of the universe (really!) to the present. It puts the coast in context of global plate tectonics and right down to centimeter-scale ripples.

Researchers will find this definitive reference book of key literature on the Alaska coastline. But it will also serve well as a textbook for introductions to coastal processes and coastal morphology – I will use these in my classes. I can’t say enough about the illustrations, sometimes adapted from other researchers but many originals providing clean, clear schematics and allowing the reader significant insight to mysterious patterns of the coast. There is a feast of “eye candy” photographs varying from the majestic cover photo of Kayak Island to the mesmerizing patterns of sand ripples on tidal flats – you won’t find such photos elsewhere. The authors’ love for this coast shines.

This should be on the shelf of every bookstore in Alaska – I have bought so many copies of this book as gifts for friends and students. Every Alaskan researcher or naturalist should have this in her or his back pocket. It should be required reading for anyone working or living on the coast of Alaska.

I think I will give one to my grandchildren.


John R. Harper, Ph.D., Professional Geoscientist
Coastal Geomorphologist

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]