The Atlantic Coast: A Natural History

Award-winning poet and environmental journalist Thurston (A Place Between the Tides) narrates the natural history of the Atlantic coast—the stretch of land from the glaciers of Nova Scotia to the barrier islands of the American South—and details the rich biological diversity that coexists with four of the country’s biggest cities. Mixing observations, in-depth research, and vivid prose, Thurston explores the region’s geologic, ecologic, and cultural history, from the plate tectonics that created the landscape millions of years ago to the recent legislation protecting the degraded waterways of the east coast. Barrett’s gorgeous color photographs of land, sea, and sky supplement Thurston’s vivid descriptions, reminding us of our country’s great beauty. Thurston’s account emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and warns against the “cascade effect,” in which specific occasions of species extinction or habitat destruction can have disastrous impact on the overall health of the environment. The wealth of resources that brought settlers to the Americas is now threatened by overconsumption, pollution, human encroachment, and climate change. By illuminating the relationships between organisms and their environment, Thurston hopes to instill a better understanding of our role in the Atlantic ecosystem and, hopefully, inspire the will to protect it. Agent: Dean Cooke, the Cooke Agency. (Apr.)