Author Description

Among the myriad forms of animal life in the sea, shells are foremost in their number of species and in the variety of their shapes and colors, which has made them fascinating to collectors throughout the ages. They have also been the inspirations for writers and artists and their subtle contours and hues have posed a particular challenge for the photographer. Here, in a book to delight both the eye and the mind, Kjell B. Sandved offers a series of 101 imaginative close-ups and full views the reveal every aspect of the mysterious beauty of shells. A leading expert on mollusks, Dr. R. Tucker Abbott, tells how shells grow, how their different forms develop, and how they function and multiply in the sea. He explains the various classes of mollusks and describes the special attributes of each shell pictured.