Not being raised in a location where shingle (pebble) beaches are common, the idea of pebble collecting was not one of which I became aware until a few years ago, when I happened upon the 2018 re-issue of Clarence Ellis’ classic 1954 book The Pebbles on the Beach; A Spotter’s Guide. I was instantly captivated by the past-time’s delightful combination of gentle contemplativeness, potential for surprises, and connection to natural history.
Therefore when Clive Mitchell‘s new book The Pebble Spotter’s Guide, published by Pavilion Books in partnership with The National Trust, unexpectedly came to my attention, I knew this was a book I about which I had to make further enquiries. A copy now having reached me from the UK, I can clearly see that it is a continuation of this beloved British tradition.
More visual in composition than Ellis’ original, which was primarily narrative, The Pebble Spotter’s Guide offers its readers color illustrations of forty different pebbles, complete with explanations of their composition and suggestions about how and where they may be found.
Alas, much to my disappointment, my usual voyage to the UK has already been cancelled for this year, as it was last year, so I’ll not be able to put Mr. Mitchell’s book through its paces along the British shorelines as I should, however I’ll most certainly be taking it along into the field this summer to apply the information it contains to the local spots of pebble potential in search of what wonders they might disclose.
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