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The Pebbles on the Beach
Pebble-hunting is a pleasant hobby that makes little demand upon one's patience and still less upon one's physical energy. (You may even enjoy the hunt from the luxurious sloth of a deck chair). One of the true delights of the pebble-seeker is to read the stories in the stones - to determine whence and by what means they came to be there. We must always bear in mind that a pebble is a transient thing. It is in the half-way stage of a long existence . . .
This is a spirited guide to the simple pleasure of pebble spotting. Clarence Ellis is a charming, knowledgeable and witty guide to everything you didn't know there was to know about pebbles. He ruminates on what a pebble actually is, before showing us how they are formed, advising on the best pebble-spotting grounds in the UK, helping to identify individual stones, and giving tips onthe necessary kit. You'll know your chert from your schist, your onyx from your agate and will be on your guard for artificial intruders before you know it. Understanding the humble pebble makes a trip to the beach, lake-side or river bank simply that little bit more fascinating.
A handy illustrated guide to identifying pebbles is included on the reverse of the book jacket
This is a spirited guide to the simple pleasure of pebble spotting. Clarence Ellis is a charming, knowledgeable and witty guide to everything you didn't know there was to know about pebbles. He ruminates on what a pebble actually is, before showing us how they are formed, advising on the best pebble-spotting grounds in the UK, helping to identify individual stones, and giving tips onthe necessary kit. You'll know your chert from your schist, your onyx from your agate and will be on your guard for artificial intruders before you know it. Understanding the humble pebble makes a trip to the beach, lake-side or river bank simply that little bit more fascinating.
A handy illustrated guide to identifying pebbles is included on the reverse of the book jacket
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1954
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
September 2, 2018
As a child, I spent a lot of time at Normans Bay in Sussex. The beach there was a mix of pebbles, shingles and sand when the tide was out. I swam, sailed, made sandcastles and I could not even begin to count the number of pebbles that I have picked up off a beach and thrown into the sea or scoured the shoreline looking for the flattest so I could skim them. Mostly they were just a there, I remember it was painful to walk across the mostly brown pebbles in bare feet to get to the sea. Every now and again I would find a shell or an unusually coloured stone which would be used on the sandcastles for decoration.
Until I picked this up it never even crossed my mind that you could learn so much from a single stone. There is a chapter on how a pebble is formed and a basic lesson on geology. There is another in depth on the kinds of pebbles that you are likely to find on which beaches around England. Ellis explains the meaning of terms swash and backwash, longshore drift and how shingle beaches behave with the relentless waves. He moves onto semi-precious stones and the types that you are likely to find around the UK.
It is a book that I wish I had first had as a child, something that Robert Macfarlane was fortunate to find on his grandparent's shelf when he was growing up as he explains in the new foreword to the book. The language is a little dated, but then it is a reprint of a classic book that is over 65 years old now, however, it is still a delight to read. Given that you are dealing with small items of geology, the details of what to look for are not going to be changing for a long time. The fold out cover is beautifully illustrated by the artist Eleanor Crow and it is worth buying just for that alone.
Until I picked this up it never even crossed my mind that you could learn so much from a single stone. There is a chapter on how a pebble is formed and a basic lesson on geology. There is another in depth on the kinds of pebbles that you are likely to find on which beaches around England. Ellis explains the meaning of terms swash and backwash, longshore drift and how shingle beaches behave with the relentless waves. He moves onto semi-precious stones and the types that you are likely to find around the UK.
It is a book that I wish I had first had as a child, something that Robert Macfarlane was fortunate to find on his grandparent's shelf when he was growing up as he explains in the new foreword to the book. The language is a little dated, but then it is a reprint of a classic book that is over 65 years old now, however, it is still a delight to read. Given that you are dealing with small items of geology, the details of what to look for are not going to be changing for a long time. The fold out cover is beautifully illustrated by the artist Eleanor Crow and it is worth buying just for that alone.
February 12, 2022
My son and I both love pebbles, though we’re careful not to take too many away from beaches. He bought me this book as a birthday present. I have some treasured specimens in my cabinet of curiosities, but I’m not sure I’d want to take a knife or hammer to them, as suggested here!
I can enjoy Clarence Ellis’s kindly informative tone in this book, and admire his knowledge of the coast of England and Wales, but I have to confess that although I have learnt some interesting things about how pebbles are formed, a lot of the time I found myself speedreading through the descriptions of beaches! Having said that, as one of my goals is to walk the whole of the Welsh Coastal Path, I may well be packing this in my rucksack!
Author info: Clarence Ellis was born in Holyhead in 1889. He studied history at Bangor University and served on the Western Front before beginning a career in further education.
I can enjoy Clarence Ellis’s kindly informative tone in this book, and admire his knowledge of the coast of England and Wales, but I have to confess that although I have learnt some interesting things about how pebbles are formed, a lot of the time I found myself speedreading through the descriptions of beaches! Having said that, as one of my goals is to walk the whole of the Welsh Coastal Path, I may well be packing this in my rucksack!
Author info: Clarence Ellis was born in Holyhead in 1889. He studied history at Bangor University and served on the Western Front before beginning a career in further education.
August 24, 2018
First published in 1954, when I was a young boy, this amazing book has recently been given a 2018 makeover and this latest edition will spark a new interest in the humble pebble. How did it get here? What is it made of? What's inside it? These, and many other, questions are answered in this book. Not a dull geology text book but a very readable insight into the pebbles on the beach. The cover is very cleverly designed to fold out and contain pictures of 36 different types of pebble with a brief description of each of these. And that's just the cover! This book answers all the questions you never had about pebbles! I do have and interest in geology and all things natural but even if you don't you may have after reading The Pebbles on the Beach.
August 2, 2018
A wonderfully written guide to the geology of Britain's beaches, by someone who really knows their schist. Plenty of advice on finding, examining and collecting pebbles. Originally published in the 1950s, this new edition has a beautifully illustrated cover and an introduction by Robert MacFarlane.
January 25, 2024
A fabulous book and an understated gem of geology. I feel like I have learnt so much and yearn to begin my pebble collection. I can’t wait to get out there and fail to find any interesting pebbles. At least I’m far better informed now about what I’m not finding. I’ve booked a holiday by a pebble beach to maximise my chances of not recognising the best ones.
November 10, 2022
needed to care more about pebbles i think
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July 31, 2025brb off to Aldeburgh to collect some pebbles
May 5, 2019
First published in 1954, this book now appears in a handsome edition from Faber, which includes a beautiful fold-out cover showing a selection of pebbles. I love nothing more than wandering on beaches looking at small stones, and geology also intrigues me. This book gives a well-written account of the geological development of Britain, and a detailed guide to the peddles you are likely to find on the beaches of England and Wales. I enjoyed Ellis's old-fashioned prose style, and the soothing discussion of different kinds pebbles and stones. For a serious collector, or someone with an interest in geology, a more modern book with photographs and diagrams would probably be more useful, but as a pleasant read on a quiet evening, this book is perfect. The only chapter that lost my attention was a long description of different beaches in England Wales -- as I am unlikely to visit them, this part became tedious.
This is ably introduced by Robert MacFarlane, who appears to find this book as charming as I do. I also feel that every nature book I pick up is introduced by MacFarlane -- how does he have time to do anything else?
This is ably introduced by Robert MacFarlane, who appears to find this book as charming as I do. I also feel that every nature book I pick up is introduced by MacFarlane -- how does he have time to do anything else?
November 11, 2022
beautiful book but not enough pebble content !! idc about coastlines i just want shiny rock facts
December 2, 2022
Look, I like rocks, ok?
Could have had more rocks in it tho. Less listing beaches pls, more telling me about polished agate.
Could have had more rocks in it tho. Less listing beaches pls, more telling me about polished agate.
October 30, 2023
A very pretty book, giving a very brief introduction. I think this updated version could have been made better by adding diagrams & perhaps even maps. The cover pictures are sweet, but in text images would provide more help.
January 10, 2022
As a big fan of going outdoors and looking for small things near my feet, I expected to enjoy this book about pebbles and pebble-hunting. Newly republished with a beautiful cover and a nice fold-out, it makes a very pretty object. Robert MacFarlane's introduction also entices, promising a book free from geological jargon and written with heart. I don't wholly disagree, although there is still more than enough jargon for me.
More problematic is that this book, originally published in 1954, is republished without footnotes anywhere denoting where information is outdated. As a lay reader, I know some of the information to be untrue or updated today, such as the claim that we know with a certainty that there have been precisely four ice ages (there have been at least five). But with a lack of in-depth expertise in geology I don't know enough to recognise where else the information might be incorrect. Without this, the book becomes a slog filled with doubt, written with conviction that makes it all the more dubious. A nice piece of writing archaeology to see how people once thought, but unfortunately not an enjoyable book by itself.
More problematic is that this book, originally published in 1954, is republished without footnotes anywhere denoting where information is outdated. As a lay reader, I know some of the information to be untrue or updated today, such as the claim that we know with a certainty that there have been precisely four ice ages (there have been at least five). But with a lack of in-depth expertise in geology I don't know enough to recognise where else the information might be incorrect. Without this, the book becomes a slog filled with doubt, written with conviction that makes it all the more dubious. A nice piece of writing archaeology to see how people once thought, but unfortunately not an enjoyable book by itself.
November 25, 2018
Warning. For those looking at the nice looking books in Waterstones and thinking should I buy this. The book is a reprint of a 1954 book. This doesn’t make it a bad book but it has the style of a book of that age. Also there has been a huge change in geology since the 1960s and this book hasn’t been updated. Nothing in the book may have changed but there’s always a niggle that some explanations might be given differently in a modern book. The book is charming due to the old fashioned style. The last third of the book is a description of the coastline of England and Wales which is basically a long list and boring to read.
June 11, 2019
A timeless reprint of a fifties spotters guide for pebbles, this book is enthusiatic and is charming in equal grace. I became really excited at my first lesson in the names of aspects of waves and enjoyed learning about the geology of the different pebble. I love a book that actually teaches you something and I can't wait to take this pebble spotting in Whitby. My only criticism would be the Coastline of England and Wales chapter, this could have been better organised. This book is a gem (or Pebble) in the rough for English nature lovers.
December 5, 2018
I was seduced by the beautiful, beautiful cover, not noticing that this was actually a reissue of a 1954 book. As such, it's dated (some might say quaint, or get a pang of sweet nostalgia). I suspect this is a nice book if you're from the UK, take a lot of walks around the UK shoreline, or have very good knowledge of the UK's geography - but as I was missing this link, it just didn't do it for me.
June 18, 2019
Excellent introduction to pebble hunting. Well written and lots of information. I didn't really enjoy the description of England's coast. It was a bit long for me and not very relevant.
September 2, 2023
I've often been curious to learn more about the pebbles I find on beach walks, so when I saw this in a charity shop, I thought it would be worth reading. I didn't realise until I got it home that it is actually a reprint of a book first published in 1954, but it is still very readable.
I enjoyed the early chapters as they describe how the shingle is rearranged by the action of wind and waves, the different ways in which pebbles arrive at the beach and raise the question 'when is a pebble not a pebble?'. The chapter on the Coastline of England and Wales was quite tedious to read, being a description of the various rocks found around the coastline - I think this chapter is better used as a reference to find out what kind of rocks you can expect on a specific beach, rather than just to read straight through. And I'm not interested enough in pebbles to want to buy a 'pebble hunting kit' so that I can smash them open, or cut them with a flint, or set light to them (!!!) to identify them, nor do I want to pay to have my pebbles professionally polished!
The fold-out cover is beautifully illustrated with watercolours of various kinds of pebbles, and I recognised many of them from past trips to beaches. If you like trying to identify the pebbles you find, without taking it all too seriously, then it might be worth popping this book in your coat pocket the next time you go on a beach walk.
I enjoyed the early chapters as they describe how the shingle is rearranged by the action of wind and waves, the different ways in which pebbles arrive at the beach and raise the question 'when is a pebble not a pebble?'. The chapter on the Coastline of England and Wales was quite tedious to read, being a description of the various rocks found around the coastline - I think this chapter is better used as a reference to find out what kind of rocks you can expect on a specific beach, rather than just to read straight through. And I'm not interested enough in pebbles to want to buy a 'pebble hunting kit' so that I can smash them open, or cut them with a flint, or set light to them (!!!) to identify them, nor do I want to pay to have my pebbles professionally polished!
The fold-out cover is beautifully illustrated with watercolours of various kinds of pebbles, and I recognised many of them from past trips to beaches. If you like trying to identify the pebbles you find, without taking it all too seriously, then it might be worth popping this book in your coat pocket the next time you go on a beach walk.
April 18, 2024
Pebbles on the Beach is a delightful read - I'm not a geologist, but do enjoy the restful value of being at the coastline pottering and scrabbling at whatever can be found. This has given me a enhanced sense of what I'm witnessing. My wife 'loved' my geological titbits during a recent walk at Hurst Castle along the famed spit, and she has a geology degree!!!
It brought back fabled physical geography lessons at school talking about longshore drift and put this learning into context - thirty years late - and being written back in the 1950s, gave the book both a useful and delightful nostalgic feel.
It talks about being a companion guide and this is a spot on description. Unless you're really keen to partake in the pebble-collecting hobby at the next level there's lots to potentially skip but it's beautifully written that you end up absorbing the joy and passion the author clearly has and respectfully carry on.
Reading Pebbles on the Beach I would reflect is as restful and calming as the actual exploration of the pebbles so a double whammy of value.
It brought back fabled physical geography lessons at school talking about longshore drift and put this learning into context - thirty years late - and being written back in the 1950s, gave the book both a useful and delightful nostalgic feel.
It talks about being a companion guide and this is a spot on description. Unless you're really keen to partake in the pebble-collecting hobby at the next level there's lots to potentially skip but it's beautifully written that you end up absorbing the joy and passion the author clearly has and respectfully carry on.
Reading Pebbles on the Beach I would reflect is as restful and calming as the actual exploration of the pebbles so a double whammy of value.
February 3, 2019
The sub-heading of the title of the reissue: ‘A Spotters Guide’, and its cover suggests colourful images of the different types of pebble you might find and a description of them. In fact, this is more of a geology textbook about them, and it focuses on England and Wales, so if you don't live there or have not visited there I would give it a miss. Even as more of a textbook it only has a few diagrams and I felt it could really have benefited from some illustrations or photos to illustrate the descriptions of the rocks. The chapter with a geological tour of English and Welsh Coasts is a bit of trawl and best to dip into, or only read about the areas you are familiar with, again this could have been made more interesting with some images of the landscape being described. An interesting read, but not what the cover of the reissue suggests it is.
March 11, 2023
[...] the recurring tides, day after day, year after year, and century after century, roll the stones of the beach, one against another, with endless and remorseless regularity [...]
***
With rambling poeticism, Ellis presents a window into the purest form of geology anyone - professional or hobbyist - can partake in: collecting pebbles from a beach. As not only a geologist but an oceanographer, this book was a delight at first. Ellis outlined the creation of pebbles beautifully in a way (though long-winded) anyone could understand. However, it slowly began to drag, and by the end, I found myself skipping pages to get to parts that interested me. Detailed descriptions of the exact makeup of England and Wales' entire coastline just didn't catch my attention.
All in all, a book combining science and poetry with longing lyricism. Perhaps not one to read again.
***
With rambling poeticism, Ellis presents a window into the purest form of geology anyone - professional or hobbyist - can partake in: collecting pebbles from a beach. As not only a geologist but an oceanographer, this book was a delight at first. Ellis outlined the creation of pebbles beautifully in a way (though long-winded) anyone could understand. However, it slowly began to drag, and by the end, I found myself skipping pages to get to parts that interested me. Detailed descriptions of the exact makeup of England and Wales' entire coastline just didn't catch my attention.
All in all, a book combining science and poetry with longing lyricism. Perhaps not one to read again.
September 29, 2018
I can see why this book was held in such affection it got itself a re-issue with a foreward by the ever fragrant Robert McFarlane: it's so engagingly and effectively written, despite the complete absence of illustrations in the book itself and I live in hopes of some of the information sticking! It's pretty clear that Clarence Ellis in the early 50s was addressing himself entirely to the chaps and the mind boggles a little at that as well as a lot about the geological timescales discussed.
The tour of the English and Welsh coasts took some getting through even though it was interesting, and it felt weird to cut off Scotland.
The tour of the English and Welsh coasts took some getting through even though it was interesting, and it felt weird to cut off Scotland.
November 10, 2018
This is a classic re-print and that brings advantages and disadvantages. The high tide: the book is packed with information and charm, the fold out design is practical and clever. The low tide: the tone, at times, veers towards stuffiness and condescension, and Scotland is entirely removed from the book on the basis that its coastline is too complex-- some fine beaches, at least, could have been mentioned, especially as pebbles are plentiful along northern shorelines and lochs (and the book extends beyond beaches to include rivers). Generally, a book for late-night, imaginary pebble hunting and a saunter into history.
March 8, 2020
This is obviously a great book for the pebble collector or even for those mildly obsessed with picking up interesting finds on the beach. Handy if you have a smidge of geological knowledge to start. It’s quite dry and instructional, no bad thing, but you won’t find beautiful nature prose and writing here, so not for you if you want a little poetic lilt. However when I started Chapter V ‘The Coastline of England and Wales’ I decided to couple it with google maps and I ended up on a birds eye tour, with description, of the coastline from Berwick-on-Tweed on the east coast to the Solway Firth in the west. 1954 notes combined with 2020 technology, that was interesting.
January 26, 2019
Really interesting and informative book written in a way anyone will understand.
All the info (with pictures inside the cover!) on the different kinds of pebbles you might find on the beach.
The geological information does go deep but it’s written clearly with explanations.
I particularly like the fact there was detailed information on the coastline of Great Britain. I learnt a lot about the area I live in.
This book is going to live in the car so that when I’m next at the beach it’ll be right there to guide me. Another handy thing is there are note pages in the back.
All the info (with pictures inside the cover!) on the different kinds of pebbles you might find on the beach.
The geological information does go deep but it’s written clearly with explanations.
I particularly like the fact there was detailed information on the coastline of Great Britain. I learnt a lot about the area I live in.
This book is going to live in the car so that when I’m next at the beach it’ll be right there to guide me. Another handy thing is there are note pages in the back.
January 6, 2018
A lovely book, full of interesting information and post-war editorial choices. Hyphenating 'to-day' looks more than quaint. Anyway, contains everything you need to know as an amateur collector and/or regarder of the pebbles one might find on the British (but most Welsh and English) coasts. I was pleased to identify several things from my own collections.
January 16, 2021
Excellent book. I really enjoyed learning of the origins of the pebbles and the geological history behind the shingle beaches of Great Britain. While the long chapter on the beaches of the Wales, England and Scotland may have been a little lost on me in terms of accessibility (as I do not live in the UK, and do not have easy access to getting there as they are in a tough Pandemic situation as I write this review), the discussion of the geological origins of the rocks is not completely lost on me either. I liked how longshore drift is discussed too.
Pebbles on the Beach also made me also miss my former girlfriend, and every weekend exploring all the nature around us wherever we were.
Pebbles on the Beach also made me also miss my former girlfriend, and every weekend exploring all the nature around us wherever we were.
April 28, 2022
For a book about pebbles written in the 1950's it's still pretty accessible. I mainly read this sleepy and half cut on holiday but I still learned some top #PebbleFacts. Would be interested to hear how things have changed to the coastline since this came out, especially around the impact of climate change
April 26, 2020
Interesting book, that would be very useful on English beach holidays. Sadly a little too technical speak to be a really enjoyable book. The technical language and science is very easy to understand, I was just hoping for a more easy going book.
August 31, 2020
Everything you could possibly want to know about pebbles from a scientific/ geologist viewpoint. If like me you just enjoy gathering pebbles that ‘speak’ to you then this book is a little too technical but does highlight beaches that are bound to be great gathering places.
September 16, 2018
Absorbing and fascinating history of the world beneath our feet at the beach
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews