BEYOND THE MOON: A CONVERSATIONAL, COMMON SENSE GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE TIDES

by James Greig Mccully

Finally, someone has written a comprehensive, easily readable explanation of the tides on earth that is both simple enough for students and solid enough for their professors. Step by step, by analogy and illustration, Beyond the Moon describes how the cyclical motion of the near solar system is impressed upon the earth's oceans, and how the hydraulics over the continental shelf and the geography of the coastline orchestrate this rhythm into the bewildering variety of tide patterns seen around the globe. This volume demystifies the complexity of the tides by systematically examining its many constituents and demonstrates that: “Nature is, at once, awesome in complexity and beautiful in simplicity.”

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Katrinka]

Really clear and enjoyable, even if I could have done without the chapter on fishing, or the many instances of "someone once said." The text would greatly benefit from a good copyeditor and more standard typesetting conventions, but I'm probably the only person I know who's irked on that front. Leave out my nitpicking, and you've got a really excellent layperson's introduction to how tides are formed and function.

[Gene Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated this five stars because I really wanted a thorough overview of what causes wide variations of the tides. This book met/exceeded my needs. The book clearly describes the many factors that cause these variations. I will never look at the tides the same way I did before reading this book. However, this book isn't for everyone. The subject is complex and takes some willingness to manage through these complexities.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read on how the ocean's tides really work and what is behind those mystical tide tables. Mccully nails the subject perfectly for the layman. If you are a fisherman or boater on any of our coasts this is a must read.