Almost every one who walks along an ocean beach wonders about the plant debris left by the waves... 

{HISTORY}

There hadn't been an updated version of a marine algae book since the mid-1800s, when the first ones were published by Irish botanist William Henry Harvey.  William Henry or W.E. as some called him, mainly studied algae in the United Kingdom, but in the 1950s American botanist, Elmer Yale Dawson (1918-1966) published a new version from his own studies on the coastlines of America. Elmer Yale called his book How to Know the Seaweeds, making it a naturalist guide for both the study and identification of the botanical life found in the sea and on the shore.   

A very fun book to tote along on your next beach adventure, this 197-page guide  is crammed full of interesting plant info, drawings, and suggestions on what to look for and how to study garden life in the ocean. Originally published in hardcover, this is the 1963 spiral-bound edition that's a bit worn around the edges, as all good identification manuals should be. 

Scientific yet also terribly interesting and accessible,The Seaweeds glow with the passion that Elmer Yale had for his school of study. Beginning his botany career in California as a teenager studying cacti, his curiosity eventually led him to marine algae and a life long career exploring watery flora and fauna around the world. Tragically, three years after this book was published Elmer Yale, at the age of 48 drowned in the Red Sea while studying algae. Thankfully, we have his important contributions to the field, which have been recognized by the Smithsonian Institute, the University of California at Berkley, and the San Diego Natural History Museum all of with whom he was affiliated. 

Here in the Vintage Kitchen, we especially like this book as a field guide for cooking. All seaweed is edible, although some varieties are difficult to digest. This book will help you sort through the vast array of plant species in order to aid your cooking. There is no specific information located within these pages that tells you how to cook with seaweed, but once you can identify what you find at the ocean, you'll be able to further study how to incorporate it into your cooking.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- 1963 spiral bound edition

- Part of the Pictured Key Nature Series published by Wm. C. Brown Company

- 197 pages including a detailed index

- Illustrated throughout

{CONDITION}

In wonderful vintage condition. The paperback covers are a bit worn due to age and use. All pages are clean, bright, and intact. Retired academic book from the Biology Department at Vanderbilt University. 

{SIZE}

Measures 8.5" inches (length) x 5.5" inches (width) x .5" inches (thickness)