Spirals in Time

May 25, 2015
Scales (Poseidon’s Steed), a freelance researcher and science reporter, brings a marine biologist’s eye and aficionado’s heart to these musings on seashells, the diversity of mollusks that inhabit them, and the human fascination with them, dancing across a variety of fields of study in her zeal. Scales addresses the mathematics of chambered shell construction, which is theoretically controllable with a small number of rules, and explores sociology through the history of shells as pure ornamentation, markers of social class, and fodder for museums and collectors. She also highlights the social complexities within shellfish-collecting communities such as Gambia’s Try Oyster Women’s Association. Scales covers biology from several angles, investigating the poorly understood history of mollusk evolution as well as oddities such as the strange Pinna nobilis, which produces sea silk; the recent rediscovery of argonauts, the only shell-dwelling cephalopods; and the deadly venom produced by cone snails. Even materials science gets its due as Scales shares research on the composition of mussel glue and the surprising strength of nacre. Conservationism is not a major theme, but she does raise concerns about marine pollution and the impact of pH shifts on mollusk populations. Scales’s eclectic approach to this ancient bridge between the human and natural worlds conveys her curiosity and appreciation, which readers will share. Color insert.

May 15, 2015
British marine biologist Scales (Poseidon's Steed: The Story of Seahorses, from Myth to Reality, 2009) reinvigorates conchology and the lost art of seashell appreciation. Appalled that their reputation for enigmatic splendor as "glorious objects" has become tarnished, replaced with modern, kitschy "inelegant clutter" on counters and shelves, the author diligently explores the purpose and allure of seashells and introduces a selection of scientists and artists who study and create art from them. Uninterested in creating just another comprehensive shell guide, Scales skillfully focuses her narrative primarily on mollusks and how, living or dead, they connect with the human world. Through stories and personal experiences, beginning with her fascination with them as a girl on the beaches of Cornwall, England, and later, sea diving as an adult, she demonstrates her encyclopedic knowledge of Conchifera through absorbing chapters reaching back to the mollusk's primitive relatives: "all manner of shrimpy, crabby, wormy creatures that look very little like any living species" slithering across a Cambrian seabed. Scales spins spellbinding science throughout, introducing readers to carnivorous cone snails that spit out paralytic darts, the "vacancy chains" of hermit crabs, the lacquered luster of the prized cowry shell, and the fluttery sex lives of sea butterflies and bivalves. Astutely referencing the work of a variety of biologists, fishery scientists, and passionate beachcombers, Scales examines how these chalky exoskeletons and their spiraled patterns are strategically produced by their hosts, considers their symbolism, and ponders the mannerisms in which humans collect once-living objects: "They appeal to the hoarder in us all, the part of us that wants to have and keep things, especially those mementos that remind us of a different time and place." From a cautionary perspective, however, the author would prefer that admirers "resist temptation and leave them all alone." An enchanting, accessible tour of the seashell and its place and purpose within the natural world.

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June 1, 2015

With a light narrative style, Scales's book on seashells and their inhabitants draws on earlier scientific research, recent examinations, and her own investigations. The marine biologist, diver, broadcaster, and author of Poseidon's Steed covers the shell and the mollusk inside at the macro and microscopic levels, discussing evolution, behavior, predators and prey, legends, and ecology. She also emphasizes ocean changes, offers commentary on the future of mollusks, and features a brief call to action. Entertaining, thought provoking, and at times frustrating, this welcome tome brings to light some lesser-known shell specialists, such as Jeanne Power and Hugh Cuming. Illustrations would have made some discussions easier to follow, as not everyone is familiar with the geologic time scale or has a mental image of an Argonaut or a Noble Pen Shell. This title is broader in scope than both Geerat Vermeij's Natural History of Shells (which is stronger on the science) and Hans Meinhardt's Algorithmic Beauty of Seashells (which covers the shape and mathematical design of shells). Compared to Scales's previous work, it is simultaneously less personal and not as formal, lacking an overall bibliography and index but equipped with chapter references. VERDICT Recommended for readers of marine science and nature books.--Jean E. Crampon, Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, Lib.

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