National Book Award Non Fiction Winner
The Sea Around Us
by Rachel Carson
Summary
A lyrical work of natural history that traces the ocean from its geological origins through the chemistry of its waters to the strange ecologies of its deepest trenches. Carson, a marine biologist and gifted prose stylist, weaves together oceanography, evolutionary biology, and human exploration into a portrait of the sea as a living, ancient system. The book made her a household name and laid the literary foundation for her later environmental classic, "Silent Spring."
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Historical Context & Significance
The book was a massive cultural phenomenon, staying on the New York Times bestseller list for 86 weeks and winning the NBA despite being a work of pure science.