Sandscapes

Sandscapes gathers creative and critical pieces that look at sand, the landscapes it forms, and the seaside in Britain and elsewhere. Its contributors write from many different backgrounds, and their work shows how sand evokes holidays and rest, along with thoughts of time, death, abundance and the eternal.

The contributions mix fiction and nonfiction and range widely in subject. Some examine sand dunes, sand mining and the grains themselves, while others follow global sand trade, shoreline buildings, seaside tales, the opening of guesthouses, and the decline of coastal resorts. Together they consider the environmental, social, personal, cultural and political weight that sand and the towns built around it carry.

Sand is usually associated with dryness, yet this collection argues that it is a surprisingly rich source of cultural meaning.