I have always been drawn to the beach -- I've heard the call of the ocean since I was a little girl and I've been obsessed with the beach and the ocean ever since. When I had the opportunity to read Robert C. Ritchie's The Lure of the Beach, I just couldn't pass it up! It was fascinating to learn about the history of beach resorts (I had no idea beach resorts went as far back as Greek and Roman times!) and how local economies are affected by their beaches and oceans. I knew people have long been "afraid" of the ocean in varying degrees, but the bravery of the earliest ocean explorers was so powerful. To think, people thought the a dip in the sea would help cure rabies... I also really enjoyed reading about the customs behind the healing properties of the ocean, as well. Personally, I've always felt better being on the beach, staring out into the wide open ocean, and to know there are large expanses of people (mostly religious) who experience this as well made me feel a little less alone and small. Additionally, learning about the history of some places I've been myself, like Coney Island, was so special to me. Ritchie writes such an expansive history in this book that anyone - ocean lover or not - will find something fascinating to keep them captivated.