If you are at all interested in geology or just into the one-word-title genre (Cod, Salt, Longitude, ...) then you should check out Sand, by Michael Welland. Yes, it is about the stuff on the beach. Welland is a geologist and (yet) has a clear writing style. He deftly mixes the technical details of dune formation with historical and personal anecdotes. In one of my favorite passages he traces the path of a grain of sand from its parent stone to the ocean. Along the way he manages to tell us about history, geography and how sand has affected both.
He has a literary bent and brings in a wealth of scientific and literary references. The book ranges beyond the Earth, with some really fascinating discussion of sand on Mars, Venus, and Titan. There is an extensive bibliography for further reading.
I had a course in geological oceanography back in grad school, but I still think this book is approachable by anyone. Give it a try- you will be amazed at what you learn and how fun it is learning it.
Sand: The Never Ending Story.
Michael Welland
Los Angeles: University of California Press. 2009.
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