The southern coast of Alaska stretches over six hundred miles, its sweeping crescent studded with glaciers and beaches that connect temperate rainforest to frozen islands. While its soaring beauty attracts thousands of visitors a year, it also hides a deadly energy due to its volcanoes and a location on one of the most active earthquake zones on the planet. Salmon and bears are some of the more famous residents of this fascinating area but the coast is home to an astonishing diversity of marine and terrestrial creatures. A Coast Beyond Compare introduces the general reader to coastal geology and ecology of this majestic coastline. It starts with the basic physical processes that shaped this region and shows how earthquakes, waves, and tsunamis all had a role in creating the present landscape. It then moves through the many mammals, birds, fish, kelp, and grasses that live on and just off the coast. The guide then turns to the eleven distinct ecologies that form the state’s southern border, pointing out each area’s unique characteristics. It also includes suggestions of where to visit so that residents and tourists alike can experience these unique ecosystems for themselves. “A Coast Beyond Compare is an amazing book: a textbook , a reference book and an art book in one. Beautifully illustrated, it honors one of the world’s most spectacular coastlines. The book covers the evolution Alaska coast from the beginning of the universe ( really!) to the present. It puts the coast in context of global plate tectonics and right down to centimeter-scale ripples. Researchers will find this definitive reference book of key literature on the Alaska coastline. But it will also serve well as a textbook for introductions to coastal processes and coastal morphology. . . . There is a feast of ‘eye candy’ photographs varying from the majestic cover photo of Kayak Island to the mesmerizing patterns of sand ripples on tidal flats—you won’t find such photos elsewhere. The authors’ love for this coast shines. . . . It should be required reading for anyone working or living on the coast of Alaska.” -- John R. Harper, professional geoscientist Miles O. Hayes is a coastal geomorphologist with more than fifty years of research experience. Jacqueline Michel is an internationally recognized expert in oil and hazardous materials spill response and assessment, participating in numerous research projects across thirty-three countries.