Islands in the Storm tonight at the Newburyport Library.

For Immediate Release

Strawberry Hill Press

Joshua Marshall, Publishing Associate, 978-944-2432, strawberryhillpress@gmail.com

 

Nationally Acclaimed Author Publishes New Book

On Plum Island and the Future of Barrier Beach Communities

 

Ipswich author and winner of The Boston Globe’s Winship Award, William Sargent, has just released his latest book, Islands in the Storm. It is his longest title to date and represents nearly six years of research concerning coastal issues.

 

The loss of Plum Island resident Geri Buzzotta’s home in 2008 prompted Sargent to “uncover some of the lesser known stories of sea level rise and travel to some of the places where it has done the most damage.” After publishing Beach Wars in 2012, which chronicled the history of the Cape Cod National Seashore, he returned to where his passion for coastal controversies started.

 

Islands in the Storm explores how communities across the globe have dealt with sea level rise and the increasing frequency of hurricanes and severe storms. As the fate of many Plum Island residences hangs in the balance, Sargent reveals how the once simple pleasure of seaside living has become a source of tremendous political, social, and financial complexity and tension.

 

Even North Shore natives will discover insights both significant and entertaining, from the true direction of the currents off Plum Island’s shoreline to its lesser-known nickname that locals attribute to its dense population of bachelors. Readers will also find the array of plans that Newbury and other towns have made in an attempt to delay the ocean’s inevitable advance occasionally ingenious, but also misguided, frustrating, and frightening.

 

While Sargent’s advice is particularly valuable for waterfront homeowners, anyone who cares about the future of America’s beaches, economy, or infrastructure should pick up a copy this book. Despite the serious nature of the topics discussed, the pages include a good deal of humor and wit that make the reading both informative and enjoyable.

 

Islands in the Storm is available in local bookstores and on Amazon.com. Please contact Joshua Marshall at strawberryhillpress@gmail.com for additional information about the book or the author. And to see more of William Sargent’s work you can visit http://www.strawberryhillpress.com/home/.