The poet Pablo Neruda kept a box of seashells on his desk for inspiration and was in awe of their beauty.

But does that beauty serve a survival function for the mollusk that produced it? Does it help to attract a mate, to capture prey, to ward off predators? If not, does that very beauty defy the principle that 'Nature does nothing in vain'? In addressing these basic questions, Raskin discusses a controversial answer that many will find intriguing.

This little book on seashells, with its many photos, will deepen your appreciation of their beauty — and invite you to consider nature in a light you may never have expected.