Shipwrecked: Coastal Disasters and the Making of the American Beach

Jamin Wells' book "Shipwrecked: How Shipwrecks Changed the American Beach" argues that disasters have shaped the American beach into a commercialized, contested, and engineered place. It explores how shipwrecks laid the groundwork for the beach tourism industry, spurred investment, reshaped popular ideas about the coast, and made the beach a touchstone of the American experience.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 30 December 2020
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

Rewritten text:

From the nation's watery edges, Jamin Wells offers a fresh perspective on the American story, revealing that disasters played a significant role in shaping the country's beaches. While the American beach is now one of the most commercialized, contentious, and engineered places on the planet, it was largely unknown and uninhabited at the beginning of the nineteenth century. However, by the twentieth century, the American beach had become a summer retreat for presidents, a popular destination for millions of citizens, and the site of rapidly growing beachfront communities.

In his book, Shipwrecked, Wells explores the remarkable transformation of the American beach, arguing that coastal shipwrecks played a pivotal role in this process. Drawing on a wide range of archival material, including logbooks, court cases, personal papers, government records, and cultural ephemera, Wells examines how shipwrecks laid the foundation for the beach tourism industry that would transform the American beach from a coastal frontier to an oceanfront playground. This transformation resulted in substantial state and private investment along the shore, reshaped popular ideas about the coast, and made the beach a cherished symbol of the American experience.

One of the key insights of Shipwrecked is that shipwrecks not only disrupted the natural landscape but also transformed the way Americans viewed, used, and inhabited the shoreline. Before the arrival of ships, the coast was largely untouched and undeveloped, but shipwrecks brought with them a sense of mystery, danger, and opportunity. They sparked curiosity and exploration, leading to the discovery of new lands and the expansion of the American frontier.

Shipwrecks also played a significant role in shaping the beach tourism industry. As ships began to sink along the coast, they left behind valuable cargo and treasures that attracted scavengers and treasure hunters. This led to the development of beach resorts, hotels, and restaurants, which attracted visitors from all over the world. The beach became a place of leisure, entertainment, and relaxation, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

Moreover, shipwrecks reshaped popular ideas about the coast and the ocean. They brought to light the fragility of human civilization and the power of nature, reminding people of the importance of protecting the environment and preserving the coastline. Shipwrecks also inspired a sense of awe and wonder, as people marveled at the beauty and destruction of the ocean and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

In conclusion, Shipwrecked offers a compelling and insightful perspective on the American story, demonstrating how disasters, along with the arrival of ships, transformed the country's beaches into the vibrant and diverse places they are today. By examining the role of coastal shipwrecks in shaping the beach tourism industry, popular ideas about the coast, and the American experience, Wells provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the nation's history and culture.

Weight: 426g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781469660905