“[A] fun grab bag of history, trivia, and useful information…Fields reads with vivacity, sounding exactly like a beach enthusiast eager to share her passion.” Publishers Weekly
Did you know that women once wore corsets under their bathing suits? Or that “semi-drowning”—the strip and plunge practice—was thought to be good for one’s health? Or that Pudgy Stockton, the body-building queen of Muscle Beach, California, opened the country’s first gym for women?
From the bathhouses of the ancient Greeks to Venice Beach and Coney Island, Let’s Go to the Beach takes a multifaceted and well researched look at beaches and their attendant customs. The text explores such historical transformations as the evolution of the waterways from places of commerce to venues of health and recreation, as well as the bathing suit’s revealing journey from full-body cover-up to string bikini. Information about environmental concerns (including beach safety and preservation), along with quirky facts and trivia, round out this intriguing volume.
“[A] fun grab bag of history, trivia, and useful information…Fields reads with vivacity, sounding exactly like a beach enthusiast eager to share her passion.” Publishers Weekly
“[A] fun grab bag of history, trivia, and useful information.” Publishers Weekly
“A lighthearted, lively, and concise history of bathing, from ancient Greece to modern-day America, including social history and a brief mention of segregated beaches.” School Library Journal
“In an informal, entertaining style, Van Steenwyk traces the development of various beaches and their popular recreational activities, past and present.” Booklist
Language | English |
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Release Day | Apr 30, 2002 |
Release Date | May 1, 2002 |
Release Date Machine | 1020211200 |
Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
Categories | Children's Books, History, Children/YA, Children 8-12, Nonfiction - All, Nonfiction - Child |
Overview
Did you know that women once wore corsets under their bathing suits? Or that “semi-drowning”—the strip and plunge practice—was thought to be good for one’s health? Or that Pudgy Stockton, the body-building queen of Muscle Beach, California, opened the country’s first gym for women?
From the bathhouses of the ancient Greeks to Venice Beach and Coney Island, Let’s Go to the Beach takes a multifaceted and well researched look at beaches and their attendant customs. The text explores such historical transformations as the evolution of the waterways from places of commerce to venues of health and recreation, as well as the bathing suit’s revealing journey from full-body cover-up to string bikini. Information about environmental concerns (including beach safety and preservation), along with quirky facts and trivia, round out this intriguing volume.