The Book of Pebbles

By Christopher Stocks with illustrations by Angie Lewin 

Many beachcombers love collecting pebbles, rocks, and stones on the beach. We sometimes collect them for their inherent beauty, but sometimes just because they remind us of a great experience or a favorite beach. In The Book of Pebbles, author Christopher Stocks explores why we pick up pebbles on the beach and what we see in them. 

Christopher explores the story of our love affair with pebbles on the pages of this beautifully illustrated book. When asked why he wanted to write a book about pebbles, he says, “How could I live by Chesil Beach and not want to write about pebbles?”

The artworks of Angie Lewin, renowned for her watercolors, printmaking, and collages of the natural world, are featured throughout The Book of Pebbles. She celebrates the coastline with her prints and paintings of natural materials, feathers, shells, and stones found on the beaches of Britain. This 116-page hardcover book features more than forty of Angie’s works, many created especially for the book.

The Book of Pebbles explores how art relates to the natural world, and how the way we see pebbles today has been influenced by the work of artists, authors, filmmakers, and even archaeologists. The images created by Angie complement the informative text by Christopher. 

Although it is mostly about the beauty of pebbles, The Book of Pebbles also includes a chapter that explores some of the types of rocks and other materials typically found on the British coastline. Christopher describes beautiful quartz, soft-edged sea glass, smooth limestone, pink sandstone, glossy flint, and more. He shares where the rocks originate, how to identify them, and how they are shaped by the elements.  

Christopher Stocks writes about a diverse range of subjects, including architecture, design, and gardens. He divides his time between London and a house overlooking Chesil Beach, Dorset. Angie Lewin studied Fine Art at Central School of Art and Design, followed by a postgraduate year at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. After working as an illustrator, she went on to study horticulture and garden design. A move to Norfolk prompted a return to exhibiting paintings and prints, and she now divides her time between Edinburgh and Speyside.

Learn more at www.thebookofpebbles.co.uk

This article appeared in the Beachcombing Magazine September/October 2019 issue.

Learn more about beach rocks:

Learn more about beach rocks including agates, Cape May diamonds, Yooperlites, fulgurite, puddingstone, and more. Articles ›