Tracking the Golden Isles: The Natural and Human Histories of the Georgia Coast by Anthony J. Martin is a collection of essays that investigates animal and human traces on the Georgia coast. The book pulls from modern and fossilized discoveries, revealing remarkable stories of the barrier island along the lower coastal plain of Georgia.
Martin presents the book in three parts. The first part introduces the reader to the ecosystems of the island and the importance that animal traces play in documenting conditions and behaviors. Next, he discusses the history of the islands, including the Native American shell rings on Sapelo Island and the cobbled streets of Savannah. Finally, Martin explores how the Georgia coastline is changing. He asks how the traces of the past and present help us to better predict and deal with our uncertain future.
Martin is a professor of practice in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Emory University. He is the author of two editions of the college textbook, Introduction to the Study of Dinosaurs, as well as Life Traces of the Georgia Coast, Dinosaurs without Bones, and his latest book, The Evolution Underground. His blog is Life Traces of the Georgia Coast.
