As researcher in marine biology, I consider this book as the background needed to work, investigate and have fun on a sandy beach: its content supplies meaningful, synthetic and clear information(by means of tables, graphs and references). This new edition was updated including the most recent findings (the only negative point is the quality of the graphs, sometimes it is difficult to read them). The ecology of sandy shores is a relatively new branch of marine ecology, but at the same time the human development exherts an increasing pressure on these ecosystems. This book could represent a matching point, being easy to be understood by planners and managers. It may thus represent an useful tool towards sustainable use of sandy beaches, starting from the very beginning i.e. allowing us to be aware of what a sandy beach is and how does it works