Book excerpt: The Big Island, world famous for its active volcanoes and coral gardens, has many wonderful beaches. In fact its shoreline is as diverse and dynamic as the rest of this massive island and includes more than 100 black, green, and white sand beaches. The Beaches series by John R. K. Clark include Beaches of Maui County, Beaches of the Big Island, Beaches of Kauai and Niihau, and The Beaches of Oahu. The author, an ocean recreation consultant, includes comprehensive site descriptions of hundreds of beaches in the Hawaiian Islands and shares his extensive knowledge of, and deep respect for, Hawaii's shorelines.