Book excerpt: Along much of the shoreline of the world, tidal inlets play an important role in nearshore processes, providing links between the coastal oceans and protected embayments. Their study is of particular importance not only for the understanding of fundamental processes in coastal oceanography but also for engineering and the proper management of the delicate equilibrium of our shorelines. This volume, based on the International Symposium on Hydrodynamics and Sediment Dynamics of Tidal Inlets held at Woods Hole, MA, presents the reader with an overview of contemporary research on these important features. The coverage includes: - mathematical modelling, including a review of inlet hydrodynamics, - observations on hydrodynamics, - sedimentology and morphology, - tidal deltas, - processes and policies pertaining to sedimentation, and the - impacts of shore protection and dredging in beaches.