Reviews and Press

The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans

"A glorious history of shells and of those who have loved shells," Katharine Norbury writes in her beautiful Washington Post review of The Sound of the Sea.

Essayist Maria Popova of the Marginalian calls the The Sound of the Sea an “altogether magnificent eco-social serenade to the seas.” She has written three columns on the book: “Seashells and the Spiral of Wonder at the Intersection of Art and Science,” “How Money Was Born: The Small Seashell and the Fierce Maldivian Queen That Made the Modern World,” and “How to Be a Citizen of Earth: Learning from the Children of Palau.”

The Sound of the Sea is Atlas Obscura's August pick for its "Finding Wonder" monthly book club, part of Literati.

Ira Flatow interviews Cynthia Barnett on Science Friday and she manages to say "she sells seashells by the seashore" and make a climate change joke.

"How Shells Tell Secrets of the Sea," Science Friday excerpts the opening pages of The Sound of the Sea.

"Seashells Changed the World. Now They're Telling Us About the Future of the Oceans," a great Q&A with Cynthia by Vox environmental reporter Benji Jones.

Cynthia joins Alexis Madrigal on San Francisco's KQED FORUM to talk truth, beauty and bouillabaisse.

"Enthralling," Colette Bancroft writes in her Tampa Bay Times review, "a fascinating history of the shellmakers and of the multitude of ways they have interacted with and shaped human beings."

Cynthia joins Adam Conover for his always-fascinating Factually! podcast.

Kirkus includes The Sound of the Sea on this great list of "8 Nonfiction Books to Read This Summer."

The Sound of the Sea is recommended summer reading in The New York Times. "Will have you marveling at nature."

A starred review for The Sound of the Sea in Kirkus. "An absolutely captivating nature book."

Publisher's Weekly calls The Sound of the Sea "an entertaining, colorful tour of a surprisingly dynamic part of nature."

Rain: A Natural and Cultural History

RAIN named a finalist for the 2016 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award

Cynthia visits San Francisco's KQED for a lively hour on RAIN with Forum's Michael Kransy and his callers.

RAIN one of NPR Science Friday's Best Science Books of 2015

RAIN one of the Boston Globe's Best Books of 2015

RAIN in the Miami Herald's Favorite Books of 2015

RAIN in the Tampa Bay Times Favorite Books of 2015

RAIN named one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Nonfiction Books of 2015

RAIN is longlisted for the National Book Award

The UK's Guardian on RAIN and Cynthia Barnett's gift for communicating science to a general audience

JP Morgan names RAIN to its 2015 Summer Reading List, "riveting the reader with facts and a sense of wonder"

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the "highly readable, science-laden biography" of RAIN

The Financial Times on an "eye-opening book for the most fervent rain-hater"

The Dallas Morning News review of RAIN, "vivid and lyrical prose that is leavened with humor"

"Seriously fascinating," Elizabeth Royte's review of RAIN in Elle

Salon magazine's Q&A with Cynthia, on weather as a way to help turn the shouting match over climate change into a conversation

Tom Ashbrook's crazy-fun interview with Cynthia, NPR's On Point

The Miami Herald review recommends RAIN to Florida's climate-change-uncertain governor

The Tampa Bay Times on "fascinating" RAIN

Goodreads calls RAIN one of the best new books of the month

The Seattle Times recommends RAIN on its spring reading list

Publishers Weekly names RAIN among Top 10 Science Books for Spring 2015