"The Sound of the Sea," with Florida author Cynthia Barnett

Please join the Sustainable Communities Workshop partners at Southface Sarasota at the Florida House, 4 p.m. Nov. 6 (Saturday), for a fascinating program on seashells, the animals that build them, and what they have to tell us about the changing oceans. Please register for this event ONLY on this page rather than any third-party websites.

Seashells have been the most coveted and collected of nature’s creations since the dawn of humanity. They were money before coins, jewelry before gems, art before canvas.

In her new book The Sound of the Sea, acclaimed Florida environmental author Cynthia Barnett blends cultural history and science to trace our long love affair with seashells and the hidden lives of the mollusks that make them. Spiraling out from the great cities of shell that once rose in southwest Florida to the warming waters of the Maldives and the slave castles of Ghana, Barnett has created an unforgettable account of the world’s most iconic seashells. She begins with their childhood wonder, unwinds surprising histories like the origin of Shell Oil as a family business importing exotic shells, and charts what shells and the soft animals that build them are telling scientists about our warming, acidifying seas.

From the eerie calls of early shell trumpets to the evolutionary miracle of spines and spires and the modern science of carbon capture inspired by shell, Barnett circles to her central point of listening to nature’s wisdom—and acting on what seashells have to say about taking care of each other and our world.

Following the lecture and Q&A, stay for light refreshments, a book sale, and signing.

Please make sure to register in advance, as we need a final headcount for refreshments.

Cynthia Barnett is the author of three previous books, including Rain: A Natural and Cultural History, longlisted for the National Book Award; a finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Award for Literary Science Writing; and named a best book of 2015 by NPR’s Science Friday, Kirkus Reviews, the Boston Globe, the Tampa Bay Times, and the Miami Herald. She lives with her family in Gainesville, where she is also Environmental Journalist in Residence at the University of Florida.

This special event is part of our launch for the 16th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop. Please join us on Wednesday Nov. 10 for our virtual conference which brings community members together around sustainability. Residents, businesses, students, and others gather to learn from knowledgeable speakers and panel discussions. Join us for the online event to learn from sustainability experts, participate in breakout sessions, networking, and more. To learn more about this year's event and to register, visit: https://www.scgov.net/SustainableCommunities

Southface Sarasota at the Florida House is the organizer of this Sustainable Communities Workshop affiliated event. Transition Sarasota is the fiscal host of the Sustainable Communities Workshop.

This event will be held outdoors and seating arrangements will be socially distanced. Visitors that are not vaccinated must wear a mask. All other visitors are encouraged to wear a mask. Masks are required inside the building.

For questions or further information, please call 941-861-5000 or email [email protected]. If you require special accommodations to attend one of our events, please contact us in advance at 941-861-5000 or [email protected].

NOTE: Classes and events may be canceled at any time due to low registration or other circumstances, with full refunds issued for paid events. Similar classes or events often are offered on future dates. If you require special accommodations to attend one of our events, please send advance notice to 941-861-9900 or .

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Southface Sarasota at the Florida House, 4454 S Beneva Rd, Sarasota, United States