You can learn a great deal about a country by observing its beaches: across very different cultures, the beach is one of the few public spaces where all kinds of peculiar behaviour, customs and absurd situations come to the surface.
In a format designed to slip easily into a beach bag, Martin Parr confronts us with scenes full of humour and strangeness while introducing us to the traditions and rituals associated with these places. Parr has spent decades photographing beach life, from close-ups of sunbathers to crowds plunging into the water, not forgetting the inevitable picnics on the sand.
This publication brings together a selection of photographs from his extensive exploration of beach culture, with images of holidaymakers taken in Argentina, Brazil, China, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Japan, the United States, Mexico, Thailand and, of course, the United Kingdom.
The book includes a text by Martin Parr himself and features a cover inspired by Hawaiian shirt patterns.