''Gift from the Sea'' is a book by

Anne Morrow Lindbergh Anne Spencer Morrow Lindbergh (June 22, 1906 – February 7, 2001) was an American writer and aviator. She was the wife of decorated pioneer aviator Charles Lindbergh, with whom she made many exploratory flights. Raised in Englewood, New Jers ...

first published in 1955. While on vacation on

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Captiva Island Captiva is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lee County, Florida, United States. It is located on Captiva Island. As of the 2020 census the population was 318, down from 583 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ca ...

in the early 1950s, Lindbergh wrote the essay-style work by taking shells on the beach for inspiration and reflecting on the lives of Americans, particularly American women, in the mid-20th century. She shares her meditations on youth and age, love and marriage, peace, solitude, and contentment during her visit.

Themes

Sometimes classified as

inspirational literature Inspirational fiction is a sub-category within the broader categories of "inspirational literature" or "inspirational writing." It has become more common for booksellers and libraries to consider inspirational fiction to be a separate genre, class ...

, the book presages many of the themes in that genre of popular literature: simplicity, solitude, and caring for the soul.

Reception

''Gift from the Sea'' has sold over 3 million copies and has been translated into 45 languages. According to ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'', the book was the top nonfiction bestseller in the United States for 1955.

Alice Payne Hackett Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

. ''70 years of bestsellers: 1895-1965'' (1967), p, 162

References

External links

''From One Life to Another, Spiritual Connections Light Up Our Journey''
at Read the Spirit {{DEFAULTSORT:Gift from the Sea 1955 non-fiction books American non-fiction books Books by Anne Morrow Lindbergh English-language books