One of my favorite things about living in California is being close to the sea. I've been fascinated by the ocean and the extraordinary diversity of marine life for as long as I can remember. I associate the California coast in particular with tide pools. Tide pools are windows into a miniature universe, one which reflects all of the forces at play in ecosystems and societies of a larger relative scale. It is this observation that Adam Nicolson captures beautifully in his book, Life Between the Tides (2023). Nicolson combines a naturalist's enthusiasm and eye for detail with rigorous scientific reading as he weaves together history, philosophy, and poetry to describe the creation of a tide pool near his home in Scotland. It is a call to notice the small miracles of biology happening around us, and to remember those who first paused, looked hard at something in the natural world, and wondered.