Joyce Tenneson, s detailed photographic studies of luminous sea shells adrift on a velvet-soft background remind us that startling beauty exists even in the most ordinary places. These surprising images give us a unique window into these secret lives of the sea. Short selected quotes from literature illuminate these ethereal portraits

In ancient times, older women were the keepers of primal mysteries and were revered for their special wisdom. For this very special book, Joyce Tenneson traveled throughout America to photograph and interview women ages 65 to l00. What she found was a revelation—women who were vital, energetic, and deeply beautiful, inside and out. The 80 portraits are of women from all walks of life from the famous, such as Sandra Day O'Connor, Julie Harris, and Angela Lansbury, to the ordinary, such as our mothers and grandmothers. Tenneson's compelling and compassionate portraits, accompanied by short poignant statements from these remarkable women about the experience of aging, will help to reawaken us to the power and wisdom of our elders.