Shells on a Desert Shore is a fresh, original look at an indigenous culture of North America having a deep and intimate knowledge of the Gulf of California. Cathy Moser Marlett offers a richly illustrated ethnographic work, describing the Seri knowledge of mollusks and their cultural importance.

Cathy Moser Marlett is an illustrator of literacy materials for use in the indigenous languages of Mexico, working with SIL International. As the daughter of field linguists working with the Seris, she spent her childhood in the Seri village of Desemboque. Her illustrations have appeared in numerous publications, including People of the Desert and Sea: Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians and a trilingual Seri dictionary.