Dr. Firoozfar started out to explain the coastal changes in the southern Caspian Sea due to a recent rise in water level, and this led him into many avenues, including the reasons for sea level changes in this landlocked sea, and what effects - including modification to the 'normal' seismicity of the area - there were that resulted from the phenomenon. To follow his process of discovery, piecing together a jigsaw of academic sources, the reader will need to follow the text, but suffice it to say that the conclusions are novel and striking. They will be of interest to all manner of Earth Scientists and Civil Engineers alike. Prof. Edward Bromhead