Featured in the vast majority of mythologies and religions, birds are generally associated with creativity and the human spirit. From the Christian dove to Quetzalcoatl (the Aztec plumed serpent), and from Raven Man to Plato's description of the soul growing wings and feathers, birds have represented the soul in contrast to the body, the spiritual as opposed to the earthly. The Bedside Book of Birds is an unexpected and fascinating treasure trove of paintings, drawings, essays and scientific observations: it marvellously conveys the hope, the longing and the enchantment that birds have evoked in humans in all cultures and all times. Beautifully produced, the book contains more than one hundred illustrations, ranging from early cave paintings through works by Audubon, Morris and Gould, to Inuit and other works created in the twentieth century. There are writings by naturalists like W.H. Hudson, Laurens van der Post, Peter Matthiessen and Barry Lopez, and by classical authors such as Shakespeare, Coleridge, Melville and Poe. There is also a rich seam of contemporary work by Jorge Luis Borges, Ted Hughes, Italo Calvino, Bruce Chatwin and Haruki Murakami, among many others. The Bedside Book of Birds is a book to explore, to savour, and to learn from - a book for the winged soul in all of us.
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Review
'Beautifully compiled and illustrated ... A wonderful artefact...the choice of pictures and text makes the book consistently surprising' Daily Telegraph 'A spellbinding miscellany of images, essays, poems and scientific extracts' Rachel Campbell-Johnston, The Times 'Anyone who has watched birds, studied them, given them the least attention, will find this a treat. It is a compilation of writings that celebrate the many ways people have engaged with birds made companions of them, mythologised them, hunted and eaten them ... This book is well worth buying for the illustrations alone' New Scientist
About the Author
Graeme Gibson is the author of four novels including Perpetual Motion and Gentleman Death. A past president of PEN Canada, a council member of WWF Canada, and chairman of Pelee Island Bird Observatory, he lives in Toronto with his wife, the writer Margaret Atwood.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By J. K. Smith
Format:Hardcover
This is a remarkable anthology for the bedside of a bird lover. Divided into 9 sections (or 'habitats,' as the author calls them), the book is filled with a huge selections of bird-related passages found in literature, poetry and folklore. Gibson is the perfect anthologist for the material; the selections included consistently show his admiration, affection, and mystification for the feathered creatures. The hardcover edition is beautiful, heavy, and full of beautiful illustrations. The edition has a magical quality. It is a joy to open.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Kim M
Format:Paperback
I bought this lovely book for my boyfriend. Since I also like birds and very much enjoy folktales, I was delighted to open it to find not only plenty of myths and legends on our feathered friends, but beautiful illustrations to compliment the text. Everything from exotic birds to the more familiar are covered here with tales from many countries and cultures. A gorgeous 'coffee table book' for bird lovers and fans of folklore.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully informatiive
A real bedside "dipper" - full of fascinating information about birds, their habitat, and the ways we humans have affected both.
Published 12 days ago by penny davies
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Book
Beautiful book, really nice book. You don't need to be super interested in birds to enjoy this book, get it, it's good.
Published 11 months ago by Jonny
5.0 out of 5 stars
An avian fascination
If you are remotely interested in birds, this is a wonderful anthology. The book is beautifully presented, with marvellous reproductions of bird prints together with an an... Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2011 by Julian
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bedside Book of Birds - An Avian Miscellany
Purchased this for a bird crazy friend, he loves it, we had a brief flick through & was delighted with the contents. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2010 by Mr. S. J. Clark
Listmania!
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