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The Bedside Book of Birds

Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Bedside Book of Birds by Graeme Gibson is a captivating exploration of humanity’s relationship with birds through folklore, literature, and art. This richly illustrated compilation weaves together diverse tales, observations, and reflections, offering readers a delightful journey into the world of birds and their cultural significance across different societies. It's a celebration of birds and a testament to their profound impact on human history and imagination.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the natural world and enjoy exploring the intersection of science, literature, and mythology. It's an artful compilation that celebrates the timeless allure of birds, blending rich illustrations, folklore, and writings from various cultures to offer a captivating look at our feathered friends.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY MARGARET ATWOOD

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.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Bedside Book of Birds by Graeme Gibson is praised for its engaging and eclectic mix of classic nature writing, poetry, folklore, and myths about birds, appealing to both bird enthusiasts and general readers. Recognised as perfect for armchair ornithologists, it's considered a delightful collection that goes beyond mere birdwatching. The book's rich illustrations and diverse writings make it an attractive gift, capturing the various ways humans interact with birds.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781526633675

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 15 April 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 38.0mm

Width: 170.0mm

Height: 238.0mm

Weight: 960g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Graeme Gibson CM FRCGS was a Canadian novelist.He was a Member of the Order of Canada (1992), a Senior Fellow of Massey College and one of the organizers of the Writers Union of Canada (chair, 1974–75). He was also a founder of the Writers' Trust of Canada, a non-profit literary organization that seeks to encourage Canada's writing community. He died in 2019.

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