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When there were birds

£12.99

Just before dawn, 7th June 1917, huge underground mines were detonated beneath the German lines by the British army. It was the start of the Battle of Messines at the Ypres Salient: ‘Then came the greatest miracle of all, for with the rose flush in the sky the whole bird chorus of morning came to life. Never, surely, did birds sing so – blackbird and thrush, lark, and black-cap and willow warbler, their notes pealed up as if each bird were struck with frenzy and all together strove to shout down the guns. This book is not an environmental account of the great decline in bird numbers over recent decades. Instead, it is a social history charting the complex relationships between people and birds, against a background of evolving tastes, beliefs and behaviour, as well as changing landscapes and ideas.

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Description

A landmark book that charts humanity’s changing relationship with birds – from the ancient Egyptians to the twenty-first century

‘A marvellously original slice of social history’ Daily Mail

‘The facts and folklore of birdlife are dissected in admirable detail in this handsome book’ Sunday Times

‘Roy and Lesley Adkins are masters of their craft’ BBC Countryfile Magazine

No other group of animals has had such a complex and lengthy relationship with humankind as birds. They have been kept in cages as pets, taught to speak and displayed as trophies. More practically, they have been used to tell the time, predict the weather, foretell marriages, provide unlikely cures for ailments, convey messages and warn of poisonous gases.

When There Were Birds is a social history of Britain that charts the complex connections between people and birds, set against a background of changes in the landscape and evolving tastes, beliefs and behaviours. It draws together many disparate, forgotten strands to present a story that is an intriguing and unexpectedly significant part of our heritage.

Additional information

Weight 0.42 kg
Dimensions 19.6 × 12.6 × 3.8 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

488

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

598 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K

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