General Interest
Synopsis
Did the Cetti’s Warbler inspire the opening notes of the last movement of Beethoven’s Second Symphony?
Is the emu nature’s most devoted dad?
Find out the answers to these ornithological conundrums and others this engaging book that delves into literature, science, religion, fine art and popular culture to reveal how a bird can be far more than the sum of its feathered, winged and webbed parts. Worshipped as gods and damned as agents of the Devil in equal measure, birds have also fostered scientific breakthroughs and even helped provoke a war. This entertaining guide is full of fascinating insights into the humble bird’s surprisingly large role in history and culture.
"Birds have always been bound up in our human history, with some fascinating stories to tell. Was Beethoven a Birdwatcher takes a sideways look at this intimate relationship, and goes a long way to answering the question: “What have birds ever done for us?!”’
Stephen Moss, nature writer and broadcaster
Reviews
Displaying
‘David turner’s look at birds in history and culture is a lot of fun, posing such intriguing questions as ‘Is the emu nature’s most devoted dad?’... This quirky book reveals...
‘Billed as ‘a quirky look at birds in history and culture’, this book does exactly what it says on the cover. There’s actually a wealth of serious historical material here......
‘a fascinating new book by David Turner which looks at birds in history and culture.’
The Highland News, 4th August 2011
‘The subtitle of the book is ‘A Quirky Look at Birds in History and Culture’ and that is the essence of this fascinating book... The text may be humorous but...
The Guardian: Green Magazine, Summer 2011
‘David Turner’s look at birds in history and culture is a lot of fun, posing such intriguing questions as ‘Is the emu nature’s most devoted dad?’... This quirky book reveals...
BBC Wildlife magazine, September 2011
‘From the skylark to the ‘bonxie’, journalist David Turner examines our often complicated relationships with 60 species of birds in this offbeat miscellany. His lively and readable text ranges as...
‘the 76 essays are compulsive reading and consistently fascinating... as humerous [sic] as it is erudite and intriguing. Non-stop-food for thought and a good read.’
Birds (magazine of the RSPB), Winter 2011
‘a collection of personal and quirky essays... thought-provoking and amusing, with some interesting and unusual background information.’
Sussex Wildlife Magazine, January 2012
'This entertaining book offers weird, wonderful and often bizarre connections between human culture and the birds of the world...This humorous guide... is full of fascinating insights into the role of...
Author Info.
You might also like...
