Crow

(Paperback, Enlarged ed.)

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Description

This classic Reaktion title, now available in B-format, is a survey of crows, ravens, magpies, and their relatives in myth, literature, and life. It ranges from the raven sent out by Noah to the corvid deities of the Eskimo, to Taoist legends, Victorian novels, and contemporary films. It will be of interest to anyone who has ever been intrigued, puzzled, annoyed, or charmed by these wonderfully intelligent birds.

Reviews

'Sax's book roams divertingly over the scientific and cultural history of the "corvid" family, which includes the carrion crow, the raven, the rook and the jackdaw, tracing ambivalent responses to the mischievous birds.' - The Guardian; 'In this vivid and enjoyable meditation on crows in art, literature and history, Sax gives the genus Corvus the enthusiastic treatment it deserves.' - Publishers Weekly; 'A fascinating and delightful book ... examines the crow in myth, literature and life ... With sections on the crow in ancient civilisations, different parts of the world and through to modern times, this book would be an excellent read for anyone interested in this group of birds.' - British Trust for Ornithology; 'Crow is the sort of monograph I treasure and seek out, a work that draws together around a "totem animal" centuries of relevant lore, a richness of iconographic treatments (photographs, portraits, masks, natural history plates, cartoons, book plates, marginalia, etc.) and the best natural history and natural science available to a lay researcher and engaged author.' - H-NILAS Reviews

Author Bio

Boria Sax teaches at Mercy College, New York, as well as at Sing Sing and Taconic Prisons. He has published over a dozen books, which have won awards and been translated into many languages, including Imaginary Animals (Reaktion, 2013).