When There Were Birds

Reviews

When There Were Birds by historians Roy and Lesley Adkins charts humanity's changing relationship with birds, from the ancient Egyptians to the 21st century The sheer breadth of information reflects every part of life on earth. And that's what makes it such a worthwhile read When There Were Birds is a marvellously original slice of social history, a portrait of our ever-conflicted relationship with the natural world which we so abuse and which we cannot live without; a book beautifully balanced between wonder and warning A wonderful book. . . the perfect gift for Christmas this year for a bird lover. . . In fact, no, bird lovers are fine, buy it for someone that hates birds and see if you can turn them round This book is. . . not only a fascinating browse of all sorts of stories about the past, but it's a real revelation actually. . . it's really going to encourage you to think about birds and the part they played historically and culturally An appealing social history of Britain that charts the relationship between people and birds [with] a lot of quirky information The book is absolutely packed with wonderful stories. You've really researched it to pieces. . . I hope that this book inspires and galvanises those that want to protect birds The facts and folklore of birdlife, and man's equivocal relationship with birds, are dissected in admirable detail in this handsome new book ... [with] striking revelations This is a substantial social history of our interactions with the bird life of these isles. . . With its wide-ranging, informative text, extensive notes, and commendably comprehensive index, When There Were Birds makes its own vital contribution to our perception of our relationship with creation, providing further stimulus for us to achieve an environmental renaissance Unusually for a book about nature, the species in question, in this lucid story of the relationship between birds and humans, is ours . . . An evocative chapter, 'Abundance', assembles descriptions of a British landscape so vivid you feel you almost remember it . . . There are no dodos in this book The book is a beautiful, yet original portrait of the integral role played by birds throughout history. . . The social history of ornithology is injected with passion by Roy and Lesley Adkins, who are masters of their craft, welcoming readers to unexpected topics. . . Readers, flock to this tome. Every chapter is replete with anecdotes which, for me at least, made the book a page-turner . . . The authors used their research skills and experience to put a different type of book together, and I am grateful to them because it is a very good read . . . and I recommend it Expand reviews