Avian Illuminations - A Cultural History of Birds

Avian Illuminations examines the many roles birds have played in human society, from food, messengers, deities and pets, to omens, muses, timekeepers, custodians, hunting companions, decorative motifs and, most importantly, embodiments of our aspirations. It narrates the history of our relationships with a host of birds including crows, owls, parrots, falcons, eagles, nightingales, hummingbirds, and many more. Along the way the book describes how birds nesting has symbolised human romance, how their flight has inspired inventors throughout history, and concludes by showing that the interconnections between birds and humans are so manifold that a world without birds would effectively mean an end to human culture itself. Beautifully illustrated, this is a superb overview of our long and rich association with our feathered friends.

About the author

Boria Sax teaches at Sing Sing prison and online in the graduate literature programme at Mercy University. He has published many books, which have won awards and been translated into numerous languages. His most recent is Enchanted Forests: The Poetic Construction of a World before Time (Reaktion, 2023).

Summary

A superbly illustrated overview of our long relationship with our feathered friends.

Product details

• Authors: Borax Sax, Boria Sax, Sax Boria
• Publisher: Reaktion Books
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 13.09.2021
• EAN: 9781789144321
• ISBN: 978-1-78914-432-1
• No. of pages: 416
• Subjects: Guides > Nature; Humanities, art, music > History; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Zoology; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; HISTORY / General, Social & cultural history, Wildlife: birds & birdwatching, Social and cultural history, Wildlife: birds and birdwatching: general interest