The remarkable history of Britain and its animals, told through ten iconic species
Hardcover
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
The remarkable history of Britain and its animals, told through ten iconic species
Description
The remarkable history of Britain and its animals, told through ten iconic species
Have you ever wondered why we count sheep to get to sleep? Or where the phrase "red herring" comes from? Across British history, animals have been written about in poetry, painted in oils, and even recorded in law. Loved or feared, familiar or endangered, animals are everywhere to be seen.
In this enchanting, beautifully illustrated study, Karen R. Jones takes a journey through the history of ten animals to show the extraordinary story of "beastly" Britain. Jones looks at animals including foxes and hedgehogs, newts and beetles, ghostly hounds and even the Loch Ness Monster. She reveals the place of animals in British cultural identity and sheds new light on the most iconic moments of British history, from the Black Death to World War II.
The story of these isles may be told by human voices, but it is fully brought to life by listening to the squawks, bellows, and howls that make Britain what it is.
Critic Reviews
“Well researched . . . and well written.”—Mark Avery’s Blog
“Jones’s pages bloom with detail, anecdotes and apercus. She is ridiculously readable to boot.”—John Lewis-Stempel, Country Life
“An enchanting book. Beautiful illustrations, facts, stories and anecdotes offer surprises in every chapter, as we hear about the remarkable habits and long, long stories of British fauna. A walk in the garden, a wood or field will never be the same again. By helping us to love the hidden lives around us, Beastly Britain invites us to cherish and protect what survives.”—Fiona Stafford, author of The Long, Long Life of Trees
“A wonderful blend of nature and history; of curiosity and revelation”—Benedict Macdonald, author of Rebirding
“Its exquisite descriptions of flea circuses and their performers’ distinct abilities or sinisterly wolfish black dogs living nearly next door to my cottage are all too beguilingly brilliant to bypass.”—Derek Gow, author of Bringing Back the Beaver
“Fascinating, quirky, and often personal. . . . May well transform the way readers see their island, themselves, and the critters that they live alongside.”—Andrew Flack, author of The Wild Within
About the Author
Karen R. Jones is professor of environmental and cultural history at the University of Kent. She has written on trails, wolves, beasts, conservation, and much more in both the US and the UK. Her books include Calamity, The Invention of the Park, and Wolf Mountains.
Product Details
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.
Browse by category
- Books » Non-Fiction » History » Europe
- Books
- Books » Non-Fiction
- Books » Non-Fiction » History
- Books » Non-Fiction » Science & Maths » Nature & Ecology » Zoos & Wildlife Parks
- Books » Non-Fiction » Science & Maths
- Books » Non-Fiction » Science & Maths » Nature & Ecology
- Books » Non-Fiction » Science & Maths » Nature & Ecology » Fauna
