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allaboutfrodo's review against another edition
I wanted to like this book, I really did. I borrowed it from the library to consider purchasing it for my own bird book collection. I love books and bird books. However, I ended up not being able to read this book (which is why there are no stars).
It is a collection of readings about birds, so I skimmed through, reading some of them, but there were too many sad passages about birds slaughtered by the thousands and one awful story about a bird being plucked alive (by a Saint, no less). I enjoyed the art in this book, but I will keep Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems About Birds with illustrations by David Allen Sibly by my bedside instead.
It is a collection of readings about birds, so I skimmed through, reading some of them, but there were too many sad passages about birds slaughtered by the thousands and one awful story about a bird being plucked alive (by a Saint, no less). I enjoyed the art in this book, but I will keep Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems About Birds with illustrations by David Allen Sibly by my bedside instead.
curlybooks's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the intro by Margaret Atwood and the additional writings by Gibson at the start of each chapter. I also really enjoyed the poetry selections in this collection as well (“Hurt Hawks” by Robert Jeffers made me cry last night and “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy was beautiful).
The selection of artwork featured throughout was often both beautiful and odd, which made for a fascinating experience. However, some of the writings selected were not to my taste and some I just found boring.
Also, I am always shocked by the atrocities that historical figures and naturalists commit against animals (and they’re always so blasé about it too). How these men could see such majestic and wondrous natural beauty and then have their first instinct be to capture and kill it will never not bewilder me.
The selection of artwork featured throughout was often both beautiful and odd, which made for a fascinating experience. However, some of the writings selected were not to my taste and some I just found boring.
Also, I am always shocked by the atrocities that historical figures and naturalists commit against animals (and they’re always so blasé about it too). How these men could see such majestic and wondrous natural beauty and then have their first instinct be to capture and kill it will never not bewilder me.
druhfarrell's review against another edition
1.0
This book was given to me years ago and I finally decided to read it as a chaser after Woman Watching by Merilyn Simonds and Field Study by Helen Humphreys. My advice, do not read before bed unless you want nightmares. I was expecting bite-size snippets about the beauty and mystery of birds, but instead it was about human hubris and cruelty. Ugh.
edresbach's review against another edition
It’s a very nice bedside book, I just didn’t find myself picking it up. I’m going to do my best to finish it at a later date.
leasummer's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing is an understatement. I’m glad I checked it out from the library and didn’t pay $40.
It’s almost 400 pages and there are 7 inclusions by women. It’s heavily religious in the selections of works included, which I was not expecting.
I’m not sure who would keep this on their bedside, it’s a very dark and heavy book. Some of the connections to birds are a bit of a stretch for me.
The art included is very interesting, and was by far my favorite part, but much of which you could find online in free catalogues.
I only finished it so I could count how many women were included (7 included Atwood twice).
It’s almost 400 pages and there are 7 inclusions by women. It’s heavily religious in the selections of works included, which I was not expecting.
I’m not sure who would keep this on their bedside, it’s a very dark and heavy book. Some of the connections to birds are a bit of a stretch for me.
The art included is very interesting, and was by far my favorite part, but much of which you could find online in free catalogues.
I only finished it so I could count how many women were included (7 included Atwood twice).
ladylizardxvii's review against another edition
4.0
It was a beautiful and beautifully curated book that made me very happy every time I opened it! Like a picture book for adults, and bird lovers. Honestly, my only wish is that there were more birbs for me to love and learn about
krep___'s review against another edition
2.25
A book for English majors who also happen to like birds. It's not really a book "about" birds. It's about humans and their interactions with/ impressions of/ feelings about birds, as recorded across literary history in the form of folk tales, poetry, artwork, hearsay, pseudo-science and even the occasional reliable observation (although those are mostly supplied by Gibson himself). As with much of our relationship with the natural world (at least until very recently), much of the material is infused with our destructive, dismissive attitude toward birds as something to be killed for fun (and occasionally food) or to be caged or to be feared as alien. So it's obviously depressing on that score. Many items are included that seem totally unrelated to birds other than the briefest mention. Much of the poetry was gibberish to me, so mired in metaphor without context clues as to be meaningless, but the English majors I mentioned may get something out of it. It is certainly a pretty book, with artwork selected from the same broad historical range as the writings. 2-1/2 stars.