The Bedside Book of Birds: An Avian Miscellany

Birds have always created a sense of wonder and reverence in their earth-bound human observers. They are featured in creation myths of many different civilizations and appear with great frequency in fairy tales and fables the world over. Associated with creativity and freedom, with the spirit as opposed to the body, birds have been powerful symbols in religious traditions through the ages, from Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec plumed serpent, to the Christian dove. In all times and in every culture, they have inspired great works of literature and great works of art. Science, too, has looked toward the avian world for keys to understanding the nature of life on earth.
THE BEDSIDE BOOK OF BIRDS, an unprecedented and enchanting treasure trove of paintings, drawings, poems, essays, and scientific observations, beautifully captures the interest and emotions birds evoke. The illustrations range from early cave paintings to Audubon's famous portraits to abstract works created in the twentieth century. There are writings by Shakespeare, Coleridge, Poe, Ted Hughes, and Jorge Luis Borges, among many others. Excerpts from famous scientific works, including Darwin's observations on the tameness of the Galapagos Islands' birds, are here, too, along with charming and valuable pieces by such popular nature writers as W. H. Hudson, Peter Matthiessen, Farley Mowat, and Barry Lopez. It is a book to ponder, to savor, and to learn from, for the winged soul in all of us.