In twelve,exquisite chapters,natural history expertStephen Mosstransports us across the robin's brief but glorious life.
This is Britain's favourite bird played out in full. It is an animal of contrasts; the born survivor,so pretty in feather and song,but fiercely territorial. This is a bird given to courage,its modest stature belying its ability to defend its turf.
Beautifully presented with illustrations lifted from over a century of our shared culture,The Robin: A Biography is both a monthly chronicle of the bird's life and also an investigation into why it symbolises so much. From being the gardener's friend to its position in our folklore,Moss reveals this creature to be less a creature of the field as a mirror to ourselves.
Publisher: Vintage PublishingISBN: 9781910931318Number of pages: 208Weight: 465 gDimensions: 205 x 140 x 23 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'There is no doubt that Moss's book,with its charming cover and quaint illustrations,will make it into many a stocking this year. Yet,this is far more than a book for Christmas. There is a serious message here. The more we learn about our favourite bird,the more we realise how much we don't know. This gulf is evidence of how we have become distanced from the natural world... Moss's charming paean to this bird that lives hard and dies young reminds us that it deserves to be more than a whimsical symbol of festive cheer.'- Patrick Galbraith,The Times'Well illustrated... the structure,examining a year in the life of the Robin in the UK,allows Moss plenty of scope to bring in a huge range of historical,literary and scientific references,and the result is a highly readable and enjoyable examination of a species that probably sparks more interest in birds in the UK than any other.'- Matt Merritt, Bird Watching
Kommentar