The fastest animal alive, the falcon deserves
attention not just for the combination of speed, power,
beauty and ferocity that have made it an object of
fascination for thousands of years, but for the light it
sheds on the cultures through which it has flown. This
book, bridging science and cultural history, surveys the
practical and symbolic uses of falcons in human culture
in new and exciting ways. Helen Macdonald describes the
complete history of the bird, ranging across the globe
and over many millennia, as well as incorporating the
latest scientific discoveries. There are chapters on
falcon natural history; myth and legend; falconry;
conservation; falcons in the military, in urban settings
and the corporate world. Along the way the reader will
discover how falcons were mobilized in secret military
projects, their links with espionage, the Third Reich
and the space programme, and how they've featured in
erotic stories. The book explores their veneration as
gods in Ancient Egypt, their role as cultural icons in
the Middle East, and their recruitment by the
advertising industry to promote all manner of products,
from photocopiers to jet planes.Falcon combines in-depth
practical, personal and scientific knowledge of falcons
with a strong analytical perspective on the place of
these birds in human history. It will be enjoyed by
specialists and non-specialists alike: lovers of the
countryside, birdwatchers or anyone who has ever
wondered why falcons are so compelling. |
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