Of all the wild birds, none are more closely associated with man than the sparrows. In this book, his fifth on sparrows, Denis Summers-Smith sets out to explore this relationship from both sides: how the birds have exploited man and in his turn how much, and in many diverse ways, man has been affected by these birds that so obtrude on our lives. This is a book not only for bird-watchers, but also anyone with an interest in our natural environment.