'The facts and folklore of birdlife, and man's equivocal relationship with birds, are dissected in admirable detail in this handsome new book striking revelations'

You've really researched it to pieces I hope that this book inspires and galvanises those that want to protect birds' 'The book is absolutely packed with wonderful stories. 'An appealing social history of Britain that charts the relationship between people and birds a lot of quirky information' 'This book is not only a fascinating browse of all sorts of stories about the past, but it's a real revelation actually it's really going to encourage you to think about birds and the part they played historically and culturally' 'A wonderful book the perfect gift for Christmas this year for a bird lover In fact, no, bird lovers are fine, buy it for someone that hates birds and see if you can turn them round' – Christopher Hart, Daily Mail (Book of the Week) ' When There Were Birds is a marvellously original slice of social history, a portrait of our ever-conflicted relationship with the natural world which we so abuse and which we cannot live without a book beautifully balanced between wonder and warning' When There Were Birds draws together many disparate, forgotten strands to present a story that is an intriguing and unexpectedly significant part of our heritage. With their ability to fly, they bridged the gap between the earth and the heavens, and superstitions were rife because they were presumed to be linked to the supernatural. More practically, they have been used to tell the time, predict the weather, foretell marriages, provide unlikely cures for ailments, convey messages and warn of poisonous gases.Īlthough very familiar, birds have often seemed strange, sinister and alarming. Birds have been kept in cages as pets, taught to speak and displayed as trophies. No other group of animals has had such a complex and lengthy relationship with humankind. Birds were once key elements of the nation's history, traditions and sports, and this gave rise to a rich legacy of literature, language and myths. When There Were Birds is a social history of Britain that charts the complex connections between people and birds, set against a background of changes in the landscape and evolving tastes, beliefs and behaviour. For centuries, birds have been seen as a source of food, feathers and even fuel, and being so numerous, many were persecuted as pests.

The Keys of Egypt by Lesley Adkins