The bedside book of birds

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In this stunning assemblage of words and images, Graeme Gibson pays tribute to the profound relationship between humanity and birds. Birds symbolize our highest aspirations, serving as divine messengers and representations of our yearning for the heavens. From the Christian dove to the Aztec Quetzalcoatl, they have inspired our imaginations throughout history. In religion and philosophy, birds embody the part of us that transcends earthly bounds. Over two decades, Gibson has collected literary and artistic expressions of our affinity for birds, showcasing their presence in mythology, folklore, and works by writers like Aesop, Shakespeare, Poe, and Eliot. Birds have served as omens, allegories, and guides, while also being worshipped, feared, and loved. Gibson also highlights their significance in science, exemplified by Darwin's Galapagos finches and the writings of naturalists such as W.H. Hudson and Barry Lopez. Our universal fascination with birds makes birdwatching one of the most popular activities in the English-speaking world. Gorgeously illustrated and steeped in centuries of human response to these feathered creatures, this work is for anyone passionate about birds and their meaning to humanity. Gibson reflects on his journey of collecting texts that reveal our complex relationships with birds, emphasizing that the book explores our shared existence with them over millennia.