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From “a captivating storyteller” (Wall Street Journal), the natural history of humankind told through our long relationship with birds
For the whole of human history, we have lived alongside birds. We have hunted and domesticated them for food; venerated them in our mythologies, religions, and rituals; exploited them for their natural resources; and been inspired by them for our music, art, and poetry.
In Ten Birds That Changed the World, naturalist and author Stephen Moss tells the gripping story of this long and intimate relationship through key species from all seven of the world’s continents. From Odin’s faithful raven companions to Darwin’s finches, and from the wild turkey of the Americas to the emperor penguin as potent symbol of the climate crisis, this is a fascinating, eye-opening, and endlessly engaging work of natural history.
From the Publisher
Publisher : Basic Books (September 12, 2023)
Language : English
Hardcover : 416 pages
ISBN-10 : 1541604466
ISBN-13 : 978-1541604469
Item Weight : 1.38 pounds
Dimensions : 6.4 x 1.38 x 9.6 inches
4
Reviewer: vankill
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: I purchased this book for my Birder Brother-in-law
Review: This book was a gift for my hard to buy for brother in law. He’s an avid “Birder”, and really enjoyed this well written book.
Reviewer: Schzamm
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Happy with my purchase
Review: A gift for a bird watcher.
Reviewer: Vivek
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great but sobering Book, a must for any serious birder.
Review: Mostly about how human activity has affected these and other birds- some have thrived, some recovering from the edge of extinction, many sadly teetering on it and some gone forever.
Reviewer: Mary E. Dasaro
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fascinating facts, until the chapter on eagles.
Review: Interesting choice of birds and so many historical stories I had never heard from around the world. Especially sad is the kidnapping/subversion of Chinese coming to America only to work to death in Peru digging up, hauling, and loading tons of bird guano for fertilizer, decades after America’s Civil War. I never hear calls for reparations for their slavery.
Reviewer: Mary ND
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fascinating and informative
Review: “Ten Birds That Changed the World” was an interesting and informative book–the perfect read for the beginning of spring. Author Stephen Moss chose ten bird species that have had an outsize effect on world events, from Charles Darwin’s famous finches and their impact on our understand of evolution (which I have to say was much different than I had previously thought) to Mao’s attempt to rid China of tree sparrows and the disastrous famine that resulted, killing millions. Environmental concerns and the endangerment of certain species are, of course, a major preoccupation throughout the book and of chapters on the Dodo and the Emperor Penguin, for example, but Moss’s discussions delve into unexpected areas as well, such as the co-opting of the Bald Eagle as a symbol of fascism, and the fashion trend that endangered the Snowy Egret and led to the founding of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Fascinating stuff.
Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars
Title: more political diatribe and pop culture than well researched history
Review: A disappointment, as the author allows personal opinion to dilute an already watered-down book. The concept is good but poorly researched and executed. I am very familiar with some of the references he mentions, and all are better books than this Frankenstein-esque book.
Reviewer: RF
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great Book
Review: Ten Birds That Changed the World by Stephen Moss is a wonderful book that takes a closer look about our past, the worldâs existence, and our relationships amongst nature, the planet, and one another throughout time through the stories highlighting ten different birds. I have always had a special place in my heart for birds in general. From birdwatching, identification, nature walks, bird calls, and just being surrounded by nature. This book is an excellent collection of ten different birds, each chapter ordered chronologically through time to give us not just more information, history, and knowledge of each species, but also how that particular bird tells the story of our natural world, humanity, and our relationships created between all of these elements. By discussing each of these aspects, we learn far more about our pasts and ourselves. Excellent. 5/5 stars
Reviewer: Michael Goodell
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Curious Tome
Review: Stephen Moss is a distinguished ornithologist and he displayed many of his chops in this curious tome. What I found most interesting is, given his wholehearted embrace of climate crisis ideology, and his disdainful “shut up, it’s science” arrogance, that he should eschew the academically approved BC/BCE chronology in favor of the archaic BC/AD formulation.
Reviewer: Sean Walsh
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: Enjoyable book as a bird lover. Some great facts and stories throughout
Reviewer: Emmi
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: Really informative and well written. Some myths exploded. I couldnât put it down.
Reviewer: Arsenaldan
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: Haven’t read it yet but I like Stephen Moss as a writer and if it’s like others of his I’ve read I’m sure it’ll be great.
Reviewer: The Fullers
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: This book is so interesting and was greatly enjoyed
Reviewer: Cate R 98
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: This book was requested by a bird lover for their 65th birthday.
