An Avian miscellany

Swept up ( )

This book is a fascinating compilation of references to the bird. It's gorgeous, the quotes are gorgeous, everything about it is gorgeous. I just wish that the examples chosen fit the categories better, or else that the book were organized differently. But it was a fantastic bedtable book, and makes a great coffee table book as well. ( )

So, a collection of literary and historical references to about birds.

I picked this up expecting to have a quick flick through and then put it down. But when I realised I was holding up a queue, and had read about twenty pages, I decided to read the whole thing.

I do not usually enjoy collection of snippets such as this, as I find it frustrating to find an extract ends just as it has engaged me. In this case, however, I found the content so varied that I was immediately distracted by some new shiny bit, I forgot to worry about the previous ending.

The illustrations are delightful, and the selected passages are entertaining, and range far beyond the expected quotes from romantic poets and Greek mythology.

Oh, and I do like the stories about albatrosses best! ( )