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In 1985 Boria Sax inherited an area of forest in New York State
that had been purchased by his Russian, Jewish Communist
grandparents as a buffer against what they felt was a hostile
world. For Sax, in the years following, the woodland came to
represent a link with those who lived and had lived there,
including Native Americans, settlers, bears, deer, turtles and
migrating birds. In this personal and eloquent account, Sax
explores the meanings and cultural history of forests from
prehistory to the present, taking in Gilgamesh, Virgil, Dante, the
Gawain poet, medieval alchemists, the Brothers Grimm, the Hudson
River painters, Latin American folklore, contemporary African
novelists and much more. Combining lyricism with contemporary
scholarship, Sax opens new emotional, intellectual and
environmental perspectives on the storied history of the forest.
Tales throughout the world generally place fabulous beasts in
marginal locations - deserts, deep woods, remote islands, glaciers,
ocean depths, mountain peaks, caves, swamps, heavenly bodies and
alternate universes. Legends tell us that imaginary animals belong
to a primordial time, before we had encompassed the world with
names, categories and scientific knowledge. This book traces the
history of imaginary animals from Palaeolithic art to the Harry
Potter stories, and beyond. It shows how imagined creatures help us
psychologically, giving form to our subconscious fears as
'monsters', as well as embodying our hopes as 'wonders'.
Nevertheless, their greatest service may be to continually
challenge our imaginations, directing us beyond the limitations of
our conventional beliefs and expectations.
Avian Illuminations examines the many roles birds have played in
human society, from food, messengers, deities and pets, to omens,
muses, timekeepers, custodians, hunting companions, decorative
motifs and, most importantly, embodiments of our aspirations. It
narrates the history of our relationships with a host of birds
including crows, owls, parrots, falcons, eagles, nightingales,
hummingbirds, and many more. Along the way the book describes how
birds’ nesting has symbolised human romance, how their flight has
inspired inventors throughout history, and concludes by showing
that the interconnections between birds and humans are so manifold
that a world without birds would effectively mean an end to human
culture itself. Beautifully illustrated, this is a superb overview
of our long and rich association with our feathered friends.
This classic Reaktion title, now available in B-format, is a survey
of crows, ravens, magpies and their relatives in myth, literature
and life. It ranges from the raven sent out by Noah to the corvid
deities of the Eskimo, to Taoist legends, Victorian novels and
contemporary films. It will be of interest to anyone who has ever
been intrigued, puzzled, annoyed or charmed by these wonderfully
intelligent birds.
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Lizard (Paperback)
Boria Sax
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R436
R355
Discovery Miles 3 550
Save R81 (19%)
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Ships in 9 - 15 working days
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Lizards stimulate the human imagination, despite generally being
small, soundless and hidden from sight in burrows, treetops or
crevices. They can blend into a vast range of environments, from
rocky coasts to deserts and rainforests. Their fluid motion can
make us think of water, while their curvilinear forms suggest
vegetation. Their stillness appears deathlike, while their sudden
arousal is like resurrection. Lizards are at once overhyped and
underappreciated. Our storybooks are full of lizards, but we
usually call them something else - dragons, serpents or monsters.
Our tales vastly increase their size, bestow wings upon them, make
them exhale flame and endow them with magical powers. This
illuminating book demonstrates how the story of lizards is
interwoven with the history of the human imagination. Boria Sax
describes the diversity of lizards and traces their representation
in many cultures, including those of pre-conquest Australia, the
Quiche Maya, Mughal India, China, Central Africa, Europe and
America. Filled with beguiling images, Lizard is essential reading
for natural history enthusiasts, students of animal studies and the
many thousands of people who keep lizards as pets.
The Serpent and the Swan is a history and analysis of animal bride
tales from antiquity to the present. The animal bride tale, the
author argues, is an enduring expression of humankind's need to
remain close to and a part of nature.
Boria Sax traces the idea of the animal bride through history by
drawing upon legends and literary works from throughout the world.
He pays particular attention to Eurasian sources which support his
thesis that the animal bride theme originated among the serpent
cults of Mesopotamia and southeastern Europe. Through time, the
details of the animal bride theme changed as a result of mankind's
changing perceptions of the natural world. In general, this study
is an account of myths and beliefs that have surrounded
animals--and women--during the rise of modern humankind.
The Serpent and the Swan identifies and explains images of the
animal bride that pervade, enliven, and enrich our culture. The
bride becomes Eve taking an apple from the serpent, Medea casting
spells, Cinderella riding to the royal ball in a pumpkin coach, and
the Little Mermaid rising from the waves.
The Author: Boria Sax, who holds a doctorate in German and
intellectual history, is the author of The Frog King and The
Parliament of Animals, among other books.
In this illuminating discussion of the role of animals in Western
thought, the author shows, through his analysis of folklore,
popular ideas, and natural history, that man's traditional
fascination with animals is more than it appears. Professor Sax
asserts that "animals put us in touch with modes of perception that
are prior to culture. Encounters with animals compel us to question
what it means to be human." After summarizing recent research on
the bonds between animals and people, the author discusses the two
major traditions of animal tales in Western culture, fables and
fairy tales. Also discussed is what role specific animals, such as
the beaver, stag, and elephant, have played in Western thought.
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