The Ravenmaster

My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London

De: Christopher Skaife

Narrado por: Christopher Skaife

This program is read by the author.

The first behind-the-scenes account of life with the legendary ravens at the world’s eeriest monument.

The ravens at the Tower of London are of mighty importance: rumor has it that if a raven from the Tower should ever leave, the city will fall.

The title of Ravenmaster, therefore, is a serious title indeed, and after decades of serving the Queen, Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife took on the added responsibility of caring for the infamous ravens. In The Ravenmaster, he lets listeners in on his life as he feeds his birds raw meat and biscuits soaked in blood, buys their food at Smithfield Market, and ensures that these unusual, misunderstood, and utterly brilliant corvids are healthy, happy, and ready to captivate the four million tourists who flock to the Tower every year.

A rewarding, intimate, and inspiring partnership has developed between the ravens and their charismatic and charming human, the Ravenmaster, who shares the folklore, history, and superstitions surrounding the ravens and the Tower. Shining a light on the behavior of the birds, their pecking order and social structure, and the tricks they play on us, Skaife shows who the Tower’s true guardians really are - and the result is a compelling and irreverent audiobook that will surprise and enchant.

©2018 Historic Royal Palaces Enterprises Ltd. (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"[Christopher Skaife's] natural storyteller's charm results in a performance that is conversational, funny, and self-deprecating...Ravenmaster is a joyful listening experience." (AudioFile Magazine)

Very Enjoyable

A great listen!!! Highly recommended!! Engaging non-fiction look at the ravens of the Tower. Brilliant!

Fast listen

Great story by a great storyteller. Listened to the book straight through once I started.

For Raven lovers, a delight!

What wonderful stories that you would never hear elsewhere. And the author as the narrator is always the best. You get a real feel for who he is and the stories beyond the words.

Birds and more birds

I am just cuckoo for birds. This is a lovely book about a man who has dedicated his life to caring for a London treasure, the ravens of the Tower. I enjoyed every minute of it. This is a book totally in the black. #unique #FeelGood #Birdalicious #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

Educational and Fun

I bought this book for research about ravens, and not only did I find it to be wonderfully detailed, but the author lent the subject a great deal of charm by sharing the details of his fascinating life with these clever beings. A great listen!

Interesting and likeable

Learning a tad bit about raven behavior and about the ravens who make the Tower Of London their home was interesting. The author of this book, who is the Ravenmaster at the TOL, was pretty neat himself...picture kind of a regular hardworking bloke who just happens to have one of the coolest and unique job ever. It's a light read (or listen) and was just the thing to help me unwind, but now my curiosity is piqued and I have to find out more on raven behavior! Thanks, Audible

fascinating for anyone with an aviary affection

I would love to get the chance to talk with Chris Skaife, he is a wonderful story teller and has an incredible job.

Love this book! Well done Ravenmaster!

Interesting story and well narrated by the author. The story centers on the ravens, but includes a wide range of historical and personal vignettes that all manage to tie into the overall story of the Tower Ravens. Very well written - interesting from start to finish. Visiting the Tower Ravens is now on my list of places to visit.

Highly Enjoyable

Mr. Skaife is truly an excellent storyteller. I could not imagine anyone else would be able to perform this book as well as him. The topic was one I had not considered before. I was lucky enough to see it and give it a try (so glad I did). Although there were a couple of moments when I started to lose interest (this often happens to me). Hang in there and you will not be disappointed!

Fascinating and delightful

This is a wonderful book for bird-lovers as well as an informative and engaging title for history enthusiasts! The author is a captivating narrator and the writing is strong and passionate. I loved the way this book addresses myths about ravens as well as problematic ideas about animal entertainment. Overall this is a balanced work of raven-ology and personal narrative.