Mrs Moreau's Warbler
How Birds Got Their Names
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Narrated by:
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Stephen Moss
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By:
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Stephen Moss
About this listen
Swallow and starling, puffin and peregrine, blue tit and blackcap. We use these names so often that few of us ever pause to wonder about their origins. What do they mean? Where did they come from? And who created them?
The words we use to name birds are some of the most lyrical and evocative in the English language. They also tell incredible stories: of epic expeditions, fierce battles between rival ornithologists, momentous historical events and touching romantic gestures.
Through fascinating encounters with birds, and the rich cast of characters who came up with their names, in Mrs Moreau's Warbler Stephen Moss takes us on a remarkable journey through time. From when humans and birds first shared the earth to our fraught present-day coexistence, Moss shows how these names reveal as much about ourselves and our relationship with the natural world as about the creatures they describe.
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What listeners say about Mrs Moreau's Warbler
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-31-20
BIrds, history, and language origins
Absolutely loved this book. It was so much more than I expected. Yes, it is about the origin of bird names. but the author expands and diverts to so much around each name including history of discovery, history of each person associated with the bird name, status of the bird, and so on including his own experiences with the birds. And the author as the narrator conveys his enthusiasm throughout the story. It is fascinating and personal. Highly recommended.
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