Synopses & Reviews
Yet the truth is that they arrived in Victorian times as props in gory plays for tourists. But the ravens' past has far more high drama. From the plains of the North American Indians to the arctic tundra, all the way to the Tower of London, they have been symbols of cruelty, of survival through adversity, and a loveable icon. Boria Sax shows how our attitudes to the raven and to the natural world have changed enormously over the centuries. By describing the distinct place of this special bird in Western culture, he shows how blurred the lines between myth and history can be. This is a unique and brilliantly readable story of the entwined lives of people and animals.
Review
"Both a delight and a profound illumination of the subject . . . with unexpected and fascinating conclusions."
--Esther Woolfson, author of Corvus Review
"A wonderful contribution to the modern history and mythology of one of the world's greatest cities."
--Ronald Hutton, Commissioner of English Heritage Review
"Boria Sax traces the history of the ravens in the Tower of London with accurate scholarship and engaging stories."
--John Marzluff, co-author of In the Company of Crows and RavensReview
"Boria Sax is a likable writer, evidently enthused by his subject, and his diligent research has not only illuminated the origins of one of Britain's most famous myths, but also amply demonstrated ravens' 'uncanny ability not only to summon old tales but to constantly generate new ones'" --The Times Literary Supplement
Review
"Quirky and absorbing." --Publishers Weekly
Review
"Building lucent layers of inquiry and metaphor, he offers a fascinating natural history of ravens, men, and mythmaking." --Chronogram
Review
"In City of Ravens, historian Boria Sax debunks these deliciously macabre legends, suggesting that the birds were actually first brought to the Tower in the 19th century as pets, not corpse eaters. . . . The author delves into the true history and cultural importance of these massive corvids. It's a lively, entertaining tale with a few grisly details from real events." --Audubon
Review
"City of Ravens remains a valuable study of the symbolic role of ravens in Britain. The author successfully charts our changing relationship with the enigmatic birds throughout the ages." --New York Journal of Books
Review
"The raven has proven a fascinating creature since mankind laid eyes on it. City of Ravens: London, The Tower, and Its Famous Birds analyzes the place of the Raven in world culture, where it has been both feared and revered, having an unusual place in mythology, as author Boria Sax presents a fascinating delve into the raven and its relation to humanity, with a special focus on the legends of the Tower of London. City of Ravens is a must read for anyone curious about the curious bird, very much highly recommended." Midwest Book Review
Synopsis
The "valuable . . . charming" (Esther Woolfson) story of the mysterious Tower of London ravens Charles II feared Britain would fall if the ravens ever left the Tower of London.
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About the Author
Boria Sax is an award-winning author and lecturer. Two of his scholarly books,
IAnimals in the Third Reich: Pets, Scapegoats, and the Holocaust and
The Mythical Zoo: An Encyclopedia of Animals in Myth, Legend, and Literature, have been named "outstanding academic titles of the year" by the journal Choice. His books have been translated into French, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, and Czech. Boria Sax lives in White Plains, New York. Visit boriasax.com