Synopses & Reviews
For a quarter of a century, Tony Angell and his family shared the remarkable experience of closely observing pairs of western screech owls that occupied a nesting box outside the window of their forest home. The journals in which the author recorded his observations, and the captivating drawings he created, form the heart of this compelling bookandmdash;a personal account of an artist-naturalistandrsquo;s life with owls. Angellandrsquo;s extensive illustrations show owls engaged in what owls doandmdash;hunting, courting, raising families, and exercising their inquisitive naturesandmdash;and reveal his immeasurable respect for their secret lives and daunting challenges.
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Angell discusses the unique characteristics that distinguish owls from other bird species and provides a fascinating overview of the impact owls have had on human culture and thought. He also offers detailed scientific descriptions of the nineteen species of owls found in North America, as well as their close relatives elsewhere. Always emphasizing the interaction of humans and owls, the author affirms by his own example the power of these birds both to beguile and to inspire.
Review
andldquo;There is no other writer on birds today who so perfectly combines a life of observation with his own art and the kind of up-to-date information one gets from associating with researchers.andrdquo;andmdash;Stephen Bodio, contributing editor of Living Bird and author of Aloft, Querencia, and An Eternity of Eagles
Review
andldquo;Two worlds of wisdom meet in The House of Owls, natureand#39;s own in the survival of an owl family through the generations and the all-seeing eye of the artist who is their host and diarist. Tony Angell magnificently depicts this long mutual near-kinship and much more in words straight from the heart and illustrations masterfully true to life.andrdquo;andmdash;Ivan Doig, author of The Whistling Season
Review
andldquo;Few artists move us with both words and images. The vigor, unique adaptations and essential life-blood of North American Owls, propelled by powerful illustrations and intimate accounts, animate the pages ofandnbsp;The House of Owls, another masterful work by Tony Angell.andrdquo;andmdash;Paul Bannick, author of The Owl and The Woodpecker
Review
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The House of Owls is, simply, a delight for a strigiphile like me. But it will also delight any birder or naturalist, and all those who care about the living world and its more remarkable manifestations.andrdquo;andmdash;From the Foreword by Robert Michael Pyle, author of
Chasing Monarchs and
Mariposa RoadReview
andldquo;A charming personal account, accompanied by nearly 100 illustrations, that underscores how owls and other birds enrich our lives.andrdquo;andmdash;Kirkus Reviews
Review
andquot;Tony Angell writes (and draws) with the absolute authority of one who has studied, rehabilitated, lived with and loved the animals his whole life. . . . This book is alive with his chiaroscuro depictions of owls in every imaginable pursuit. . . . It is rare and becoming rarer to find books so well illustrated by their authors.andquot;andmdash;Wall Street Journal
Review
andquot;[Angelland#39;s] accounts of owlsand#39; lives and habits, along with his intimate, detailed illustrations, manage to make the creatures seem both more familiar and more mysterious . . . A tale well-told, beautifully illustrated, and imparted by just the right voice.andquot;andmdash;American Scientist
Review
andlsquo;The House of Owls is the apotheosis of a life-timeandrsquo;s engagement with owls. Steeped in the tradition of Alexander Wilson and John James Audubon, it blends taxonomy, ornithology, biogeography and autobiography.andrsquo;andmdash;Janette Currie, TLS.andnbsp;andnbsp;
Synopsis
A master naturalist offers an intimate account of owls he has observed, admired, and depicted for decades
About the Author
andldquo;Evolution has exquisitely designed owls for their lives as predators. They possess memories of place that are so keen they can maneuver expertly through the branches of trees in near total darkness. They are inquisitive, passionate, aggressive, deceptive, and at times quite valiant creatures. They experience pleasure and fear, and form inseparable pair bonds. As we humans make our impact felt on ecosystems and further pollute our planet, these birds are among the most vulnerable to the changes. The drawings and narratives here all grow directly from first-hand experiences with a number of owl species, but it is only by considering them in the context of the environmental conditions owls face that they become truly meaningful.andrdquo;andmdash;from the Preface,and#160;
The House of Owls Praise for In the Company of Crows and Ravens by John Marzluff and Tony Angell:
andquot;Learning how to slow down and observe animals around us is one simple way to form a stronger bond with nature.and#160;In the Company of Crows and Ravens is a subtle and beautiful reminder of this simple truth.andquot;andmdash;Susan Salter Reynolds, Los Angeles Times Book Review
andquot;Beautifully illustrated and produced. . . . As gripping and difficult to put down as any good work of fiction.andquot;andmdash;Alex Kacelnik, Nature
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