Synopses & Reviews
The bald eagle is regal but fearless, a bird you're not inclined to argue with. For centuries, Americans have celebrated it as "majestic" and "noble," yet savaged the living bird behind their national symbol as a malicious predator of livestock and, falsely, a snatcher of babies. Taking us from before the nation's founding through inconceivable resurgences of this enduring all-American species, Jack E. Davis contrasts the age when native peoples lived beside it peacefully with that when others, whether through hunting bounties or DDT pesticides, twice pushed Haliaeetus leucocephalus to the brink of extinction.
Filled with spectacular stories of Founding Fathers, rapacious hunters, heroic bird rescuers, and the lives of bald eagles themselves--monogamous creatures, considered among the animal world's finest parents — The Bald Eagle is a much-awaited cultural and natural history that demonstrates how this bird's wondrous journey may provide inspiration today, as we grapple with environmental peril on a larger scale.
Review
“A majestic history of the bald eagle and how it has reflected the nation's changing relationship to nature....[A] consistently lively, captivating narrative....A rousing tale of a species' survival.” Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Review
“Combining natural, political, and cultural histories, Davis offers a wealth of surprising information and demolishes popular misconceptions....Well-timed humor...keeps things moving, and his writing is vivid....This account soars.” Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
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“This fascinating and readable work will appeal to fans of the majestic bald eagle and those interested in the natural, cultural, and political history of the United States.” Library Journal
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“An impressive work of scholarship....if you have any questions about our national bird, Mr. Davis's The Bald Eagle is a great place to look for answers.” The Wall Street Journal
Video
Watch the Powell’s virtual event with Jack E. Davis and Jonathan Meiburg!
About the Author
Jack E. Davis is the author of the award-winning The Gulf: The Making of An American Sea and An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century. A professor of environmental history at the University of Florida, he lives in Florida and New Hampshire.