|
Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird | 
 enlarge | Author: Andrew D. Blechman
Publisher: Grove Press
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy New: $4.79
You Save: $9.21 (66%)
New (40) Used (21) from $2.57
Avg. Customer Rating:  28 reviews
Sales Rank: 276378
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8
ISBN: 0802143288
Dewey Decimal Number: 598.65
EAN: 9780802143280
ASIN: 0802143288
Publication Date: October 10, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New, unread, publisher over-stock copies. Ships out by NEXT Business Day. We have shipped TWO MILLION+ Amazon orders to-date. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee!
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
divPigeons have been worshipped as fertility goddesses and revered as symbols of peace. Domesticated since the dawn of man, they#8217;ve been used as crucial communicators in war by every major historical superpower from ancient Egypt to the United States and are credited with saving thousands of lives. Charles Darwin relied heavily on pigeons to help formulate and support his theory of evolution. Yet today they are reviled as #8220;rats with wings.#8221; Author Andrew D. Blechman traveled across the United States and Europe to meet with pigeon fanciers and pigeon haters in a quest to find out how we came to misunderstand one of mankind#8217;s most helpful and steadfast companions. Pigeons captures a Brooklyn man#8217;s quest to win the Main Event (the pigeon world#8217;s equivalent of the Kentucky Derby), as well as a convention dedicated to breeding the perfect bird. Blechman participates in a live pigeon shoot where entrants pay $150; he tracks down Mike Tyson, the nation#8217;s most famous pigeon lover; he spends time with Queen Elizabeth#8217;s Royal Pigeon Handler; and he sheds light on a radical #8220;pro-pigeon underground#8217; in New York City. In iPigeons/i, Blechman tells for the first time the remarkable story behind this seemingly unremarkable bird./div
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 23 more reviews...
 Pigeons is the BEST BOOK OF 2008! November 20, 2008
Pigeons is the best book of 2008! I had no idea that pigeons had such a colorful history! The writer takes you from historical war stories to bird competitions to live pigeon shoots. Andrew Blechman's dedication to researching the book is unsurpassed. The people he interviews are fascinating and hilarious! We have all fed pigeons in the city at one time or another but gave little thought otherwise. Blechman delves into the serious business of how to deter the birds from hanging out on top of buildings and leaving their droppings down below. David Roth of Arizona is an interesting character who truly helps his clients and the pigeons achieve this goal. The stories of birds carrying messages during war and saving thousands upon thousands of men seems almost impossible. It is not until you meet the men who race pigeons full time that you understand how remarkable the birds really are. The time, money and energy that go into feeding, training and housing the birds is quite unlike any other hobby. Huge bird conventions are held showcasing all types of birds...God forbid if your show bird has a feather out of place! As an owner of a Single Yellow-Headed Amazon Parrot named Boo, who I've had for 18 years, I found it difficult to read about the pigeon shoots. The heartlessness of the hunters is sickening. The title says it all..."revered" or "reviled". The book was so incredible I have bought numerous copies for my family and friends. My Dad just started reading it yesterday. Blechman has a wonderful talent and I feel lucky to have found such a wonderful story.
 Who knew Pigeons could be so interesting? November 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was intrigued by this book. I expected something along the lines of Robert Sullivan's _Rats_. What I got instead was a moderately interesting read that would have better been titled Pigeon People than Pigeons. While there is plenty of information on the birds themselves, the majority of the book focuses on people and their relationships with pigeons (e.g., people who shoot/show/raise/race/cook/eat/preserve pigeons). While this doesn't make the book any less interesting, it does leave me wishing the title better reflected the content.
Great Book September 4, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
For such a simple subject this was really fascinating. A great read, I finished it in under a week. Highly recomended for urbanites, animal lovers and natural history buffs.
Pigeons and Me June 23, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
What a crisis for me! I always looked at pigeons as objects to be avoided in my urban environment. Now, after many years, I know what I have been missing-they are exciting birds that offer more than they take.Blechman has written a book that will astonish you by what you do not know about these common birds. I am now able to be eloquent about pigeons and enjoy them while sitting in the park. Thank you Mr. Blechman.
Cooing about Pigeons June 20, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It's rare that any book I'm reading gets a rise out of people when they see the cover. Not so with "Pigeons." Many of the onlookers gave the impression that I was just a few pages short from being placed in a straitjacket and escorted into a padded room. Mr. Blechman's book was well worth the ridicule. A mild curiosity made me pick up the book and purchase it. It was money well spent. Mr. Blechman does an excellent job educating the reader and reporting in a breezy manner the many kinds of relationships between people and pigeons. It's unlikely you'll ever look at this bird in the same way. Highly entertaining and informative.
|
|
|
| |
