Return of the Crazy Bird
The Sad, Strange Tale of the Dodo
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Published:27th Jan '03
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Using the history of the concept of extinction with the dodo as a case study, Pinto-Correia carefully weaves together story fragments to give a cohesive eye-opening view of 17th century exploration and the grave ramifications it had for the survival and extinction of many species. More importantly, she shows us the intellectual underpinnings of the old view that it was acceptable for some animals to die out. Within this narrative, we can see what the modern view of the dodo tells us about the history of our changing understanding and valuation of nature and our place in it. Strong writing, powered by lively historical anecdotes and sober insights into human behavior, makes this beautifully illustrated book a page-turner to the end.
From the reviews:
"Pinto-Correia recounts the history of the dodo, both as a biological specimen and as an enduring subject of cultural history and lore."
SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE
"The Dodo went from being newly discovered to extinction in less than a hundred years. … Clara Pinto-Correia, in following the bird’s re-creation, shows in this remarkable book how the human intellect and the human imagination prey on sketchy facts and images, how missing pieces and incomplete lines are merged and fused to make a cohesive whole." (FirstScience.com, April, 2003)
"Pinto-Correia skillfully weaves the tale of the discovery, exploitation, and extinction of the dodo and the closely related Rodrigues and Réunion Solitaires of the Mascarene Islands. … the author has produced a readable, sometimes fascinating, history of the multiple discoveries of the islands by European nations. … A thoroughly researched, footnoted, and readable book. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels." (S.W. Harris, CHOICE, June, 2003)
"Pinto-Correia presents an excellent history of one of the most famous extinct birds, the dodo, and the two allied species found only in the Mascarene Islands … . Delving knowledgeably into history, art, folklore, and biology, this is a fine, readable account of the vulnerability, everywhere, of island life forms. Highly recommended." (Henry T. Armistead, Library Journal, February, 2003)
ISBN: 9780387988764
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 1090g
208 pages