What the Chicken Knows
A New Appreciation of the World's Most Familiar Bird
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Atria Books
Publishing:5th Dec '24
£12.99
This title is due to be published on 5th December, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
A charming and eye-opening exploration of the special relationship between humans and chickens from Sy Montgomery, “one of our finest chroniclers of the natural world” (The New York Times).
For more than two decades, Sy Montgomery—whose The Soul of an Octopus was a National Book Award finalist—has kept a flock of chickens in her backyard. Each chicken has an individual personality (outgoing or shy, loud or quiet, reckless or cautious) and connects with Sy in her own way.
In this short, delightful book, Sy takes us inside the flock and reveals all the things that make chickens such remarkable creatures: only hours after leaving the egg, they are able to walk, run, and peck; relationships are important to them and the average chicken can recognize more than one hundred other chickens; they remember the past and anticipate the future; and they communicate specific information through at least twenty-four distinct calls. Visitors to her home are astonished by all this, but for Sy what’s more astonishing is how little most people know about chickens, especially considering there are about twenty percent more chickens on earth than people.
With a winning combination of personal narrative and science, What the Chicken Knows is exactly the kind of book that has made Sy Montgomery such a beloved and popular author.
Praise for Sy Montgomery
“[Sy Montgomery is] one of our finest chroniclers of the natural world.” —The New York Times
Praise for What the Chicken Knows
“Spellbinding and informative. . . seamlessly covering natural history and up-to-date science. Montgomery’s not-to-be-missed chicken chronicle is enlightening and enlivening.” —Booklist
“Montgomery’s language here is gorgeous, making her emotions palpable. Such affectionate interpretations of bird behavior are a pleasure to read.” —Boston Globe
“Delightful.” —Buzz Magazines
"A charming and eye-opening exploration of the special relationship between humans and chickens.” —The Strand
"Fun and informative. . . . Three clucks to Sy Montgomery.”
—The Associated Press
Praise for The Hummingbirds' GIft
“Montgomery's bright, richly illustrated chronicle stirs renewed appreciation for human empathy, skill, and wonder and a miraculous winged species.” —Booklist
“A hummingbird book that’s like them—zippy and fun...[It] will warm your heart while making you into an armchair ornithologist.” —Associated Press
"This slim book, centered on two abandoned hummingbirds who are nurtured back to health, is ideal for garden reading." —Washington Post
Praise for The Hawk's Way
“If you’re a bird-lover—or otherwise revel in nature—you’ll appreciate Montgomery’s latest... It’s an informative read that will make you want to go outside and look up into the sky.” —Washington Post
“To anyone curious about the allure of falconry, [The Hawk’s Way] is a good place to start.” —The Wall Street Journal
“Radiant…Collapsing the distance between birds and people, this concise and charming book feels custom-made for readers of Helen Macdonald's H Is for Hawk.” —Shelf Awareness
ISBN: 9781668047361
Dimensions: 181mm x 127mm x 15mm
Weight: 211g
96 pages