Guest blog by Will Shoote, Visitor Centre Assistant
Norfolk-based author and naturalist Mark Cocker set out 10 years ago on a mission; to write a book about almost every known bird in the world. However, the result is not your average ‘bird book.’ Birds and People is a huge collection (running to 430,000 words) of interesting short stories, and anecdotes, about how people have been influenced by birds and vice versa. Stories from around the world are incorporated, giving a fascinating insight into how birds and people are connected now, and historically. Stories within the book range from birds that like to drink beer, to the origin of the saying, “as dead as a dodo.”
Birds and People is not designed to be read from cover to cover, instead it is a huge work that can be dipped into whenever time is available. The book provides an opportunity to learn about birds from around the world, but more than that it is an opportunity to learn about global cultures and how they differ. Never before has a book provided such a comprehensive overview of how birds have influenced our lives and those of our predecessors. The accessible and interesting text by Mark Cocker is superbly complimented by photography from David Tipling. The quality of the images serves to enhance the reader’s understanding of the subject and really brings the text to life.
Overall the book is an incredible work, put together by an author who is clearly enthusiastic about their subject and who is able to convey this in a way that makes the reader want to read more. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in birds and a space on their coffee table. I can guarantee you’ll never have learnt as much about birds, or humans, from any other bird book!
Birds and People is our book of the month at Minsmere and is available for only £30 (RRP £40) until the end of December.