The New York Times–bestselling author of H is for Hawk explores the human relationship to the natural world in this “dazzling” essay collection (Wall Street Journal). In Vesper Flights, Helen Macdonald brings together a collection of her best loved essays, along with new pieces on topics ranging from nostalgia for a vanishing countryside to the tribulations of farming ostriches to her own private vespers while trying to fall asleep. Meditating on notions of captivity and freedom, immigration and flight, Helen invites us into her most intimate experiences: observing the massive migration of songbirds from the top of the Empire State Building, watching tens of thousands of cranes in Hungary, seeking the last golden orioles in Suffolk’s poplar forests. She writes with heart-tugging clarity about wild boar, swifts, mushroom hunting, migraines, the strangeness of birds’ nests, and the unexpected guidance and comfort we find when watching wildlife.

Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight. Exceptions include the diurnal northern hawk-owl and the gregarious burrowing owl. Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except polar ice caps and some remote islands. Owls are divided into two families: the true (or typical) owl family, Strigidae, and the barn-owl family, Tytonidae. Throughout human history, owls have variously symbolized dread, knowledge, wisdom, death, and religious beliefs in a spirit world. In most Western cultures, views of owls have changed drastically over time. Owls can serve simultaneously as indicators of scarce native habitats and of local cultural and religious beliefs. Understanding historical and current ways in which owls are viewed, and not imposing Western views on other cultures, is an important and necessary context for crafting owl conservation approaches palatable to local peoples. The Book Owl: The Mysterious Bird is a systematic compilation of authentic and standard literature published by renowned ornithologists, professionals, amateurs and hobbyists of the world in the field of ornithology and wildlife biology. It also covers author’s (HBS) personal observations and published research work in the wild terrains of Gujarat (India) during his research exposure of 24 years as an Ornithologist and Wildlife Biologist. The present book highlights the remarkable key-points and noteworthy information about owls in terms of introductory notes on anatomy, sexual dimorphism, adaptations for hunting, flight and feathers, vision, hearing, talons, beak, camouflage behavior, breeding and reproduction, evolution and systematics, food and hunting, pellets, eyes, plumage, feet, breeding, calls, holistic information about owls (e.g. food and hunting, pellets, eyes, plumage, feet, breeding, calls), symbolisms about owls (African cultures, ancient European and modern Western culture, Asia, Hinduism, native American cultures), motifs and mythology, markers of gods, knowledge, wisdom, and fertility, owls in lore and culture, owls in tribal folklores, owls in mythology and culture, owls in Greek and roman mythology, owls in English folklore, owls in American Indian culture, owl mythology: a global perspective, human impacts on owls, individual impacts, toxicological impacts on owls, agricultural impacts on owls, impacts of habitat alteration on owls, legal protection to owls, owls as environmental indicators, towards a tolerant conservation, rodent control, attacks on humans, and conservation issues. The author has also acknowledged all the researchers, scientists, authors, website developers, NGOS, URLs, and direct or indirect informers in the form of ‘Citations’ in the section ‘Selected Bibliography’. This book will definitely be a ready reference material and handy study guide for students, researchers, scientists, folklore specialists, and bird conservationists around the world. The author renders his immense gratitude and enormous thankfulness to all the informants, who have helped him directly or indirectly during the compilation of this work.

The Conjurer’s Bird is a beautiful story in the spirit of Possession that is as exciting as The Club Dumas, inspired by one of the great puzzles of natural history: that of the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta. Seen only once, in 1774, by Captain Cook’s second expedition to the South Seas, a single specimen was captured, preserved, and brought back to England. The bird was given to famed naturalist Joseph Banks, who displayed it proudly in his collection until its sudden, unexplained disappearance. Two hundred years later, naturalists continue to wonder if the world will ever get another glimpse of the elusive bird. Were it not for a colored drawing done by the ship’s artist, there would be nothing to say that the bird had ever existed. The Conjurer’s Bird is a gripping literary mystery and passionate love story that tackles the intrigue surrounding the celebrated Banks, his secret affair with an enigmatic woman known only as “Miss B,” and the legendary bird that becomes a touchstone for their love. Seamlessly spanning two time periods, The Conjurer’s Bird is at once the story of this romance and of a present-day conservationist named Fitz, who is drawn into a thrilling and near-impossible race to find the elusive bird’s only known remains. An Alternate Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club and Quality Paperback Book Club

The incredible story of the mystery U-Boats of WWII! Graddon first chronicles the story of the mysterious U-33 that landed in Scotland in 1940 and involved the top-secret Enigma device. He then looks at U-Boat special missions during and after WWII, including U-Boat trips to Antarctica; U-Boats with the curious cargos of liquid mercury; the journey of the Spear of Destiny via U-Boat; the "Black Subs" and more. Topics covered by Graddon include: U-33: The Official Story; Survivors and Deceased; August 1985-the story breaks; The Carradale U-boat; The Tail of the Bank Event; In the wake of U-33; Wrecks; The Greenock Lairs; The Mystery Men; "Brass Bounders at the Admiralty"; Max Schiller through the Lens; U-Boat Special Missions; Neu-Schwabenland and Station; Mercury Rising; The Holy Lance; U-boats in Scotland-Fact in Fiction; Admiral Karl Donitz and the U-Boat fleet; U33: Argo of the Grail; The Female Pope; U-Boats with cargoes of liquid mercury, more. Thoroughly documented with photos and official documents.

The book is the volume of “The Religious History of Remote Antiquity Period and The Three Dynasties (Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasty)” among a series of books of “Deep into China Histories”. The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC) and the Bamboo Annals (296 BC) describe a Xia dynasty (c. 2070–1600 BC) before the Shang, but no writing is known from the period The Shang ruled in the Yellow River valley, which is commonly held to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. However, Neolithic civilizations originated at various cultural centers along both the Yellow River and Yangtze River. These Yellow River and Yangtze civilizations arose millennia before the Shang. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest civilizations, and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization.The Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC) supplanted the Shang and introduced the concept of the Mandate of Heaven to justify their rule. The central Zhou government began to weaken due to external and internal pressures in the 8th century BC, and the country eventually splintered into smaller states during the Spring and Autumn period. These states became independent and warred with one another in the following Warring States period. Much of traditional Chinese culture, literature and philosophy first developed during those troubled times.In 221 BC Qin Shi Huang conquered the various warring states and created for himself the title of Huangdi or "emperor" of the Qin, marking the beginning of imperial China. However, the oppressive government fell soon after his death, and was supplanted by the longer-lived Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). Successive dynasties developed bureaucratic systems that enabled the emperor to control vast territories directly. In the 21 centuries from 206 BC until AD 1912, routine administrative tasks were handled by a special elite of scholar-officials. Young men, well-versed in calligraphy, history, literature, and philosophy, were carefully selected through difficult government examinations. China's last dynasty was the Qing (1644–1912), which was replaced by the Republic of China in 1912, and in the mainland by the People's Republic of China in 1949.Chinese history has alternated between periods of political unity and peace, and periods of war and failed statehood – the most recent being the Chinese Civil War (1927–1949). China was occasionally dominated by steppe peoples, most of whom were eventually assimilated into the Han Chinese culture and population. Between eras of multiple kingdoms and warlordism, Chinese dynasties have ruled parts or all of China; in some eras control stretched as far as Xinjiang and Tibet, as at present. Traditional culture, and influences from other parts of Asia and the Western world (carried by waves of immigration, cultural assimilation, expansion, and foreign contact), form the basis of the modern culture of China.