A SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 'Rich and joyous ...The book's quiet optimism about our ability to change, and to learn to love small things passionately, will stay with me for a long time' Helen Macdonald 'Big-hearted and quietly gripping' Guardian 'I love Jon Day's writing and his birds. A marvellous, soaring account' Olivia Laing '[A] beautiful book about unbeautiful birds' Observer 'This is nature writing at its best' Financial Times 'Awash with historical and literary detail, and moving moments ... Wonderful' Telegraph 'Every page of this beautifully written book brought me pleasure' Charlotte Higgins 'A vivid evocation of a remarkable species and a rich working-class tradition. It's also a charming defence of a much-maligned bird, which will make any reader look at our cooing, waddling, junk-food-loving feathered friends very differently in future' Daily Mail 'Endlessly interesting and dazzlingly erudite, this wonderful book will make a home for itself in your heart' Prospect As a boy, Jon Day was fascinated by pigeons, which he used to rescue from the streets of London. Twenty years later he moved away from the city centre to the suburbs to start a family. But in moving house, he began to lose a sense of what it meant to feel at home. Returning to his childhood obsession with the birds, he built a coop in his garden and joined a local pigeon racing club. Over the next few years, as he made a home with his young family in Leyton, he learned to train and race his pigeons, hoping that they might teach him to feel homed. Having lived closely with humans for tens of thousands of years, pigeons have become powerful symbols of peace and domesticity. But they are also much-maligned, and nowadays most people think of these birds, if they do so at all, as vermin. A book about the overlooked beauty of this species, and about what it means to dwell, Homing delves into the curious world of pigeon fancying, explores the scientific mysteries of animal homing, and traces the cultural, political and philosophical meanings of home. It is a book about the making of home and making for home: a book about why we return.

Jane Scarlett has a lonely and sad existence living in a dingy boardinghouse room and working the button counter of a department store. Until one day a young socialite woman visits her counter and they strike up a conversation that will lead Jane to a home and family connections she thought lost.

Millions of ethnic Koreans have been driven from the Korean Peninsula over the course of the region’s modern history. Emigration was often the personal choice of migrants hoping to escape economic and political hardship, but it was also enforced or encouraged by governmental relocation and migration projects in both colonial and postcolonial times. The turning point in South Korea’s overall migration trajectory occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the nation’s increased economic prosperity and global visibility, along with shifting geopolitical relationships between the First World and Second World, precipitated a migration flow to South Korea. Since the early 1990s, South Korea’s foreign-resident population has soared more than 3,000 percent. Homing investigates the experiences of legacy migrants—later-generation diaspora Koreans who “return” to South Korea—from China, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the United States. Unlike their parents or grandparents, they have no firsthand experience of their ancestral homeland. They inherited an imagined homeland through memories, stories, pictures, and traditions passed down by family and community, or through images disseminated by the media. When diaspora Koreans migrate to South Korea, they confront far more than a new living situation: they must navigate their own shifting emotions as their expectations for their new homeland—and its expectations of them—confront reality. Everyday experiences and social encounters—whether welcoming or humiliating—all contribute to their sense of belonging in the South. Homing addresses some of the most vexing and pressing issues of contemporary transnational migration—citizenship, cultural belonging, language, and family relationships—and highlights their affective dimensions. Using accounts gleaned through interviews, author Ji-Yeon Jo situates migrant experiences within the historical context of each diaspora. Her book is the first to analyze comparatively the migration experiences of ethnic Koreans from three diverse diaspora, whose presence in South Korea and ongoing relationships with diaspora homelands have challenged and destabilized existing understandings of Korean peoplehood.

How migratory birds can navigate home from their wintering grounds to their breeding sites over hundreds and thousands of kilometres has been an admired mystery over more than a century. Profound advances towards a solution of this problem have been achieved with a model bird, the homing pigeon. This monograph summarizes our current knowledge about pigeon homing, about the birds' application of a sun compass and a magnetic compass, of a visual topographical map within a familiar area and -- most surprisingly -- of an olfactory map using atmospheric chemosignals as indicators of position in distant unfamiliar areas.

This book provides the first and only comprehensive description and detailed summary of the genetics, structure, function, mechanisms of action, evolution and engineering of homing endonucleases and inteins. These two unique protein superfamilies, which are tied together through their frequent fusion and coevolution, have generated considerable excitement for their fundamental, structural, and functional properties, their evolution as parasitic elements, and their widespread applications as gene targeting agents and as instruments for the generation of modified proteins and novel protein combinations.

Homing phenomena must be considered an important aspect of animal behaviour on account of their frequent occurrence, their survival value, and the variety of the mechanisms involved. Many species regularly rely on their ability to home or reach other familiar sites, but how they manage to do this is often uncertain. In many cases the goal is attained in the absence of any sensory contact, by mechanisms of indirect orientation whose complexity and sophistication have for a long time challenged the skill and patience of many researchers. A series of problems of increasing difficulty have to be overcome; researchers have to discover the nature of orienting cues, the sensory windows involved, the role of inherited and acquired information, and, eventually, how the central mechanisms process information and control motory responses. Naturally, this book emphasizes targets achieved rather than areas unexplored and mysteries unsolved. Even so, the reader will quickly realize that our knowledge of phenomena and mechanisms has progressed to different degrees in different animal groups, ranging from the mere description of homing behaviour to a satisfactory insight into some underlying mechanisms. In the last few dacades there have been promising developments in the study of animal homing, since new approaches have been tried out, and new species and groups have been investigated. Despite this, homing phenomena have not recently been the object of exhaustive reviews and there is a tendency for them to be neglected in general treatises on animal behaviour.

Homing Pigeons: Best in Racing Pigeon Books on Homing Pigeons is the ultimate guide for anyone interested in the thrilling world of pigeon racing. This comprehensive book delves into every aspect of the sport, from its rich history to the advanced techniques used by top pigeon racers today. Whether you're a beginner looking to get started or an experienced enthusiast seeking to improve your racing performance, this book provides essential insights into the fascinating and competitive world of homing pigeons. In Chapter 1: The Fascinating World of Pigeon Racing, you'll explore the captivating origins of pigeon racing and how it evolved into a global phenomenon. Learn about the sport's cultural significance across different countries and discover the legendary races and racers that have shaped pigeon racing history. This chapter also highlights the challenges and rewards of competing in modern pigeon racing, giving you a solid foundation to understand the sport's appeal and its modern-day prominence. Chapter 2: Getting Started with Pigeon Racing offers everything you need to know to begin your pigeon racing journey. Learn how to choose the best pigeon breeds for racing, understand the importance of pigeon genetics, and set up your racing loft. With easy-to-follow guidance on pigeon care and training, this chapter ensures that even newcomers can raise strong, healthy birds capable of performing in races. Additionally, it prepares you for your first race, outlining exactly what to expect when competing for the first time. For those looking to push their pigeons to the next level, Chapter 3: Advanced Training Techniques focuses on specialized training methods. You'll discover how to develop a precise training schedule, enhance your pigeons' conditioning and endurance, and hone their homing instincts. With cutting-edge insights on speed trials, mental training, and technology's role in racing, this chapter is perfect for racers who want to refine their techniques and ensure their birds perform at their peak. In Chapter 4: Advanced Breeding Strategies, this book dives deep into the art and science of pigeon breeding. Learn how to select the perfect breeding stock, breed for specific traits that give your birds a competitive edge, and raise healthy squabs with top-notch nutrition. Managing a breeding loft requires expertise, and this chapter offers ethical and responsible breeding practices that contribute to the long-term success of your pigeon racing operation. Chapter 5: Nutrition and Health for Racing Pigeons covers everything you need to know about keeping your pigeons in prime health. From understanding pigeon nutrition and feeding schedules to supplementing their diet for enhanced performance, this chapter ensures your birds are always race-ready. It also covers common health issues, first aid, and maintaining a healthy loft to prevent illness and keep your birds thriving throughout the racing season. Finally, Chapter 6: The Business of Pigeon Racing teaches you how to turn your passion into a profitable venture. Learn the economics of pigeon racing, how to market and sell racing pigeons, and secure sponsorships. This chapter also includes tips on competing in major races, building a personal brand in the racing world, and developing long-term strategies for sustained success. Whether you're looking to profit from your birds or simply enhance your competitive edge, this chapter has you covered. If you're ready to immerse yourself in the world of homing pigeons and racing, this book is a must-have for enthusiasts at every level. TAGS: Pigeon Racing, Homing Pigeons, Racing Pigeon Books, Pigeon Racing Guide, Pigeon Racing Tips, Pigeon Racing Training, Pigeon Breeding, Pigeon Care, Pigeon Genetics, Pigeon Loft Setup, Pigeon Racing Competitions, Pigeon Racing Equipment, Pigeon Racing History, Pigeon Racing Health, Pigeon Racing Nutrition