Swan : Portrait of a Majestic Bird, from Mythical Meanings to the Modern Day
In Discussion with Dan Keel
Â
Date: Wednesday 13th July, 2022
Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Â
Swan – A wildlife writer and photographer’s celebration of the mute swan, Britain’s most iconic breed, exploring the bird’s significance across myth and history alongside vivid observations on its habits and habitats. The swan is both a lover and a fighter. A graceful angel and a clumsy oaf.
Immortalized by artists over the ages yet misunderstood and threatened in the present day. The mute swan – with its orange beak and aura of stately silence – is the breed we know best in Britain. Dan Keel has been captivated by these birds since boyhood, studying their contrasting qualities over more than three decades. He’s spent countless hours documenting their power, beauty and vulnerability as a writer of nature journalism, as a wildlife photographer looking for the perfect shot, and as a pilot sharing the skies. In this labour of love, Dan speaks up for the mute, answering the essential questions about its nature and its future. Along the way, weaving his first-hand observations into the narrative, he shows us how swans have been portrayed in myth, art and culture for millennia, and how they have been venerated and imitated as well as harmed by humans. Does anybody still eat swan? Can a swan really break your arm? Does the Queen own them all? With an eye for the humour as well as the tragedy of the swan’s story, Dan lays out the facts, guides us to our lakes and riverbanks, and urges us to see these familiar creatures in a fresh light.More Like This:
Showing 1–6 of 457 results
-
Register for Autumn Series of ​Author Events
£0.00Register for Autumn Series of ​Author Events
All events are free but you must register to attend. Please register separately for each event.
£0.00 -
‘Mum, what’s wrong with you?’
£9.99‘Mum, what’s wrong with you?’
Sunday Times bestseller
‘The mothering manual we all need’ Claudia Winkleman
Calling all Mums:
Are you feeling lonely and confused?
Are you panicking that you’re getting everything wrong?
Do you feel as if your relationship with your teenage daughter has worsened overnight?
£9.99 -
A Cellarful of Noise
£9.99A Cellarful of Noise
This is Brian Epstein’s own account of his extraordinary life and, inevitably, it is the story of the Beatles, the greatest pop group of the 20th-century. What was the secret of Brian Epstein’s management of the Beatles, how did he guide a group from Liverpool to shake the world of popular music? Within two years of making their first record they were the biggest group in the world, how Brian Epstein achieved this is in this book. He frankly acknowledges his mistakes and weaknesses while identifying those factors that led to his achievements.
£9.99 -
A Curious Boy
£9.99A Curious Boy
‘Truth and courage are what memoirs need and this one has them both in spades ? The unforgotten boy: that is what makes this a book a revelation’
ADAM NICOLSON‘Wonderful, absolutely beguiling ? I learnt a lot and really loved it’
RICHARD HOLMES‘Gloriously evocative’
DAILY MAIL£9.99