In The Company Of Crows And Ravens

by John M. Marzluff and Tony Angell; Illustrated by Tony Angell; Foreword by Paul Ehrlich

• ISBN13: 9780300100761
• ISBN10: 0300100760
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2005-10-31
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

"Crows and people share similar traits and social strategies. To a surprising extent, to know the crow is to know ourselves."from the Preface From the cave walls at Lascaux to the last painting by Van Gogh, from the works of Shakespeare to those of Mark Twain, there is clear evidence that crows and ravens influence human culture. Yet this influence is not unidirectional, say the authors of this fascinating book: people profoundly influence crow culture, ecology, and evolution as well. John Marzluff and Tony Angell examine the often surprising ways that crows and humans interact. The authors contend that those interactions reflect a process of "cultural coevolution." They offer a challenging new view of the human-crow dynamica view that may change our thinking not only about crows but also about ourselves. Featuring more than 100 original drawings, the book takes a close look at the influences people have had on the lives of crows throughout history and at the significant ways crows have altered human lives. In theCompany of CrowsandRavensilluminates the entwined histories of crows and people and concludes with an intriguing discussion of the crow-human relationship and how our attitudes toward crows may affect our cultural trajectory.

Author Biography

JOHN M. MARZLUFF is Denman Professor of Sustainable Resource Sciences and professor of wildlife science, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington. TONY ANGELL is a freelance artist and writer in Lopez Island, Washington. Together the authors combine more than 60 years of scientific and artistic fascination with crows and their bird relatives.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Paul Ehrlich
Preface	xi
Acknowledgments	xvii
Cultural Connections	1	(35)
A Crow Is a Crow, or Is It?	36	(44)
Intertwined Ecologies and Mutual Destinies	80	(28)
Inspiration for Legend, Literature, Art, and Language	108	(44)
The Social Customs and Culture of Crows	152	(44)
Communication and Culture	196	(22)
Reaping What We Sow	218	(35)
Centering the Balance	253	(28)
Future Interactions	281	(22)
Appendix One Making Observations to Learn More	303	(5)
Appendix Two Children's Books That Involve Crows and Ravens	308	(5)
Notes	313	(20)
References	333	(28)
Index	361