pochicho's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this. I eat up anything about birds so I thought this would be fantastic. Unfortunately it's just not an engaging read. It somehow manages to make a fascinating subject kind of boring because it's really repetitive. It feels like they could have cut like 50 to 100 pages out of it without losing information.
Beyond that I also didn't find it super informative. I thought a book this thick with this many references must be full of information but it's just not.
I give it three stars only because I do really love birds so the information I DID learn from it is appreciated.
Beyond that I also didn't find it super informative. I thought a book this thick with this many references must be full of information but it's just not.
I give it three stars only because I do really love birds so the information I DID learn from it is appreciated.
nicktomjoe's review against another edition
4.0
A huge, enlightening sprawl of a book. I did feel a heavier hand of an editor might have helped avoid some of the passages and occasional repeats.
This sounds as if I didn’t enjoy the book. I did; the writers effectively spread their enthusiasm for American corvids on every page, so that their final wish - that their reader should “keep watching and wondering” - is amply fulfilled.
This sounds as if I didn’t enjoy the book. I did; the writers effectively spread their enthusiasm for American corvids on every page, so that their final wish - that their reader should “keep watching and wondering” - is amply fulfilled.
ury949's review against another edition
2.0
This book was too boring for me. I'm sure it's got lots of fascinating information, but I just couldn't get into it.
staatz's review against another edition
4.0
A pair of scientists examine corvids from ecological and cultural angles, not leaving out a few amusing antidotes. Engaging stuff if you've ever had an interest in crows.
onceandfuturelaura's review against another edition
4.0
Great and slightly unsettling book. Boy was I taught wrong about non humans.
eupomene's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good read, for those of us who love corvids. More about crows than ravens, and doesn't cover all corvids in the family, but there was a lot to learn in here.
crowyhead's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fascinating study of crows, ravens, and other corvids, and the way that they and humans have co-evolved. The authors make strong arguments for the ability of crows in particular to learn socially and even use tools. There's also a lot of fascinating stuff about the ways that humans have changed our environment in such a way that encourages crow population explosions, often at the expense of other wildlife. The book is liberally illustrated with beautiful pen and ink drawings, although Ehrlich is much better at drawing birds than he is at drawing human figures and backgrounds. It's a great book, and if you've read and enjoyed Bernd Heinrich's studies of ravens, I highly recommend this one.