Falcon

Animal Series

by Helen Macdonald

Before best-selling author Helen Macdonald told the story of the goshawk in H Is for Hawk, she told the story of the falcon, in a cultural history of the masterful creature that can “cut the sky in two” with the “perfectly aerodynamic profile of a raindrop,” as she so incisively puts it. In talon-sharp prose she explores the spell the falcon has had over her and, by extension, all of us, whether we’ve seen them “through binoculars, framed on gallery walls, versified by poets, flown as hunting birds, through Manhattan windows, sewn on flags, stamped on badges, or winnowing through the clouds over abandoned arctic radar stations.”
            Macdonald dives through centuries and careens around the globe to tell the story of the falcon as it has flown in the wild skies of the natural world and those of our imagination. Mixing history, myth, and legend, she explores the long history of the sport of falconry in many human cultures—from Japan to Abu Dhabi to Oxford; she analyzes the falcon’s talismanic power as a symbol in art, politics, and business; and she addresses the ways we have both endangered and protected it. Along the way we discover how falcons were mobilized in secret military projects; their links with espionage, the Third Reich, the Holy Roman Empire, and space programs; and how they have figured in countless stories of heroism and, of course, the erotic.
            Best of all, Macdonald has given us something fresh: a new introduction that draws on all her experience to even further invigorate her cherished subject. The result is a deeply informed book written with the same astonishing lyrical grace that has captivated readers and had everyone talking about this writer-cum-falconer.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Birds, Nature, Animals, History, Science, Biology

Audiobook

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Helen Macdonald is a writer, poet, and naturalist. They are the author of the bestselling H Is for Hawk and Vesper Flights along with Shaler’s Fish, a history of falconry, and two other books of poetry. They've written and presented award-winning TV documentaries for PBS and the BBC. Prophet is their first novel.

Reviews

[Radwa · Rating 2 out of 5]

مشكلتي الأكبر مع الكتاب ده كانت الترجمة.

فكرته جيدة جدًا وكانت مثيرة للإهتمام، هو جزء من سلسلة، كل كتاب فيها بيتناول حيوان معين، وبيذكر كل ما يخص الحيوان ده في التاريخ والمجتمع، إستخدامه السياسي، وضعه الإجتماعي، وتأثير الأقدمين به. فكرة الكتاب كنت متحمسة لها، وبتذكر معلومات جيدة جدًا عن الصقر، اللي بيتضح اهميته بالذات في أوروبا وأمريكا والخليج. لا أنكر أني استفدت بمعلومات كتيرة جدًا، ولكن الترجمة كانت مُشتتة وفي بعض الأوقات لم أفهم مغزى مقطع بأكمله بسببها، وده نغص عليّ التجربة.

أعتقد أني هأقرأ باقي كتب السلسلة دي بالإنجليزية.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Raptors are at the pinnacle of evolution, from the huge eagles that soar in lazy arcs, the hawks that use all their guile and cunning and the falcons that are the Exocet missiles of the avian world; this book is the story of the falcon.

Humans and falcons have had a long history together, young birds were collected and trained for sport and hunting for millennia and it still carries on today in particular in the middle east. But it is a tempestuous relationship, there have been points where we have driven them to almost extinction. Thankfully they are making a comeback, partly as people are more aware of the natural world and care about it, but they have been moving from their original clifftop eyries to the heights of city skyscrapers, and what was once a rare sighting now is commonplace. Macdonald explores how they have entered our culture, given names to aircraft, been venerated way back to Egyptian times and were even used for secret missions during World War II.

Macdonald is better known for H is for Hawk, but she actually wrote this volume first. It is an interesting account of these beautiful but deadly creatures and is full of fascinating facts and some quite amazing pictures. In particular, I liked the photo of a skydiver alongside a peregrine and learning that at full chat when they reach speeds in excess of 200mph, they make a whistling sound as they cut through the air. Great little book, one for all lovers of raptors.

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second book this year by Helen MacDonald. Shorter and more traditionally nonfiction that H is for Hawk, this book is a collection of facts and anecdotes about the relationship of falcons and humans across many centuries and cultures. Human have long anthropomorphized falcons, attributing to them traits such as nobility, cunning, and martial prowess. Humans have been training and hunting with falcons for at least 3,000 years; lately, we have driven many species to near extinction, and created involved and wide ranging programs to try and rehabilitate the dwindling populations. I listened to this entire four hour audiobook during one long car ride and was well entertained the whole time.

[Michael Schrader · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Biografie" ist natürlich Quatsch, denn derartiges bezieht sich ja für gewöhnlich auf ein einzelnes Individuum, nicht auf eine ganze Tierart wie hier. Treffender wäre vielleicht ein etwas sperrigerer Untertitel gewesen wie etwa "Kulturgeschichte der Beziehungen zwischen Mensch und Falken", denn darum geht es in diesem Buch (das übrigens 10 Jahre vor "H wie Habicht" erschienen ist), und wie schon in "H wie Habicht" legt Helen MacDonald hier ein großartiges Buch vor, allerdings gänzlich ohne die sehr persönlichen Passagen, in denen sie in "H wie Habicht" einerseits ihre Trauer über den Tod ihres Vaters verarbeitet und andererseits ihre eigenen Erfahrungen mit der Habicht-Haltung beschreibt) die dem Habicht-Buch seine ganz besondere Note gaben. "Falke" ist demgegenüber nicht mehr und nicht weniger als ein hochinteressantes und sehr gut lesbares Sachbuch über Falken und die Falknerei als kulturgeschichtliches Phänomen. In den Kapiteln über die Naturgeschichte des Falken, über seine Abrichtung, über die Mythen, die sich um ihn drehen, über seine Nutzung für Jagd und militärische Zwecke bis hin zur Bedrohung durch Umweltgifte und Zerstörung von Lebensräumen durch den Menschen und das Phänomen des "urbanen" Falken schafft es Helen Macdonald ihre Leidenschaft und Faszination für diese wunderschönen Tiere auf den Leser zu übertragen. Wenn es nicht so eine Schnapsidee wäre, würde man sich am liebsten auf den Weg zur nächsten Falknerei machen und versuchen, sich selbst so einen Vogel zu besorgen.

[Jerry Brabenec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Macdonald gives us an overview of the role of the falcon in human cultural history more than an ornithological text, and it's fascinating. There is a lot about the association of the falcon with nobility, hunting, and war throughout history and also a lot about the contemporary renaissance of the peregrine falcon population and their taking up residence in city centers. It's a pretty quick read. A lot of it is quite profound and some of it comes off more like an interesting trivia collection.

I'll remember 2015 as "Jerry's Year of the Raptor", hearing and seeing great horned owls in the nearby woods in the depth of winter for the first time in 20 years, watching the peregrine falcons at the University of Michigan rear their young, identifying an osprey nest along I94 near DTW, watching a red tail hawk fly across our street with a squirrel in its talons, and two bald eagle sightings. Pretty good for southeast Michigan.

Now I drive by Burton Tower and that transmission tower on I94 and think of how I'll by watching them in the spring waiting for the raptors to come back and reanimate them. The ospreys are probably in Cuba or French Guiana.

This book and Paul Johnsgard's "Hawks, Eagles and Falcons of North America: Biology and Natural History" are the books that have enriched my knowledge of these birds so far.

[Will RAINEY · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I read through Helen Macdonald's "Falcon," I was completely captivated by her exploration of the relationship between falcons and military aviators. Her writing is both engaging and insightful as she takes us on a journey through the history of falconry and its connection to aviation. I was particularly fascinated by her comparisons between the physical and mental skills required to fly a falcon and a military aircraft. Macdonald's examination of the bond between falcon and falconer resonated with me as a pilot, as it mirrors the connection between a pilot and their aircraft. Overall, "Falcon" is a nice quick read to learn more than you thought possible about these incredible birds and the powerful relationship between humans and animals.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

le epic falcon

[Abu Hasan محمد عبيد · Rating 4 out of 5]

يركز الكتاب على الرمزية التي تمثلها الصقور: رمزيتها لبعض الشعوب، رمزيتها لبعض المجالات وخصوصا العسكرية، رمزيتها الحضارية من خلال علاقتها بالإنسان الحديث ورمزيتها البيئية
ويبدو واضحا النّفَس الأخضر (الحفاظ على البيئة) للكتاب من خلال مقاربته لموضوع الصقور

[Rinin · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 words:
naturalize
sublime
Awe
elaborate

[Tharwat · Rating 3 out of 5]

عرض كتاب
الصقر
لـ هيلين ماكدونالد



• اسم الكتاب: الصقر.

• العنوان بالإنجليزية: Falcon.

• المؤلفة: هيلين ماكدونالد.

• تحرير: أحمد خريس.

• سنة النشر: 1430هـ/2009م.

• دار النشر: هيئة أبو ظبي للثقافة والتراث (مشروع كلمة).

• الطبعة: الأولى.

• صفحات الكتاب: 194.





صدَر عن "المجمع الثقافي - كلمة" لهيئة أبو ظبي للثقافة والتراث الطبعة الأولى من كتاب "الصَّقر" للباحثة "هيلين ماكدونالد"، وهو جزء من سلسلة علمية باللغة الإنجليزية تحت عنوان "سلسلة الحيوانات - Animal Series"، تولَّت ترجمتَها ونشْرها الدارُ ضِمن مشروعها الثقافي، وطُبِع هذا الكتاب في نسخته الإنجليزية أول مرة عام 2006 بلندن.



تبحث تلك السلسلة العلميَّة في التاريخ الطبيعي للحيوان - موضِع الدراسة - حيث تُبرِز أنواع سلالاته المختلفة، وأماكن وجوده، وتَكاثُره، ودورة حياته الطبيعية، كما تهتم تلك السلسلة أيضًا بالتاريخ الثقافي للحيوان؛ حيث تُلقي الضوء على أهم المعتقَدات والأساطير والخرافات التي مثَّل فيها الحيوان عنصرًا رئيسًا في تكوينها وانتشارها، وأيضًا يُبرِز تداخُل الحيوان في النِّتاج الأدبي والفني لأشهر الأدباء والفنانين، وغيرهم.



تُعَد صورة الصقر في التاريخ الإنساني من الصور التي ارتَبطت بمفهوم القوة والجُرأة والنَّبالة، وكانت رياضة الصيد بالصقور في العصور القديمة مقصورة على الملوك والطبقات النبيلة من المجتمعات الأوروبية، وما زالت رياضة الصيد بالصقور تَنال اهتمامًا بالغًا ومكانة رفيعة في بلاد فارس والخليج العربي، وقد دخَل الصقر في كثير من مفاهيم وثقافة الصناعات العسكرية؛ حيث اعتبِر من "المخلوقات الحربية"، ولسرعته الخارِقة في الانقِضاض والصيد والدوران والمراوغة؛ ارتبَط بعالم الطائرات المقاتِلة على وجه الخصوص، وليس أدل على قِيمة الصقر في التاريخ القديم والحديث من اتخاذه كرمزٍ بالِغ الدَّلالة في الهدايا الدبلوماسية بين مُمثِّلي الدول، حيث كان إهداء صقر من أحد الملوك لنظيره من أثمن الهدايا، وأجدَرها بالاهتمام والامتِنان.



وقد استعرَضت الكاتبة في كتابها كيف أثار الصقر فضولَ وتَطلُّعات البَشرِ على مدى قرون، بشكل جعله أكثر من مجرَّد طائر؛ حيث تطرَّقت "في الفصل الأول إلى بعض الصفات البيولوجية والبيئية للصقور"، وفي بقيَّة الكتاب استعرَضت بعض الجوانب الثقافية والتاريخية التي تعلَّقت بالصقر، وعالمه، وما مثَّله للبشر من أهمية أسطورية وملحمية.



يصِف الكاتب "تي. إتش. وايت" العلاقة بين الصقر والإنسان من خلال تجرِبته الشخصيَّة مع صقره، بأسلوب فنيٍّ بديع؛ فيقول:

"كان هناك أحد البابليين يحمِل صقرًا فوق مِعصمه في "خوراسباد" قبل حوالي 3000 سنة مضت، ولم يستطِع معظم الناس أن يفهَموا سرَّ السعادة في ذلك، ولكن الرجل كان سعيدًا، والآن أعتقِد أنني يجب أيضًا أن أشعر بالسعادة، وأن أكون واحدًا من ضمن صفٍّ طويل من السابقين".



ومؤلِّفة الكتاب هي "هيلين ماكدونالد"، مُحاضِرة وزميلة باحث في كلية "جوسيس، كامبريدج"، وسبَق لها العمل في الكثير من منظَّمات حماية الصقور في بريطانيا ودولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة.



وصْف الكتاب:

قامت الكاتبة بوضع كتابها في مقدمة وستة فصول، تناوَلت فيها تاريخ الصقر الطبيعي والثقافي وعلاقته بالإنسان، حيث تتبنَّى الكاتبة - على وجهٍ ما - وجهةَ نظرِ عددٍ من العلماء المُحدَثين الذين يرون أن عالَم الحيوانات يُعتبَر مُحاكاة للعالم الإنساني وما فيه من قِيمٍ ومفاهيم، يقول عالم الرياضيات "كيث و. ريتشموند": "عند مقارنتنا بالصقور، فإننا نبدو مخلوقات أقل درجة! لأن الصقور تَمتاز بالقوة والجُرأة والجمال والدم الساخن، الذي يجعل منها مخلوقات نبيلة"، وقد تناوَل الكتاب حياة الصقور - بما فيه من معلومات علميَّة - بطريقة ميسرة محبَّبة؛ وذلك لتقريب تلك المعلومات إلى عقل القارئ غير المتخصِّص، وتَضمَّن هذا الكتاب 101 صورة توضيحية منها 45 صورة مُلوَّنة؛ لربْط المعلومات المتنوعة بالكتاب بصورتها المرئية في ذِهن القارئ.



وجاءت عناوين فصول الكتاب على النحو التالي:

• مقدمة.

1- التاريخ الطبيعي.

2- الصقور الأسطورية.

3- الصقور المُدرَّبة.

5- الصقور المهدَّدة بالانقِراض.

6- الصقور العسكرية.

7- الصقور الحضريَّة.



وقد تناوَلت المقدِّمة نبذة تعريفية بالصقور، ومدى تأثيرها في الحياة الكونية؛ حيث ظلَّت العلاقة بين الإنسان والصقر، على مدى قرون طويلة، علاقةَ تَعاون وطيد، وإعجاب بلا حدود من جانب الإنسان؛ حيث أشارت الكاتبة إلى استمرار الوَلَع بتربية الصقور ومشاهدتها وتدريبها على الصيد حتى وقتنا الحالي.



بينما تناوَل فصل "التاريخ الطبيعي" نبذة تعريفيَّة بالصقور، وسلالاتها، وأنواعها المُتبقية، ومدى الصفات التي تَتشارَك فيها حياتيًّا، وأهم سِماتها الجسديَّة والتكوينية التي تُميِّزها عن غيرها من الطيور، وهجرتها، كما تناوَل هذا الفصل تكاثُرها، وكيفيَّة تَوالدها.



بينما ألقت الكاتبة في فصل "الصقور الأسطورية" الضوء على الثقافات المختلفة التي عاش فيها الصقر، وارتبَط فيها بمفاهيم وفلسفات مختلِفة، اتَّسمت في بعض الأحيان بالقوة والجُرأة، وفي بعضها الآخر بالوحشية البُدائية، وفي العصور الوسطى بأوروبا ارتبَط بمفهوم النَّبالة، كما أَبرَزت الكاتبة ارتباط الصقور في العصور الحديثة بالمفهوم العسكري؛ حيث مثَّلت الصقور صورة حقيقية للمُحاكاة، خاصَّة في أنظمة الدفاع كالطائرات والصواريخ الموجَّهة على سبيل المثال.



أما فصل "الصقور المدرَّبة"، فتناوَل بشكل خاص ولَعَ الإنسان منذ القديم بتربية الصقور وتدريبها على الصيد والقَنْص، وتمكُّن هذه الرياضة من خَلْب لبِّ الكثير من الملوك والنُّبلاء والفرسان وعامة الناس لأوقات طويلة حتى وقتنا الحاضر، وبشكل مثَّل هوسًا مُحبَّبًا يُبرِز مدى ارتباط الصقر بعالم الإنسان، وقد تناوَلت الكاتبة تاريخ هذه الرياضة، وشواهدها، وأهم الكتابات التي ألِّفت بشأن قواعد تلك اللعبة أو الرياضة.



أما فصل "الصقور المهدَّدة بالانقراض"، فيتناوَل المشكلة التي نبَّه إليها كثير من علماء الحيوان في العصر الحديث، ألا وهو تناقُص أعداد الصقور وسلالاتها بشكل يدعو للقلَق والإحساس بالخطر، حيث أدَّت مطاردة الإنسان لهذا الطائر - بالقتل والمطاردة والصيد والاستغلال - إلى تناقُص أعداده بصورة حيوية، بل وكذلك نجد أن بعض المواد الكيماوية والمُبيدات الحشريَّة التي استُخدِمت في عصور سابقة كمادة "DDT" كان لها دور في انخفاض أعدادها بصورة أوضح في الأراضي الزراعية، وقد تدخَّلت الجمعيات البيئية وجمعيات حماية الصقور لمحاولة إنقاذ الأعداد الباقية من بعض تلك السلالات المهدَّدة بالانقِراض، ومحاولة مساعدتها بصورة حضَريَّة على التكاثُر، ومحاولة إنجاب سلالاتٍ جديدة؛ لتعويض النَّقص الطارئ على أعدادها.



أما الفصل الخامس بالكتاب والذي حمَل عُنوان "الصقور العسكرية"، فيتناوَل ارتباط الصقر بالمفهوم العسكري لكثير من الدول وأنظمة دِفاعها؛ حيث يتبنَّى عالِم الطيور الروسي "ج.ب. ويمنتيف" المَثَل الشرقي القديم الذي يقول: "إن رياضة الصقور هي شقيقة الحرب"، وقد ظهَر هذا المفهوم بشكل واضح قديمًا؛ حيث كانت رياضة الصقور إحدى مكوِّنات تعليم الفارس الأوروبي في القرون الوسطى، وفي الحرب العالمية الثانية استُخدِمت الصقور المدرَّبة لتأدية أدوار حربيَّة حساسة أثناء المعارك بين الجَبَهات المختلفة، ويرى كثير من محبِّي رياضة الصقور أن مراقبة الصقور تُعزِّز خصائص الفرسان، وتُنمِّي المهارات التكتيكية للمعارِك.



أما الفصل السادس والأخير، فقد جاء بعنوان "الصقور الحضريَّة"؛ وتناوَلت الكاتبة خلاله المقابلة بين عالَمي الإنسان والصقر بصورة طريفة؛ حيث تناوَلت بالذِّكر أشهر الصقور التي استوطَنت سطوح أعلى مباني المنشآت السكنية والشركات في الحواضِر الأوروبية، والتي أطلَقت عليها الكاتبة وصْف "صقور ناطِحات السحاب"؛ حيث تبدو هذه الصقور من أعلى تلك الشواهِق بمثابة كائنات مُراقِبة لتطوُّر الحياة البشرية وتجدُّدها، وشاهِد على الحَداثة التي غرِقت فيها أوروبا، أو على حدِّ وصْف الكاتبة: "من أعلى ناطحات السحاب يبدو أن هذا الصقر يشترِك في منظر المدينة كما يبدو على الخريطة".



وقد وضَعت الكاتبة في نهاية كتابها سجلاًّ زمنيًّا مُختصَرًا بالتواريخ لأهم المعلومات التي أوردتها الكاتبة في فصول كتابها حول الصقور وتاريخها الطبيعي والثقافي، ولم تنسَ الكاتبة في خِتام صفحات كتابها توجيه الشكر لكافة الأصدقاء والباحثين والمؤسَّسات والمنظَّمات البيئية الذين ساعدوها في إتمام هذا الكتاب، وساعَدوا في إمدادها بأي معلومات أو صور توضيحية حول حياة الصقور وتاريخها.

رابط الموضوع: http://www.alukah.net/culture/0/68448...

[Alex Sarll]

I was amazed there hadn't been more fuss about a new Helen Macdonald, which of course it turns out this isn't; it's an earlier book for a smaller press, understandably reissued with a new introduction acknowledging a degree of overlap with H Is For Hawk. It's a far less intense read, but still a fascinating one, running through the birds' biology but also their cultural import to and shared history with humanity, the way they've been recast as gods, kings, warriors, pests, or emblems of nature, according to whichever myths were uppermost at the time. But where some writers would at this point get high on their own preferred myth of semiotics, Macdonald reminds us "Pigeons have no illusions that falcons are merely empty signifiers filled with meaning by humans". And I love that awareness of paradox, that refusal ever to forget that any facet of the prism is not the whole story. She's powerfully alert to their nobility - but includes a picture of one fucking the hat of a captive breeder with an unreadable expression. She talks about their staggering efficiency as hunters - but reminds us that the most common cause of death for the young falcon is starvation. They're magnificent, yes, but more than that irreducible, and all the wilder for that.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein außergewöhnliches Sachbuch: der Bogen der Biographie über die Falken spannt sich von der Vielfalt der Falkenfamilie über die Bedeutung der Falken im Laufe der Zeit, über die Sinnbilder und Geschichten, die mit ihnen verknüpft wurden bis hin zur Falknerei und ihrer wechselvollen Geschichte, die Verknüpfungen mit dem Militär sowie über die Gefahren, denen sie ausgesetzt sind. Leichtflüssig und eingängig geschrieben, so umfassend recherchiert, dass am Ende des Buches sicherlich nicht alle Fakten im Kopfe verbleiben.
Aber ich bin um viele Fakten und neues Wissen reicher. Manches kuriose wie, dass der walisische König zur Begrüßung des Falkenmeisters aufstehen musste oder dass die Taxonmie, also die die Beschreibung und Zuordnung der Arten zu bestimmten Gruppen Auswirkungen auf den Schutz von Arten haben können.
Das was das Buch aus meiner Sicht außergewöhnlich macht, ist neben dem ungeheurem Wissen über die Falken, das so leicht dargebracht wird als ob man über einen Teppich schreitet und mit jedem geknüpften Teppichstrang auf den man tritt sich Wissen neu entfaltet, ist die entwaffnende Darstellung dessen wie wir Natur und Tiere für uns immer wieder neu interpretieren. Natur wie auch die Falken sehen wir immer aus unserer eigenen kulturellen Brille, welche Blüten dies treiben kann und das obwohl wir meinen sachlich und objektiv zu sein, ist auf der einen Seite schon fast verblüffend komisch und auf der anderen Seite auch etwas beängstigend.
Daher hat dieses Buch nicht nur mein Wissen über die Falken vermehrt, sondern führt dazu, das ich meine Einstellung zur Natur mehr hinterfrage.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part of the Reaktion animal series which is a favorite series of mine. Many people will probably try it because of Helen Macdonald’s fame from H is for hawk. She writes well here and her passion for the topic is obvious. All of the Reaktion books explore not just the biology of the animal in question, but also its mythology, its image in art and its intersection with the human world.
One example of that intersection in this book was that falcons had to be cleared from the British coasts during World War II because they kept picking off carrier pigeons.If this is the kind of factoid you enjoy, you’ll love this book and the other books in the series

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Falcon, published before the more successful H for Hawk, is a bit of a victim of that fame. It feels somehow false to publish this in connection. Despite the similar topic, Falcon is a very different book and it's easy to see why Macdonald didn't have much success with it. It is purely a non-fiction text on this wonderful creature, first describing and analysing the bird itself and then looking at its relationship with humans and with society. Later Macdonald discusses the bird's symbolic significance, its role in war and themes of conservation and preservation. The author writes with passion on her subject, but the very personal, emotional side of her relationship with these animals doesn't come through like in H for Hawk making the book quite dry and no doubt disappointing for fans of her moving autobiography.

The symbolic analysis is, however, very interesting. Macdonald seems to want to save the birds from the long list of evil connotations they have accumulated over the centuries; war, hunting, aristocracy, nationalism, fascism, capitalism. She approaches it with a touch of irony, pointing out that falcons are neither territorial not warlike, and they are not domesticated in the way other animals are. She tries to give them their autonomy back, separating them from the men who would use their image in the pursuit of war or other ambitions. Instead she wants to see them as symbols of the wild, of a world long gone, connecting them briefly to an idea of Athurian Britain; in many ways she attempts a Tolkien-esque presevation of a lost ideal in both her books.

The details of falcon conservation and the story of the peregrine's reintroduction to the wild is very interesting, although dully told in parts. By the final chapter on urban falcons I found my attention waning. Falcon is a very specific niche book, interesting in its way, but in the next book Macdonald found a way to relate her fascination to her own persona in a way that reached out effectively to readers as well. 4

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lyrical look into the relationship of man and bird. For millennia, people have thrilled to the sight of falcons, soaring and diving at amazing speed. Some have painstakingly worked to develop a relationship with young birds and trained them to hunt. Around the world and through the years, various cultures have developed stories, myths and sometimes cults around the falcon. This book skims through them.
It also looks at how people's admiration for this beautiful and amazing bird saved the Peregrine Falcon from extinction. And, how the falcon continues to fascinate and is becoming part of our modern culture.

[Christopherch · Rating 5 out of 5]

... turning and braking sharply in pursuit flights... exert phenomenal stresses on the bird. The biometrician Vance Tucker attached a miniature accelerometer to trained falcons to record the G-forces experienced when pulling up near vertically from the bottom of steep dives. As blood drains from their eyes and brains, human pilots may experience total loss of consciousness – G-LOC – pulling around 6 GS. Eyewitness reports of Tucker’s experiments enthuse about how his accelerometer went ‘off scale’ as the falcons pulled over 25 GS. At this G-loading, a 2 lb falcon weighs over 60 lb.

A fascinating account of the falcon. Excellent and engaging prose, the love and passion for this timeless creature is written into every sentence so it is hard not to be awestruck.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the author of H is for Hawk, Falcon is a deep dive into the history and symbolism of - primarily - the peregrine falcon. While forays are made into the gyrfalcon and sakar falcon, the peregrine becomes a perfect symbol for falcons as a whole. Through the peregrines depredations due to hunting, and eventual extinction in America due to DDT, we can learn about the fate of other falcons. The success story of The Peregrine Fund and advent of falconers to save the species is an all too pertinent tale. So much good can come from dedicated work to restore a species - will that happen once more?

Helen Macdonald understands the falcon as only one truly in love with the species does. She traces it as a symbol of aristocracy, of wilderness, of the natural, the urban natural, and as some seductive part of the self. We see ourselves as falcons, and yet falcons could so easily do without us. Doesn't that tell us everything about our relationship to the wild? The partnership between human and falcon in the sport of falconry is also addressed, as is the sheer depth of its history over time.

This is a valuable, fascinating, and eminently readable book. I highly recommend it not only to fans of H is For Hawk but also all those with an interest in nature and our relationship with it. This book sums is all up so beautifully through one of the most arresting and fascinating of species.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst I've never been particularly keen on birds (insert witticism here), personally I am more of a mammal person - Macdonald does an admirable job of making the falcon a fascinating subject matter. Through concise chapters which in turn deal with the natural history, mythology, conservation of falcons she manages to pack a huge amount of information into a slim volume. I had no idea for example that birds were used in the past by the military to finish off any pigeons sending messages from the enemy during the war, and that they are still used today.

The sheer amount of modern iconography that utilizes the image of the falcon is incredible, right down to a pair of birds who decided to nest on the top of skyscraper buildings in New York, mirroring the capitalist stance and outlook of individuals working below (the falcon is commonly seen as a majestic and regal, its predatory practices certainly reflected in the shrewd world of business) therefore having a falcon choose to nest on your building was seen as the ultimate endorsement by nature herself!

Macdonald excels in making very astute observations on the links between culture and how it intersects and adopts the image of the falcon to mirror human behaviour and drives. This enhances the appeal of the book, and I think it would be of interest to someone who wasn't a falcon fanatic. I certainly learnt a great deal.

I have a strong feeling I should have read 'H Is For Hawk' first, and not this... but oh well - I generally tend to read things in the wrong order. I have to admit though, I'm still not entirely sold on birds.

[Andrew Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed by this book. I loved H for Hawk particularly I think because of the personal aspect to it. I am beginning to find in nature books that there must be some sort of personal aspect for me to get really engaged. Although there are certain passages in the book which are beautifully written there does not appear to be a personal angle. Some very interesting information about falcons but nothing to set the heart racing.
I know I can be accused of being a little anti American (particularly at the present time) but I found it frustrating to have the whole chapter on urban falcons coming from America. There have been Peregrine Falcons in British cities for a while now. My relationship with Peregrines has developed due to me seeing & hearing them around Lincoln Cathedral. They are probably my favourite bird. One of my best ever birding views was of witnessing peregrines mating on a fence post on the Pembrokeshire coast path. I have slowly approached peregrines on rocky outcrops inching closer to see them more clearly through my binoculars. They are a bird to thrill & they have certainly thrilled me throughout my life. Unfortunately this book did not have the same effect!

[Megan Hui · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peregrine falcons are amazing creatures who have been through a great deal of hardships in their time. Today, many organizations are trying to keep the falcon population alive. The Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, for example, has set up a falcon webcam at City Hall in San Jose to keep people educated and interested in these amazing birds. Currently, there are three hatched young in the nest, and the research group plans to band them in a couple weeks so they can track them as they grow up. There are many organizations like this one that care deeply about falcons and other animals and provide the public with education so that these animals will continue to be revered and admired with hopes that they will stay protected from any future harm because of a simple misunderstanding of their lifestyle. This book went in depth of the history and life of falcons in the past, present, and predicts their future.

[Adi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly did what it set out to do, very informative, and sometimes even goes one better and is pretty--mostly in the beginning, where Macdonald had room for personal anecdotes and then some strict guidelines because she had to get the biology of falcons and the early history of falconry across. I'm happy to own it. That said, maybe the rest of the content would have been better served by a longer book, because it's... weirdly rushed and strikes an odd middle ground between selecting and presenting facts, and very lightly analyzing those facts. But I'm still glad I bought this and will be revisiting it.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This earlier effort from MacDonald is part of the British publishing house Reaktion Books’ Animal series, where each title is an in depth look at the human species’ relationship with an individual animal species. The content is 90% social history and 10% natural history. She begins by examining the long tradition of falconry across many cultures, moves through the complex imagery and identification of the military with birds of prey, the disastrous effects of pesticides and persecution on global populations and finishes up with the phenomena of urban falcons.

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very readable book about falcons, both the actual animals themselves and the cultural icons they have become. I found the parts about the history of falconry and the actual truths about falcons fascinating; some of the other aspects, like the chapter on "military falcons," were less appealing but still well done.

[Christine D · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest, I skimmed a bunch of the first few chapters. The 'trained' 'military' 'threatened' and 'urban' chapters were sort of interesting, but mostly this book just felt like a book for ornithologist enthusiasts.
Just ok. I read this before H is for Hawk and I'm not sure I will read it after reading this.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this superb book Helen Macdonald not only relates the natural history of the falcon, but also relates how humans have interacted with and imposed our own image on this fascinating bird. I've read a few other titles in the Reaktion series, but this is, far and away, the best of the bunch.

[Suzie Grogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very erudite and interesting book about the cultural, symbolic and scientific impact of the falcon on societies around the world. Quite a significant US focus particularly towards the end but it certainly reinforced my love for these beautiful birds.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite 4 stars, but close. Lovely pictures and lovely writing. After finishing the book I see it is one of a series on animals that range from oyster to whale - all of which look beautifully produced. There are 60-70 of them now and reviewers are mostly positive.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reaktion's Animal books are always short, even a little sparse, but interesting and beautifully illustrated. This one is no exception. I especially enjoyed the bits on falconry.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot more philosophy and symbolism than I typically like in my natural history.

[Badr Aleissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

كاحد محبي الصقور استمتعت كثيرا بالكتاب مُلم لتاريخ الصقور وانواعها وفصائلها وطريقة تربيتها..ورمزيتها
بالنسبة للشعوب
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