What do you think?
Rate this book
Swan: Portrait of a Majestic Bird, from Mythical Meanings to the Modern Day
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.
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.
- GenresNonfictionNature
256 pages, Paperback
Published July 14, 2022
2 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 8, 2023
What comes to mind for you when you see a swan? For me, there are several things. Firstly, they are sparklingly white, secondly they seem to glide effortlessly through the water, hardly making a ripple and thirdly they are absolutely bloody enormous!
Whilst I am always pleased to see a swan glide past on the River Stour near me, I am not as obsessed as Dan Keel is with this magnificent bird. They have enthralled and captivated him since boyhood and he has spent hours studying them to write about and more recently take photos of them.
This book is a finely crafted mix of his observations and encounters with the folklore, myths, art and culture of them. The chapter titles include The Aviator, The Lover and The Fighter. He expands on these subjects by keeping a diary of a swan nesting near him, describing how these birds fly and how they defend themselves in the wild.
I thought that this was really well done. If you are remotely interested in all of the wildlife that inhabits our ponds and rivers then the swan should be counted equally with birds like of the kingfisher. Keel has a passion for these huge birds and this is very evident in each chapter. There were lots of facts about swans that I was completely unaware of and he even busts some of the myths about them too. (They can’t break your arm!). I thought this was definitely worth reading. 3.5 stars
Whilst I am always pleased to see a swan glide past on the River Stour near me, I am not as obsessed as Dan Keel is with this magnificent bird. They have enthralled and captivated him since boyhood and he has spent hours studying them to write about and more recently take photos of them.
This book is a finely crafted mix of his observations and encounters with the folklore, myths, art and culture of them. The chapter titles include The Aviator, The Lover and The Fighter. He expands on these subjects by keeping a diary of a swan nesting near him, describing how these birds fly and how they defend themselves in the wild.
I thought that this was really well done. If you are remotely interested in all of the wildlife that inhabits our ponds and rivers then the swan should be counted equally with birds like of the kingfisher. Keel has a passion for these huge birds and this is very evident in each chapter. There were lots of facts about swans that I was completely unaware of and he even busts some of the myths about them too. (They can’t break your arm!). I thought this was definitely worth reading. 3.5 stars
August 6, 2022
3.5 Stars
As a huge bird lover, I am always wanting to learn more about individual birds and ornithology as a whole. Although Swans are actually one of my least favourite birds, I was still looking forward to reading this book and getting to know more about them.
This book is split up into many sections and contains some very interesting information including general information about swans, their history, swan myths, how humans are having an impact on them, tips for bird photography and much more. What I would have liked more of was the actual biology of the bird, however I did learn a lot about Swans that I didn't know and have been left with a greater respect for these beautiful birds.
The writing by Dan Keel was informative and engaging and made for a quick read.
Overall an interesting book that all birders should pick up and enjoy. I will definitely read more by this author.
Please note that I was gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
As a huge bird lover, I am always wanting to learn more about individual birds and ornithology as a whole. Although Swans are actually one of my least favourite birds, I was still looking forward to reading this book and getting to know more about them.
This book is split up into many sections and contains some very interesting information including general information about swans, their history, swan myths, how humans are having an impact on them, tips for bird photography and much more. What I would have liked more of was the actual biology of the bird, however I did learn a lot about Swans that I didn't know and have been left with a greater respect for these beautiful birds.
The writing by Dan Keel was informative and engaging and made for a quick read.
Overall an interesting book that all birders should pick up and enjoy. I will definitely read more by this author.
Please note that I was gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2023
🦢🦢🦢🦢my thoughts 🦢🦢🦢🦢
I have a confession to make I’m petrified of swans, ever since I got chased by an angry one as a child! Apparently a fear of swans is known as Kiknophobia or cygnophobia. Did you know the divorce rate among swans is around 15%? These are just a few of the interesting facts I learnt from this fascinating non fiction book. Dan Keel does a masterful job of weaving together his personal passion for Mute Swans with fascinating facts.
Swan is relatively short read at just over 250 pages. But don’t let that put you off! It’s bursting with photos of the majestic swan, fascinating facts, and myth-busting stories weaving his first-hand observations into the narrative. Does anybody still eat swan? Can a swan really break your arm? Does the Queen own them all? These are just a few questions the author answers. The one thing that struck me is Dan Keels knowledge and passion for Swans is obvious. Beautifully written, Swan is a real treat for nature lovers.
You can follow me on
http://www.twitter.com/@reviewcafe
Or read more of my reviews on my Instagram page at
https://www.instagram.com/thebookrevi...
I have a confession to make I’m petrified of swans, ever since I got chased by an angry one as a child! Apparently a fear of swans is known as Kiknophobia or cygnophobia. Did you know the divorce rate among swans is around 15%? These are just a few of the interesting facts I learnt from this fascinating non fiction book. Dan Keel does a masterful job of weaving together his personal passion for Mute Swans with fascinating facts.
Swan is relatively short read at just over 250 pages. But don’t let that put you off! It’s bursting with photos of the majestic swan, fascinating facts, and myth-busting stories weaving his first-hand observations into the narrative. Does anybody still eat swan? Can a swan really break your arm? Does the Queen own them all? These are just a few questions the author answers. The one thing that struck me is Dan Keels knowledge and passion for Swans is obvious. Beautifully written, Swan is a real treat for nature lovers.
You can follow me on
http://www.twitter.com/@reviewcafe
Or read more of my reviews on my Instagram page at
https://www.instagram.com/thebookrevi...
July 26, 2022
A homage to the everyday wonder of the mute Swan. A really enjoyable read.
April 16, 2024
Swans have captivated me ever since I was young, and reading this book helped me understand why ❤️ My favorite Waterstones purchase.
January 7, 2023
A very interesting read. I did not expect it to be so enjoyable!
Keel integrated engineering, cookery recipes, history, myths and literature, alongside plenty of information about swans. Since reading, I have been wanting to go birdwatching!
Would highly recommend if you are a bird lover, or even if you are looking for something different and fresh to read, and would like to learn more about the world we live in.
Keel integrated engineering, cookery recipes, history, myths and literature, alongside plenty of information about swans. Since reading, I have been wanting to go birdwatching!
Would highly recommend if you are a bird lover, or even if you are looking for something different and fresh to read, and would like to learn more about the world we live in.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews