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The Bedside Book of Beasts: A Wildlife Miscellany
This stunning companion to the internationally bestselling Bedside Book of Birds explores the relationship between predators and their prey.
The intricate, complex connection between the hunter and the hunted has defined animal life on Earth throughout time. In The Bedside Book of Beasts , Graeme Gibson gathers from all eras and cultures works of art and literature that capture the power, grace, and inventiveness of both predators and their natural prey. Here are myths, fables, poetry, generous excerpts from nature and travel writing, journals, sacred texts, and works of fiction. There are vivid descriptions of noteworthy predators — including the big cats, bears, wolves — but also the small but voracious praying mantis. Gibson also brings to life the experiences, strategies, and emotions of vulnerable prey, and paints intriguing portraits of such legendary evil beasts as the Minotaur, Grendel, and the Biblical Leviathan. All of this is enhanced by a breathtaking array of art, both traditional and contemporary, as well as scientific, religious, and mythological drawings, paintings, and woodcuts.
In The Bedside Book of Beasts Gibson evokes a profound sense of the eternal, often unsettling, connection between the human animal and the free, untamed beasts of the wilderness.
The intricate, complex connection between the hunter and the hunted has defined animal life on Earth throughout time. In The Bedside Book of Beasts , Graeme Gibson gathers from all eras and cultures works of art and literature that capture the power, grace, and inventiveness of both predators and their natural prey. Here are myths, fables, poetry, generous excerpts from nature and travel writing, journals, sacred texts, and works of fiction. There are vivid descriptions of noteworthy predators — including the big cats, bears, wolves — but also the small but voracious praying mantis. Gibson also brings to life the experiences, strategies, and emotions of vulnerable prey, and paints intriguing portraits of such legendary evil beasts as the Minotaur, Grendel, and the Biblical Leviathan. All of this is enhanced by a breathtaking array of art, both traditional and contemporary, as well as scientific, religious, and mythological drawings, paintings, and woodcuts.
In The Bedside Book of Beasts Gibson evokes a profound sense of the eternal, often unsettling, connection between the human animal and the free, untamed beasts of the wilderness.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2009
33 people are currently reading
730 people want to read
About the author
Graeme Gibson
18 books35 followersGraeme Gibson CM was a Canadian novelist and conservationist and the longtime partner of author Margaret Atwood. He was a Member of the Order of Canada (1992) and one of the organizers of the Writer's Union of Canada. He was also a founder of the Writers' Trust of Canada. Gibson was best known for his 1973 book Eleven Canadian Novelists, a non-fiction work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 26, 2018
A book to keep on your shelves for a lifetime. This wildlife miscellany is filled with eyewitness accounts, diary entries, and fictions from every season of our modern history with entries that range from the obscure to the renowned with words of Charles Darwin and Leo Tolstoy.
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Accompanied by each entry is an art piece, contemporary to historical to cave paintings and primitive wood cuts.
It’s a book you can easily read in the evening, as the title suggests, or one you can read in a day or two. Once finished, you’ll know your favorite passages and be inclined to draw them out for the occasional keen visitor.
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A miscellany it is, though it also doesn’t fail to provide an overall message. One of man’s place in the natural world and not only his effect on the earth, but the earth’s effect on him.
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4.5 Stars
Verdict: BUY IT
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Accompanied by each entry is an art piece, contemporary to historical to cave paintings and primitive wood cuts.
It’s a book you can easily read in the evening, as the title suggests, or one you can read in a day or two. Once finished, you’ll know your favorite passages and be inclined to draw them out for the occasional keen visitor.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A miscellany it is, though it also doesn’t fail to provide an overall message. One of man’s place in the natural world and not only his effect on the earth, but the earth’s effect on him.
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4.5 Stars
Verdict: BUY IT
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June 11, 2011
I really enjoyed this book, although I wish it had included more mythology and fairy tale type stories. The writing collected here is nonetheless interesting; I just enjoy mythology, and it seems like there should be plenty of beast-related mythological tales from which Gibson could have selected.
There are lovely illustrations sprinkled throughout, which made this book a fun read.
Overall, I liked how Gibson took various sources from around the world to create a loose "thesis" about humans and their relationship to wild beasts (and vice versa). Gibson chose many selections that highlight our common traits or show man for the beast that he truly is (sometimes more beastly even than the beasts!) Likewise he includes pieces that highlight the almost "human" qualities of beasts, or those that we just may never understand--the mystery, the allure, of those "large, fascinating eyes."
I particularly liked quite a few selections from this book, but this one seemed especially quote-worthy to me when I read it:
A Magnificent Hairy Fellow
1910
"How I hate the man who talks about the 'brute creation', with an ugly emphasis on brute. Only Christians are capable of it. As for me, I am proud of my close kinship with other animals. I take a jealous pride in my Simian ancestry. I like to think that I was once a magnificent hairy fellow living in the trees and that my frame has come down through geological time via sea jelly and worms and Amphioxus, Fish, Dinosaurs, and Apes. Who would exchange these for the pallid couple in the Garden of Eden?"
W.N.P. Barbellion (1889-1919), England
There are lovely illustrations sprinkled throughout, which made this book a fun read.
Overall, I liked how Gibson took various sources from around the world to create a loose "thesis" about humans and their relationship to wild beasts (and vice versa). Gibson chose many selections that highlight our common traits or show man for the beast that he truly is (sometimes more beastly even than the beasts!) Likewise he includes pieces that highlight the almost "human" qualities of beasts, or those that we just may never understand--the mystery, the allure, of those "large, fascinating eyes."
I particularly liked quite a few selections from this book, but this one seemed especially quote-worthy to me when I read it:
A Magnificent Hairy Fellow
1910
"How I hate the man who talks about the 'brute creation', with an ugly emphasis on brute. Only Christians are capable of it. As for me, I am proud of my close kinship with other animals. I take a jealous pride in my Simian ancestry. I like to think that I was once a magnificent hairy fellow living in the trees and that my frame has come down through geological time via sea jelly and worms and Amphioxus, Fish, Dinosaurs, and Apes. Who would exchange these for the pallid couple in the Garden of Eden?"
W.N.P. Barbellion (1889-1919), England
February 19, 2012
"When you turned from this ideal form of supple beauty--of terrific force in repose--of silent and royal disdain--to the human creatures who were timidly gazing at it, open-eyed and open-mouthed, it was not the human beings who had the superiority over the animal. The latter was so much the superior that the comparison was humiliating."
- Barbery D'Aurevilly (1808-1889), France
"It is the desperate wail of the Cicada, surprised in his quietude by the Green Grasshopper, that ardent nocturnal huntress, who springs upon him, grips him in the side, opens and ransacks his abdomen. An orgy of music, followed by butchery."
- Jean-Henre Fabre (1823-1915), France
"Kill every buffalo you can!" Colonel Richard Dodge urged a sport hunter in 1867. "Every buffalo dead is an Indian gone."
- William Temple Hornaday (1854-1937), United States
"The natives say if you listen to a lion roaring you can hear what he says 'Hee-e-e inchi ya nani? Yangu. Yangu. Yangu.' (Whose country is this? Mine. Mine. Mine.)"
- K. de P. Beaton, details unknown
The book is filled with gorgeous illustrations and a diverse collection of writing by various authors. There's so much to be found here, including excerpts from literature, poetry, journal entries, and folklore. Large swaths of the book dealt with death, violence, and man's relationship with the natural world. All these elements came together to lay bare the lives of beasts, both real and imaginary.
- Barbery D'Aurevilly (1808-1889), France
"It is the desperate wail of the Cicada, surprised in his quietude by the Green Grasshopper, that ardent nocturnal huntress, who springs upon him, grips him in the side, opens and ransacks his abdomen. An orgy of music, followed by butchery."
- Jean-Henre Fabre (1823-1915), France
"Kill every buffalo you can!" Colonel Richard Dodge urged a sport hunter in 1867. "Every buffalo dead is an Indian gone."
- William Temple Hornaday (1854-1937), United States
"The natives say if you listen to a lion roaring you can hear what he says 'Hee-e-e inchi ya nani? Yangu. Yangu. Yangu.' (Whose country is this? Mine. Mine. Mine.)"
- K. de P. Beaton, details unknown
The book is filled with gorgeous illustrations and a diverse collection of writing by various authors. There's so much to be found here, including excerpts from literature, poetry, journal entries, and folklore. Large swaths of the book dealt with death, violence, and man's relationship with the natural world. All these elements came together to lay bare the lives of beasts, both real and imaginary.
January 9, 2016
Everyday, I took to bed, a head full of stories of fierce, magnanimous beasts. They held me captive, led my dreams, gnawed at my conscience, filled my soul, offered me comfort, lulled me to sleep. I can see this book routinely inhabit my bedside and inspire awe, wonder and humility. Each piece is a page or two long, which makes it a very gratifying light-read even during intervening times throughout the day. What I liked about the photographs is that they weren't always engaging on their own, but served effectively as backdrops to the write-ups, and floated just a few skips beyond my senses.
July 13, 2017
More like 3.99999999. This was so so close to a 4 star review!
This book is an anthology of narrations solely focused on wildlife.
It contains shots of writing told from different perspectives such as naturalists, authors, poets, mythology, folklore, etc
It was a fun read and one to take in shots. The book introduced me to new naturalists and poets. It showed me how different cultures (specifically Indian and Native American) viewed animals.
However, despite being super eager for this book and despite finding some of the passages amazing, there were quite a few narrations, stories, poems that just made no sense. I would read it but not understand what it was that I read. Some of the passages were utterly boring. That's what brought it down for me.
This book is an anthology of narrations solely focused on wildlife.
It contains shots of writing told from different perspectives such as naturalists, authors, poets, mythology, folklore, etc
It was a fun read and one to take in shots. The book introduced me to new naturalists and poets. It showed me how different cultures (specifically Indian and Native American) viewed animals.
However, despite being super eager for this book and despite finding some of the passages amazing, there were quite a few narrations, stories, poems that just made no sense. I would read it but not understand what it was that I read. Some of the passages were utterly boring. That's what brought it down for me.
November 19, 2021
This book wasn't at all what I expected but I was still pleasantly surprised. Gibson chose interesting pieces about animals and our relationships - fictional stories, poems, nonfiction accounts, legends. Some parts of this book felt dated - mostly excerpts from things that included negative portrayals of Indigenous populations around the world. I get that these were of their time, but the book would not have lost meaning if these had been excluded.
Other than that, my only real gripe was how many descriptions of hunting there were. I understand Gibon's point of view on hunting and his narrative around changing views of hunting, particularly around big game hunting, but I could have done with fewer accounts of animals being shot and dying.
Other than that, my only real gripe was how many descriptions of hunting there were. I understand Gibon's point of view on hunting and his narrative around changing views of hunting, particularly around big game hunting, but I could have done with fewer accounts of animals being shot and dying.
November 11, 2024
Became one of my Top 5 favorite books! Very enjoyable and fun to read
February 19, 2016
The Bedside Book of Beasts is simply a compilation of stories, anecdotes and essays centering around alpha predators and the human relationship with, fascination and fear of them. Graeme Gibson seems to have a few main themes that he wants to focus on throughout the book. These include the need to keep the wild "wild"; the pointlessness and cruelty of sport hunting; how domestication and industrialization changed our relationship with wild animals; humanity's separation from nature; and others. But the most significant theme of the book is probably the exploration of the innate instincts that humans have had of alpha predators since the early days of humanity; suggesting that our feelings of fear and awe were passed down genetically through the thousands of years of human evolution. Basically, the bulk of the book suggests that we are genetically programmed to be afraid of predators, and even afraid of the dark because of our ancient ancestor's encounters with predatory animals. Yet at the same time, we remain fascinated with them – creating countless stories, mythologies and art centered around predatory animals.
All in all it was a very fascinating book, and an easy read. Most of the excerpts that make up the book are no longer than 3-4 pages, and quite a few pages are taken up by full-color, two-page illustrations. Probably one of the best parts of the book alone is the design and inclusion of animal-related artworks. The main thing I personally didn't like about the book was some of Gibson's views on farming, animal domestication, and hunting. He suggests that the former two are one of humanity's biggest mistakes. He seems to reject the mutually beneficial relationship between humans and their domesticated animals – basically suggesting that by domesticating animals, we dumbed-down said species from their nobler ancestors. He ignores honest, sustainable farming and pays attention only to the farmers who pointlessly kill alpha predators to protect their precious flocks. While I agree that it is terribly, unforgivably tragic that thousands of wolves, bison, mountain lions and the like were eradicated to make way for cows, I think that sustainable farming is the saving grace to the world we live in now. And as for hunting, I am too completely against hunting for sport – I see it as a shameful, unnecessary and cruel waste. And while Gibson does not outright say that all hunting is bad, he suggests it numerous times in saying that humans do not pick and choose the weak, older animals, like wolves or lions will, but rather we choose the strongest, fattest, largest animals – A.K.A. the most viable specimens for improving the gene pool. Thereby suggesting that humans have no place to hunt animals – despite the regulations that are in place to protect populations from overharvesting. I know from experience that many people – at least in the west – still hunt to provide the primary source of meat to their families. My parents did it in the beginning of their marriage.
It is only in these two areas that I would disagree with him, however. Many of his points are very valid, and I found myself getting fired up in agreement with him. Notably, in the introduction for the last chapter of the book, he talks about all the scientific evidence that exists for the powers of healing that humans get from simply being near nature. It is truly sad how separated we have become from our origins in nature in this day and age – so much so that people are actually afraid to be outside of town! How sad.
Overall, I would totally recommend this book to animal lovers, nature lovers, aspiring conservationists and the nature-starved. If I could offer one suggestion to Gibson however, it would be to release a second edition... I encountered numerous typos in the text. Otherwise, fantastic reading, beautiful book.
All in all it was a very fascinating book, and an easy read. Most of the excerpts that make up the book are no longer than 3-4 pages, and quite a few pages are taken up by full-color, two-page illustrations. Probably one of the best parts of the book alone is the design and inclusion of animal-related artworks. The main thing I personally didn't like about the book was some of Gibson's views on farming, animal domestication, and hunting. He suggests that the former two are one of humanity's biggest mistakes. He seems to reject the mutually beneficial relationship between humans and their domesticated animals – basically suggesting that by domesticating animals, we dumbed-down said species from their nobler ancestors. He ignores honest, sustainable farming and pays attention only to the farmers who pointlessly kill alpha predators to protect their precious flocks. While I agree that it is terribly, unforgivably tragic that thousands of wolves, bison, mountain lions and the like were eradicated to make way for cows, I think that sustainable farming is the saving grace to the world we live in now. And as for hunting, I am too completely against hunting for sport – I see it as a shameful, unnecessary and cruel waste. And while Gibson does not outright say that all hunting is bad, he suggests it numerous times in saying that humans do not pick and choose the weak, older animals, like wolves or lions will, but rather we choose the strongest, fattest, largest animals – A.K.A. the most viable specimens for improving the gene pool. Thereby suggesting that humans have no place to hunt animals – despite the regulations that are in place to protect populations from overharvesting. I know from experience that many people – at least in the west – still hunt to provide the primary source of meat to their families. My parents did it in the beginning of their marriage.
It is only in these two areas that I would disagree with him, however. Many of his points are very valid, and I found myself getting fired up in agreement with him. Notably, in the introduction for the last chapter of the book, he talks about all the scientific evidence that exists for the powers of healing that humans get from simply being near nature. It is truly sad how separated we have become from our origins in nature in this day and age – so much so that people are actually afraid to be outside of town! How sad.
Overall, I would totally recommend this book to animal lovers, nature lovers, aspiring conservationists and the nature-starved. If I could offer one suggestion to Gibson however, it would be to release a second edition... I encountered numerous typos in the text. Otherwise, fantastic reading, beautiful book.
September 22, 2019
This is a collection of essays from outside sources with a bunch of really pretty full-color artwork. If I'm going to be honest, the illustrations were my favorite part; the essays were very numerous and even though none ran over the length of 3 pages, a lot of them were very boring. However there were a few excerpts by some fabulous authors such as Franz Kafka, George Orwell, Haruki Murakami, Herman Hesse, Leo Tolstoy, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Stumbling upon these were pleasant surprises, as I wasn't expecting them to be featured.
This isn't such a great book to give to children; although it looks nice and friendly, most of the essays aren't fuzzy stories about animals but circle-of-life type stories about animal deaths and hunting. The best essay in here has to be the one by George Orwell about shooting an elephant and the agonizing half hour it took to die. That sort of shows you the kind of tone set in most of these excerpts. There's even an excerpt from "Bear" by Marian Engel, which is a book about a sexual relationship between a human woman and a bear. The selections in here are varied to say the least. As a whole, I didn't find the book very mentally stimulating. Still, as the name implies, it's not a bad book to keep by your bedside if you want to read a few pages of something before you go to sleep.
This isn't such a great book to give to children; although it looks nice and friendly, most of the essays aren't fuzzy stories about animals but circle-of-life type stories about animal deaths and hunting. The best essay in here has to be the one by George Orwell about shooting an elephant and the agonizing half hour it took to die. That sort of shows you the kind of tone set in most of these excerpts. There's even an excerpt from "Bear" by Marian Engel, which is a book about a sexual relationship between a human woman and a bear. The selections in here are varied to say the least. As a whole, I didn't find the book very mentally stimulating. Still, as the name implies, it's not a bad book to keep by your bedside if you want to read a few pages of something before you go to sleep.
April 11, 2014
This book is exactly what it purports to be, and as such is really good before-bedtime (or during insomnia), full of short pieces on lions, tigers and bears (and other predators big and small) for people who find animals fascinating. More than that, the book offers an excellent anthology of nature writers I had never heard of and certainly would like to read at length. The illustrations are also beautiful, and representative of man's fascination with animals since the first cave paintings. This book would make a great gift.
August 4, 2014
An interesting book, I found the artwork much more interesting than the reading selections. While many important points were raised, I found the text often lacking in either scientific detail or creative appeal. Not a book I regret reading, but it did not meet my expectations.
July 7, 2011
A hodgepodge of myths and stories from various writers, living and dead, about the relationship of humans and wild animals. The illustrations in this book are fantastic.
May 5, 2022
This miscellany is divided into eight sections, each with a scattering of writings and art from around the world and across the ages, and each introduced with a few pages by Graeme Gibson.
I found three different pieces particularly fascinating: the method by which a predator encourages the weakest member of a herd to identify itself as prey (thereby strengthening the herd's gene pool); the upsetting of ecological balance by weaponed humans targeting the strongest members of a herd; and the several reports of humans experiencing no distress when in the grip of a predator. Taken together, these pieces suggest that there is an appropriateness to death that is built into the natural world in a remarkably well-orchestrated way.
But the Bedside Book of Beasts is full of far more anecdotes, insights, trivia and illustrations than can be mentioned in a review. From the deer-men who still dance at Abbot's Bromley farms and pubs in September, to Mexicans and coyotes singing to each other after a kill, there are stories from around the world that speak to our timeless connection to the wild, wild world. It is an amazing book... and has a companion volume, the Bedside Book of Birds.
I found three different pieces particularly fascinating: the method by which a predator encourages the weakest member of a herd to identify itself as prey (thereby strengthening the herd's gene pool); the upsetting of ecological balance by weaponed humans targeting the strongest members of a herd; and the several reports of humans experiencing no distress when in the grip of a predator. Taken together, these pieces suggest that there is an appropriateness to death that is built into the natural world in a remarkably well-orchestrated way.
But the Bedside Book of Beasts is full of far more anecdotes, insights, trivia and illustrations than can be mentioned in a review. From the deer-men who still dance at Abbot's Bromley farms and pubs in September, to Mexicans and coyotes singing to each other after a kill, there are stories from around the world that speak to our timeless connection to the wild, wild world. It is an amazing book... and has a companion volume, the Bedside Book of Birds.
December 18, 2023
I picked this up on a whim in the Toronto Public Library when I was visiting Canada a few weeks ago and I found this book very captivating from the start. I quite liked the premise of a compilation of text, poetry, and art focused around the theme of a "beast," or particularly an animal apex predator. I enjoyed both the introductions to each chapter that Graeme Gibson would write, and the various texts he compiled--some worked better than others, as is to be expected, and I'm not sure that Gibson's chapter themes came together clearly, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. It left me with a lot to think about. Though I shouldn't have read this in winter--it makes me want to go outside into the woods quite badly.
I would definitely be interesting in reading some original work of Graeme Gibson's, if he has any. His voice came through in the parts he wrote and I found them to be some of the most enjoyable parts of this book. Hopefully I can find some longer-form wildlife writing by him.
I would definitely be interesting in reading some original work of Graeme Gibson's, if he has any. His voice came through in the parts he wrote and I found them to be some of the most enjoyable parts of this book. Hopefully I can find some longer-form wildlife writing by him.
May 31, 2021
What a beautiful book! I loved all the photos and illustrations that accompanied the stories. I absolutely think there are gaps in the book, and Graeme Gibson could have added more mythology and more diverse stories (I found certain countries/continents underrepresented). However, I really enjoyed the book as it was, and for me it was a 5 star read.
I chose to read this book mostly outside on my deck, surrounded by trees and birds, and that also added to the experience. I feel these stories (and Gibson’s inputs) have helped me reconnect with my love of nature. It’s reminded me of something that has been forgotten thanks to the stresses of adult life in a city. Also the fact that the author included wildlife charities in the back, and donated half of the net royalties to said charities is A+.
I really look forward to picking up The Bedside Book of Birds next!
I chose to read this book mostly outside on my deck, surrounded by trees and birds, and that also added to the experience. I feel these stories (and Gibson’s inputs) have helped me reconnect with my love of nature. It’s reminded me of something that has been forgotten thanks to the stresses of adult life in a city. Also the fact that the author included wildlife charities in the back, and donated half of the net royalties to said charities is A+.
I really look forward to picking up The Bedside Book of Birds next!
July 17, 2020
I picked up The Bedside Book of Beasts after reading Graeme Gibson’s other book, The Bedside Book of Birds. The Bedside Book of Beasts was an interesting compilation of writings about animals considered to be beasts. It was edited and introduced by Graeme Gibson. The book was divided in to sections, with a somewhat lengthly introductions by Gibson. The only thing commonality among the writers and writing was the topic of beasts. As in his other book, some of the pieces were out of date and politically incorrect. Some were quite violent and gruesome. Since I really did use it as a bedtime read, I didn’t appreciate those as much. I liked the book enough to finish it. Interesting fact: Graeme Gibson was Margaret Atwood’s partner before passing away in September 2019.
September 5, 2021
A unique book: a collection of essays, poems, fables, and firsthand accounts nature; all surrounded by beautiful works of art.. Kudos to Gibson for his editing, he chose great selections, that as a whole create something greater than the parts. The selections span centuries and 6 continents.
I was really struck by this early quote from page 13 "Too much safety seems to yield only danger in the long run." The more we try to shelter ourselves (and especially our children) from anything remotely dangerous, the more we create new forms of danger to manifest at a later time.
I was really struck by this early quote from page 13 "Too much safety seems to yield only danger in the long run." The more we try to shelter ourselves (and especially our children) from anything remotely dangerous, the more we create new forms of danger to manifest at a later time.
March 25, 2021
Really enjoyed reading this book especially now when we are so removed from nature and isolated from the collective whole. This book made me think and allowed me to connect some ideas that I already had formed in my own mind with new ones I had not thought of before. The illustrations and layout makes for a beautiful book as well as a thoughtful compilation of essays. Will go back to it, I'm sure.
December 27, 2017
Some interesting selections, but many would have benefited from offering some context. Especially the excerpt from a book where a woman is hanging out with a bear in her house. Couldn’t tell if that was real or fiction as the sources come from all over the place.
did-not-finish
June 27, 2023This book seemed like a cool idea - a compilation of stories, poems, art, etc. about mainly big carnivores of the world - but I just never reached for it. Finally just gave up and used it as a brewery prop bc it had a pretty spine!
October 18, 2020
A wonderful collection of nature writing throughout history, mapping how far we’ve moved from nature and how desperately we need to return to a greater harmony with her.
Read
December 1, 2022I love Margaret Atwood and this book was written by her husband. Purchased it for a coffee table book. It's good to pick up now and again for a quick good read.
May 28, 2023
A beautifully illustrated book with fun content.
May 27, 2012
Birds give impression of free flight (no gravity) freedom creative imagination soul and spirit
Connection and comparisons with animal kingdom
Beasts are wild predate for food / scavenge
Animals can be domesticated.
Civilization after Agri-society became more violent and possessive and “killers”. (Stopped being hunter gatherers)
Humans became domesticated (civilized?) but examine this…
• Hunt for pleasure!!! (kill for fun) * (animals cannot be allowed to eat a human! Fear based)
• Nature became a threat (protect)
• Kill for possessions
• Using technology (kill at a distance) we can take on bigger targets without conscience or fear. (Opposing evolution when not targeting the weakest but the strongest! Animal predators pick on the weak only – gene pool not getting stronger)
• Fight and are devious to the point of not being trustworthy.
• Societies of poverty and deprivation thus created.
• Cruel to the earth and nature
Connection and comparisons with animal kingdom
Beasts are wild predate for food / scavenge
Animals can be domesticated.
Civilization after Agri-society became more violent and possessive and “killers”. (Stopped being hunter gatherers)
Humans became domesticated (civilized?) but examine this…
• Hunt for pleasure!!! (kill for fun) * (animals cannot be allowed to eat a human! Fear based)
• Nature became a threat (protect)
• Kill for possessions
• Using technology (kill at a distance) we can take on bigger targets without conscience or fear. (Opposing evolution when not targeting the weakest but the strongest! Animal predators pick on the weak only – gene pool not getting stronger)
• Fight and are devious to the point of not being trustworthy.
• Societies of poverty and deprivation thus created.
• Cruel to the earth and nature
May 19, 2016
"The Bedside Book of Beasts: A Wildlife Miscellany," by Graeme Gibson, is a compendium of writing about animals ranging from the ancient Greek writer Aelian to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to Barry Lopez and beyond, along with occasional commentary by the author. It is arranged in a series of chapters concerning the relationships between predator and prey, animals and environment, mythology and animals, creatures and humans. Most gloriously, it is generously supplied with illustrations going back as far as the upper Paleolithic, which are absolutely gorgeous. Printed on heavy paper, this is a volume to be savoured slowly, dipping into it a page at a time, the better to draw out its pleasures. A complete delight.
January 29, 2010
A fascinating read suitable, as title suggests, for beside, it includes the fine words of Leo Tolstoy, Franz Kafka, Arthur Conan Doyle, Herman Hesse and more, some familiar, some less so. Yes, a fascinating read it most certainly is. Including bears, wolves, owls, lions, those who hunt and those who are hunted, the visuals are little short of wonderful.
Next stop, Gibson's The Bedside Book of Birds.
Next stop, Gibson's The Bedside Book of Birds.
May 8, 2012
Exquisite, masterfully executed compendium. I thoroughly enjoyed every page. It's a beautiful book that is laid out according to a clear aesthetic which celebrates the wildness and spontaneity of the natural world in a thoughtful, fluid way. I know, a lot of adjectives, but I feel that descriptive language is the only way to talk about this work or art.
Along with being beautiful, it has also given me more books to search out.
Along with being beautiful, it has also given me more books to search out.
January 5, 2010
This is a wonderful collection of classical and modern verse, art, and short stories about the relationship between predator and prey. The book itself is absolutely gorgeous. It is full of colorful illustrations. I spent just as much time looking at the pictures as I did reading through the text. It would make a great coffee table book - and I don't mean that as an insult.
January 24, 2011
Even though this compendium of short stories, poems, and anecdotes took me awhile to read I did enjoy it. Some of the excerpts were familiar and others were things I had never seen before. I loved the artwork placed throughout the book. I'm not sure I am all for reading the Bedside Book of Birds... but maybe someday.
July 25, 2011
This book reads like a colletion of things from an encyclopedia. Brief stories some from great literature that never gets noticed that often. I loved the illustrations in this book. I loved the premise behind the idea for the book, but it's just something I'll look at briefly if I am stuck on inspiration or bored in the toilet.
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