The Bald Eagle
The Improbable Journey of America's Bird
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4.2 • 20 Ratings
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- $25.99
Publisher Description
Best Books of the Month: Wall Street Journal, Kirkus Reviews
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Gulf, a sweeping cultural and natural history of the bald eagle in America.
The bald eagle is regal but fearless, a bird you’re not inclined to argue with. For centuries, Americans have celebrated it as “majestic” and “noble,” yet savaged the living bird behind their national symbol as a malicious predator of livestock and, falsely, a snatcher of babies. Taking us from before the nation’s founding through inconceivable resurgences of this enduring all-American species, Jack E. Davis contrasts the age when native peoples lived beside it peacefully with that when others, whether through hunting bounties or DDT pesticides, twice pushed Haliaeetus leucocephalus to the brink of extinction.
Filled with spectacular stories of Founding Fathers, rapacious hunters, heroic bird rescuers, and the lives of bald eagles themselves—monogamous creatures, considered among the animal world’s finest parents—The Bald Eagle is a much-awaited cultural and natural history that demonstrates how this bird’s wondrous journey may provide inspiration today, as we grapple with environmental peril on a larger scale.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The arresting image of the bald eagle has long been a symbol of the American spirit—but the story behind that image is even more compelling. Pulitzer Prize winner Jack E. Davis’ epic, definitive history of the American icon explores how the indigenous North American bird has been revered throughout history. Davis uses lively writing to draw us into the story of how the bald eagle has persevered through many massive threats, from being mislabeled as a predatory pest to being almost wiped out by pesticides. With plenty of wit and insight, he takes the time to ponder why the animal that’s meant to represent American greatness has been nearly driven to extinction—by Americans. Whether you love reading about animals or learning about American history, The Bald Eagle is a standout read.
