The Birds of Heaven: Travels with Cranes - Hardcover

Peter Matthiessen; Robert Bateman

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374199442 ISBN 13: 9780374199449

Publisher: North Point Press, 2001

Synopsis

A leading naturalist and writer travels the globe in search of a prized-and vanishing-bird

Cranes are ubiquitous in the earliest legends of the world's peoples, where they often figure as harbingers of heaven and omens of longevity and good fortune. They are still held sacred in many places, and for good reason. Their large size and need for wilderness habitat makes them an "umbrella species" whose wellbeing assures that of other creatures and of the ecosystem at large. Moreover, the enormous spans of their migrations are a symbol of, and stimulus to, international efforts at conservation.

In The Birds of Heaven, Peter Matthiessen has woven together journeys in search of the fifteen species of cranes in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and Australia. As he tracks them (and their declining numbers) in the company of scientists, conservationists, and regional people encountered along the way, he captures the dilemmas of a planet in ecological crisis, and the deeper loss to humankind if these beautiful and imposing creatures are allowed to disappear. The book includes color plates by renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Matthiessen is a naturalist and explorer whose many works of nonfiction include The Tree Where Man Was Born, which was nominated for a National Book Award and The Snow Leopard, which won it. He is also the author of nine works of fiction, including Far Tortuga, and, most recently, the Everglades trilogy that culminates in Bone by Bone.

Reviews

Adult/High School-Cranes from all over the world are declining in numbers and are endangered species. America has only two varieties: the whooping and sandhill crane. Matthiessen makes a persuasive case for helping the birds survive human encroachment into their territories. His journalistic style is equally effective in portraying the mystical and mystifying qualities of these amazing creatures. Bateman's paintings and drawings emphasize the beauty and regal nature of cranes. The painting of the red-crowned cranes standing in the mist is a visual "call of the wild" and worth the price of the book.
Irene F. Moose, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

rolific and gifted novelist and naturalist, National Book Award-winner Matthiessen (The Snow Leopard) provides literally a worldwide tableau in his quest for various subspecies of cranes. These large flying birds celebrated in myth and folklore are found everywhere from Siberia to Australia, sub-Saharan Africa to North America. The author moves through each of these diverse climes as he not only reminds readers of the awesome beauty of the natural world but also introduces them to fascinating bits of local history and legend. The title of the book derives from the lore of taiga-dwelling shamans, who believe these great birds possess the ability to traverse the three realms of heaven, earth and the underworld. In practical terms, that's not so far off: some species of cranes can fly as high as 20,000 feet, others migrate as far as 3,100 miles. In his wanderings, Matthiessen meets fellow travelers and "craniacs." Ornithologists, guides and hunters offer intriguing anecdotes about cranes and other creatures encountered during their adventures and misadventures in various wildernesses. Additionally, Matthiessen reaches into his store of historical and political knowledge about these remote places. He good-humoredly details, for example, the reluctant cooperation between Russian and Chinese environmental authorities as they try to study and ensure the survival of the various threatened crane subspecies that dwell along their faraway, beautiful, but politically tense borderlands. Eloquent and graceful, this lovely, moving narrative will inspire and delight readers with or without ornithological background or interests. Paintings and illus. not seen by PW.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

*Starred Review* Cranes--those tall, stately birds ubiquitous in early legends as messengers from the heavens--are the subject of Matthiessen's latest book. Eleven of the 15 crane species are endangered, and all of them face the loss of the vast wetlands necessary for providing food and breeding grounds. In fact, the most endangered--North America's own whooping crane--once plummeted to a population low of 15 birds. Matthiessen writes eloquently of his journeys in search of all the crane species and of his conversations with the scientists working to understand and preserve them. Starting in Siberia and China, the author observes cranes in their natural habitats and notes the effects of the burgeoning human population in the region. Moving on to the steppes of Mongolia, the marshy deltas of India, the Tibetan plateau, the lower Yangtze River Basin, Japan, and the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, the author discovers all there is to know about Asia's cranes. He then travels to Australia, home to one species and one recent arrival; to Africa, host to three species; and finally to Europe, where one species resides. In two particularly evocative chapters, Matthiessen writes about North America's sandhill crane--the cause of one of the world's greatest wildlife spectacles, when 500,000 cranes congregate during migration--and the whooping crane, one of wildlife's best comeback stories. Matthiessen is among the most outstanding nature writers of our time, and his latest book more than amply displays his talents. Robert Bateman, an equally great wildlife artist, provides illustrations, helping to make this a superb choice for all natural-history collections. Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Celebrated naturalist-explorer-novelist Matthiessen was thrice nominated for the National Book Award, which he won for The Snow Leopard in 1980. Here, he takes a world view of cranes grand, stately birds of great dignity and grace documenting his adventures with fellow naturalists in China, Siberia, Mongolia, India, Japan, Africa, North America, Tibet, and Australia as they track the great birds. In a text accompanied by color reproductions of paintings by nature artist Robert Bateman, Matthiessen describes the venerable tradition of cranes in folklore and legend. He amply details the lives and futures of each of the 15 crane species while also investigating the history, peoples, lands, and cultures where they live. Well referenced and engagingly told, this rich book succeeds on several levels. Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries.
- Henry T. Armistead, Free Lib. of Philadelphia
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: North Point Press
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0374199442
• ISBN 13: 9780374199449
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352