This is the untold natural and cultural history of nature's finest invention. Feathers are quite an evolutionary marvel: aerodynamic, insulating, beguiling. Their story begins in the Jurassic and leads through the development of flight to high fashion. Yet, their story has never been fully told. In "Feathers", biologist Thor Hanson tells a sweeping natural history of feathers, as they've been used to fly, protect, attract, and adorn through time and place. Applying the research of paleontologists, ornithologists, biologists ...
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This is the untold natural and cultural history of nature's finest invention. Feathers are quite an evolutionary marvel: aerodynamic, insulating, beguiling. Their story begins in the Jurassic and leads through the development of flight to high fashion. Yet, their story has never been fully told. In "Feathers", biologist Thor Hanson tells a sweeping natural history of feathers, as they've been used to fly, protect, attract, and adorn through time and place. Applying the research of paleontologists, ornithologists, biologists, engineers, and even art historians, Hanson asks: What are feathers? How did they evolve? What do they mean to us? Engineers call feathers the most efficient insulating material ever discovered. They've inspired legends and literature, from Icarus to Shakespeare. They've linked documents from the Constitution to the novels of Jane Austen. They've decorated queens, jesters, plague doctors, Aztec priests, and the fabled birds of paradise. They silence the flight of owls, give shimmer to hummingbirds, and keep penguins dry below the ice. They are at the root of biology's most enduring debate. It goes without saying, the importance and intrigue of feathers is patent. Informed by Hanson's own field experiences from Africa to Antarctica, "Feathers" deftly traces a history of evolution, fluff, flight, fancy, and function. A captivating and beautifully-written exploration of the human fascination with feathers, this book transports readers from mythical associations with the divine to the height of modern-day science and technology.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Minimal signs of wear. Corners and cover may show wear. May contain highlighting and or writing. May be missing dust jacket. May not include supplemental materials. May be a former library book.
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Seller's Description:
May have some shelf-wear due to normal use. Your purchase funds free job training and education in the greater Seattle area. Thank you for supporting Goodwill's nonprofit mission!
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Seller's Description:
As New in As New jacket. 2nd printing. Cloth. 336pp. Illus. Bibliography. Index. Signed & dated by Hanson in year of publication. Not inscribed to anyone. This a book exploring the nature and use of feathers. Fine, like new in dj.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good in Very Good-dust jacket. 0465020135. Very Good condition. No noteworthy defects. No markings. Minor rubbing to DJ.; B&W Illustrations & Photographs; 336 pages.
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Seller's Description:
Fine Like new jacket. Signed. First Edition. A nice copy. Clean text, solid binding. Dust Jacket protected by mylar cover. 2nd printing. Signed by author on title page. Toned pages due to poor quality of paper used.
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Seller's Description:
Supports Goodwill of Silicon Valley job training programs. The cover and pages are in very good condition! The cover and any other included accessories are also in very good condition showing some minor use. The spine is straight there are no rips tears or creases on the cover or the pages.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Feathers are miracles of structure and function, according to Hanson's careful and insightful examination. This is a well-researched book with references to science, history, evolution, and culture. It is a good book for the general reader with no formal training in biology or ornithology, and makes the subject appealing and exciting.
David L
Jun 1, 2012
A really fascinating book
A really fascinating book telling you all you ever wanted to know about how feathers evolved and how they work, all in a very accessible style.