Return of the Crazy Bird

Download or read book Return of the Crazy Bird written by Clara Pinto-Correia and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-04-18 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the history of the concept of extinction with the dodo as a case study, Pinto-Correia carefully weaves together story fragments to give a cohesive eye-opening view of 17th century exploration and the grave ramifications it had for the survival and extinction of many species. More importantly, she shows us the intellectual underpinnings of the old view that it was acceptable for some animals to die out. Within this narrative, we can see what the modern view of the dodo tells us about the history of our changing understanding and valuation of nature and our place in it. Strong writing, powered by lively historical anecdotes and sober insights into human behavior, makes this beautifully illustrated book a page-turner to the end.