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The Book of Barely Imagined Beings
The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st Century Bestiary | Caspar Henderson
From medieval bestiaries to Borgess Book of Imaginary Beings, weve long been enchanted by extraordinary animals, be they terrifying three-headed dogs or asps impervious to a snake charmers song. But bestiaries are more than just zany zoologythey are artful attempts to convey broader beliefs about human beings and the natural order. Today, we no longer fear sea monsters or banshees. But from the infamous honey badger to the giant squid, animals continue to captivate us with the things they can do and the things they cannot, what we know about them and what we dont. With The Book of Barely Imagined Beings, Caspar Henderson offers readers a fascinating, beautifully produced modern-day menagerie. But whereas medieval bestiaries were often based on folklore and myth, the creatures that abound in Hendersons bookfrom the axolotl to the zebrafishare, with one exception, very much with us, albeit sometimes in depleted numbers. The Book of Barely Imagined Beings transports readers to a world of real creatures that seem as if they should be made upthat are somehow more astonishing than anything we might have imagined. The yeti crab, for example, uses its furry claws to farm the bacteria on which it feeds. The waterbear, meanwhile, is among natures extreme survivors, able to withstand a week unprotected in outer space. These and other strange and surprising species invite readers to reflect on what we valueor fail to valueand what we might change. A powerful combination of wit, cutting-edge natural history, and philosophical meditation, The Book of Barely Imagined Beings is an infectious and inspiring celebration of the sheer ingenuity and variety of life in a time of crisis and change.
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Bookwomble
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Pickpick

An A-Z listing of some (generally) little known creatures which the author uses as springboards for more general musings.

The author chose an eclectic and unusual sampling of animals and part of the fun of the book is seeing where he goes with them. Not a book to buy if you want detailed zoological information, but an interesting and diverting set of essays about life, the universe and everything.

19 likes3 stack adds
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MStew
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THIS BOOK you guys is awesome!! Has tons of cool facts and illustrations I love it! I love flipping through it finding weird animals that I didn't know existed! It's perfect for anyone's home library!!🤓🦁

Echo Soooo cool! 6y
MStew @Echo thankya😄 6y
Aimeesue I have a HC copy - it's a GORGEOUS book! That lamprey mouth pic, tho! 😳 6y
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MStew @Aimeesue 😂I know 😮 6y
vivastory I forgot about this one, it's been buried on my TBR list. Definitely bumping it up! You might like 6y
MStew @vivastory just added it ! Looks splendid 😍 6y
jillrhudy I was ape about this. An @aimesue recommendation. 6y
100 likes16 stack adds7 comments
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emily_m_tubb
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Mini book haul 📚

And Moomin of course 😉

AmyG I say this every time...but gosh, he‘s cute. (edited) 6y
Erinsuereads Oh man he‘s adorable! 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa OMG!! Cuteness level...💯 6y
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LeahBergen I‘m having a Moomin type of hair day today. 😆 6y
ReadingVampire Moomin!!! 😍😍 so cute!!! 6y
Christine11 Moomin is just so cute ! ❤️ 6y
valeriegeary What a perfect name! 😍 6y
BookNAround Moomin is the cutest! 6y
TricksyTails @MinDea Moomin! 😍😍😍 6y
74 likes2 stack adds10 comments
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UnderSaltWater
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Pickpick

Was more about our relation to the animals, especially in light of the effects we have on their environment- but I enjoyed it. Easy to put down and pick up since the chapters are each a different animal.

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UnderSaltWater
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Someone wants to know why her species doesn‘t show up in here.

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Mrsschofield741
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This book from Life Science showcases some of the more fantastical creatures that inhabit our world. Displayed in a medieval wood cut style, with "gold" trim on the cover. ?? #medieval #lifescience #imagination

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GatheringBooks
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#MarchIntoReading Day 9: #AlliterativeTitles - I found this in a literary couple's bookshelves (my book club pips and known husband-and-wife writing tandem here in Singapore). I took a photo so that I can remind myself to purchase a copy for myself. Then Alliterative. And art. And 21st century bestiary. What's not to love?

Lmstraubie I love the cover! 7y
RealLifeReading Lovely book! 7y
GatheringBooks @Lmstraubie that is the first thing that caught my eye! 7y
GatheringBooks @RealLifeReading it is! now i am itching to order it from book depository. 7y
30 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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beccaeve
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Now I remember ordering this. I got this stunning book for an amazing deal! I've had it on my wish list but was surprised @BetterWorldBooks got a used copy already!

8leagueboot This rings all my bells! Critters AND curiosities! 🐉 7y
beccaeve @8leagueboot And it's soooo pretty! I'll have to post pictures of the illustrations and end paper later. 7y
8leagueboot @beccaeve lord, let me go and get my fan! 7y
43 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Tonton
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This. This! Beautiful concept, beautifully written, beautifully designed! I. Am savoring every page this weekend. Wishing I had the hardcover if you know what I mean.

MrBook 😁👍🏻 8y
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