The Bedside Book of Beasts: A Wildlife Miscellany, Gibson, Graeme. Published by Doubleday Canada, 2009. First Edition. 8vo up to 9½” tall., 368pp., illustrated. Orange cloth boards, dark orange titles, illustrated endpapers. In fine, unread condition and house din a fine, unclipped jacket. The Bedside Book of Birds: An Avian Miscellany, also available.
The intricate, complex connection between the hunter and the hunted has defined animal life on Earth throughout time. In The Bedside Book of Beasts, Graeme Gibson gathers from all eras and cultures works of art and literature that capture the power, grace, and inventiveness of both predators and their natural prey. Here are myths, fables, poetry, generous excerpts from nature and travel writing, journals, sacred texts, and works of fiction. There are vivid descriptions of noteworthy predators — including the big cats, bears, wolves — but also the small but voracious praying mantis. Gibson also brings to life the experiences, strategies, and emotions of vulnerable prey, and paints intriguing portraits of such legendary evil beasts as the Minotaur, Grendel, and the Biblical Leviathan. All of this is enhanced by a breathtaking array of art, both traditional and contemporary, as well as scientific, religious, and mythological drawings, paintings, and woodcuts.
