The story of a day in the meticulously ordered life of Jonathan Noel. Set in Paris, it reveals the tensions that can push such a person to the brink of insanity. Patrick Suskind has also written "Perfume", "The Story of Mr Sommer" and a play, "The Double Bass".

The Pigeon

From #1 New York Times best-selling, award-winning author and illustrator Mo Willems! Buckle up for twists, turns, and emotional loop-de-loops in the most roller coaster-y Pigeon book ever! The Pigeon WILL be ready. Will YOU!?

The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster!

The Pigeon really needs a bath! Except, the Pigeon's not so sure about that. Besides, he took a bath last month! Maybe. It's going to take some serious convincing to try and get the Pigeon to take the plunge.

The Pigeon Needs a Bath!

Anthropocentricity and pragmatism seem to be the main reasons why pigeons have served as the "black boxes" of so many psychologists and neurobehaviorists during the past decade. Anthropocentricity, because at first glance pigeons show several strik ing features which bear a beautiful similarity to human systems in respects such as drinking, bipedality, territoriality, and apparently easy pursual of individual interests. Pragmatism, because of the suspected lesser complexity of the pigeon's system, which enables them to serve as good paradigms for human systems. For example, the visually guided grasping system of the beak could be used as a model for the visually guided grasping system of the tips of the thumb and forefinger in humans (personal communi cation, Zeigler). Other pragmatic reasons are the low cost of breeding these birds, their easy adaptation to experimental conditions, and their obvious capacity for learning and remembering. Although a closer and more critical examination largely undermines the anthropomorphic arguments, this has not diminished interest in the pigeon. In many studies on sensorimotor and motivational processes of hunger, thirst, and learning, pecking and drinking behavior serve as the systems on which the outcome of different black box systems is measured. Clear examples of this application are found in McFarland (1964, 1965), Dawkins (1966), Dawkins and Dawkins (1973), Goodman and Schein (1974), Machliss (1977), and Zeigler, Levitt, and Levine (1980).

The Feeding System of the Pigeon (Columba livia L.)

This is special re-print edition of the 1st edition of A.H. Osman's legendary book "The Pigeon Book." Published in 1910, this is considered one of the most important work of the early 20th Century on Domestic Pigeons and covers numerous breeds which were known in England at the time. Original copies of this book are extremely rare and often sell for hundreds of dollars. This book features all the basics on raising pigeons, as well as insights into such breeds as the English Carrier, Barb, Dragoon, Antwerp, Pouters, Croppers, Frill and Owl breeds, Show Homers, Exhibition Homers, Racing Homers, Flying Tumblers and others. Note: This edition is a perfect facsimile of the original edition and is not set in a modern typeface. As a result, some type characters and images might suffer from slight imperfections or minor shadows in the page background.

The Pigeon Book

Why do we see pigeons as lowly urban pests and how did they become such common city dwellers? Courtney Humphries traces the natural history of the pigeon, recounting how these shy birds that once made their homes on the sparse cliffs of sea coasts came to dominate our urban public spaces. While detailing this evolution, Humphries introduces us to synanthropy: The concept that animals can become dependent on humans without ceasing to be wild; they can adapt to the cityscape as if it were a field or a forest. Superdove simultaneously explores the pigeon's cultural transformation, from its life in the dovecotes of ancient Egypt to its service in the trenches of World War I, to its feats within the pigeon-racing societies of today. While the dove is traditionally recognized as a symbol of peace, the pigeon has long inspired a different sort of fetishistic devotion from breeders, eaters, and artists—and from those who recognized and exploited the pigeon's astounding abilities. Because of their fecundity, pigeons were symbols of fertility associated with Aphrodite, while their keen ability to find their way home made them ideal messengers and even pilots. Their usefulness largely forgotten, today's pigeons have become as ubiquitous and reviled as rats. But Superdove reveals something more surprising: By using pigeons for our own purposes, we humans have changed their evolution. And in doing so, we have helped make pigeons the ideal city dwellers they are today. In the tradition of Rats, the book that made its namesake rodents famous, Superdove is the fascinating story of the pigeon's journey from the wild to the city—the home they'll never leave.

Superdove

BeeLit

Beli Labs

Download BeeLit to save reading records and track comprehension over time.

Love reading quizzes?

Loading your quiz

No results found

The Pigeon reading comprehension quiz — free, instant, no sign-up. Pick a book and start now!