The Hounds of Heaven
Living and Hunting with an Ancient Breed
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Narrated by:
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Raymond Scully
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By:
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Stephen J. Bodio
About this listen
Tracing the History of the Oldest Breed of Dog
In 1992, two Russian moviemakers left a cryptic note for New Mexican writer Stephen Bodio at his local bar. It led him to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, where he saw a film about the ancient breed of Central Asian sight hounds known as tazis. He would end up chasing these leads to Kazakhstan, where these beautiful dogs may have existed 6,000 years ago. He found evidence in ancient rock paintings that these hounds, ancestors of such modern breeds as salukis and Afghans, were and still are used to hunt with birds of prey and horses in the Bronze Age, all along the old Silk Road.
He brought back several pups to his home in New Mexico, bred them, and placed them with friends, some of whom wanted to use them to increase the genetic diversity of the saluki. Soviets tried to wipe out the breed, valued by tribal people as a symbol of their independence. But the greatest threat to them today might be the show-dog breeder's closed stud books, though modern attacks on hunting with hounds might destroy their "work".
The Hounds of Heaven is a celebration of the Asian sight hound in all its names and glorious variety, a lament for disappearing ways, and an adventure. Its characters include scientists, hunters, and memorable dogs; Lashyn, the jealous girlfriend who destroyed the bonsai; Ataika, the Kazakh princess who rules the world, who taught herself to hunt with hawk, falcon, and gun entirely without commands; Kyran, who came speaking only Russian. Bodio blends science, history, and art to tell a tale that has not reached an end yet. As he says, "The hounds are still running."
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2016 Stephen J. Bodio (P)2016 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Story
Half of all species could disappear by the end of the century, and scientists now concede that most of America’s endangered animals will survive only if conservationists keep rigging the world around them in their favor. So Jon Mooallem ventures into the field, often taking his daughter with him, to move beyond childlike fascination and make those creatures feel more real. Wild Ones is a tour through our environmental moment and the eccentric cultural history of people and wild animals in America that inflects it.
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The line between conservation and domestication...
- By Bonny on 04-02-14
By: Jon Mooallem
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American Wolf
- A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West
- By: Nate Blakeslee
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Nate Blakeslee
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Before men ruled the earth, there were wolves. Once abundant in North America, these majestic creatures were hunted to near extinction in the lower 48 states by the 1920s. But in recent decades, conservationists have brought wolves back to the Rockies, igniting a battle over the very soul of the West. With novelistic detail, Nate Blakeslee tells the gripping story of one of these wolves, O-Six, a charismatic alpha female named for the year of her birth.
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An Epic American Story
- By Michael - Audible Editor on 10-17-17
By: Nate Blakeslee
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The Horse
- The Epic History of Our Noble Companion
- By: Wendy Williams
- Narrated by: Angela Brazil
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Horses have a story to tell - one of resilience, sociability, and intelligence and of partnership with human beings. In The Horse, journalist and equestrienne Wendy Williams brings that story brilliantly to life. Williams chronicles the 56-million-year journey of horses as she visits with experts around the world, exploring what our biological affinities and differences can tell us about the bond between horses and humans and what our longtime companions might think and feel.
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Full of science.
- By Jennifer90046 on 02-07-17
By: Wendy Williams
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Citizen Canine
- Our Evolving Relationship with Cats and Dogs
- By: David Grimm
- Narrated by: Graham Hamilton
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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In this fascinating exploration of the changing status of dogs and cats in society, pet lover and award-winning journalist David Grimm explores the rich and surprising history of our favorite companion animals. He treks the long and often torturous path from their wild origins to their dark days in the middle ages to their current standing as the most valued animals on Earth. For pet lovers or anyone interested in how we decide who gets to be a “person” in today’s world, Citizen Canine is a must-have. It is a pet tale like no other.
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Cats and Dogs Unite!
- By Gillian on 03-03-15
By: David Grimm
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Coyote America
- A Natural and Supernatural History
- By: Dan Flores
- Narrated by: Elijah Alexander
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Coyote America is both an environmental and a deep natural history of the coyote. It traces both the five-million-year-long biological story of an animal that has become the "wolf" in our backyards and its cultural evolution from a preeminent spot in Native American religions to the hapless foil of the Road Runner. A deeply American tale, the story of the coyote in the American West and beyond is a sort of Manifest Destiny in reverse.
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Very Enjoyable Book, Subject Matter, and Reader
- By John Townsend on 03-17-17
By: Dan Flores
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How to Be a Good Creature
- A Memoir in Thirteen Animals
- By: Sy Montgomery
- Narrated by: Sy Montgomery
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Understanding someone who belongs to another species can be transformative. No one knows this better than author, naturalist, and adventurer Sy Montgomery. To research her books, Sy has traveled the world and encountered some of the planet's rarest and most beautiful animals. From tarantulas to tigers, Sy's life continually intersects with and is informed by the creatures she meets. This restorative memoir reflects on the personalities and quirks of 13 animals - Sy's friends - and the truths revealed by their grace.
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Enchanting Start To 2019....
- By Rory on 01-02-19
By: Sy Montgomery
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Wild Horse Country
- The History, Myth, and Future of the Mustang
- By: David Philipps
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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In a powerful blend of history and contemporary reporting, New York Times reporter David Philipps traces the rich history of wild horses in America: their introduction by the Spanish conquistadors, their role in the epic battles between Native Americans and settlers, their vital place in American self-mythology. He travels through some of the most remote parts of the American West, known as Wild Horse Country, to investigate the wild horse's current dilemma, caught between the clashing ideals of ranchers, scientists, and more.
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Inaccurate Read
- By Lara Hooper on 07-09-19
By: David Philipps
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How the Dog Became the Dog
- From Wolves to Our Best Friends
- By: Mark Derr
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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That the dog evolved from the wolf is an accepted fact of evolution and history, but the question of how wolf became dog has remained a mystery, obscured by myth and legend. How the Dog Became the Dog posits that dog was an evolutionary inevitability in the nature of the wolf and its human soul mate. The natural temperament and social structure of humans and wolves are so similar that as soon as they met on the trail they recognized themselves in each other.
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Interesting and thorough, but not for everyone
- By N. Rogers on 12-12-11
By: Mark Derr
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Dog Man
- An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain
- By: Martha Sherrill
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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In the snow country of Japan during World War II, we meet Morie Sawataishi, a fierce individualist who has chosen to break the law by keeping an Akita dog hidden in a shed on his property. By the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945, there are only sixteen Akitas left in the country. The survival of the breed becomes Morie's passion and life. Devoted to the dogs, Morie is forever changed.
In beautiful prose that is a joy to read, Sherrill opens up the world of the Dog Man and his wife, providing a profound look at what it is to be an individualist in a culture that reveres conformity, and what it means to live.
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Dog of a Book
- By mjchgo on 08-27-10
By: Martha Sherrill
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My Life in Dog Years
- By: Gary Paulsen
- Narrated by: Gary Paulsen
- Length: 1 hr and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Gary Paulsen has owned dozens of unforgettable and amazing dogs. In each chapter he tells of one special dog, among them Cookie, the sled dog who saved his life; Snowball, the puppy he owned as a boy in the Philippines; Ike, his mysterious hunting companion; Dirk, the grim protector; and his true friend Josh, a brilliant border collie.
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Gary Paulsen’s My life with Dogs is hysterical
- By A Holly Winter Mystery on 01-04-19
By: Gary Paulsen
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The Dragon Behind the Glass
- A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World's Most Coveted Fish
- By: Emily Voigt
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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A young man is murdered for his prized pet fish. An Asian tycoon buys a single specimen for $150,000. Meanwhile, a pet detective chases smugglers through the streets of New York. Delving into an outlandish realm of obsession, paranoia, and criminality, The Dragon Behind the Glass tells the story of a fish like none other: a powerful predator dating to the age of the dinosaurs.
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A "must read" for all fish professionals.
- By Fishgen on 06-26-16
By: Emily Voigt
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Deep Creek
- Finding Hope in the High Country
- By: Pam Houston
- Narrated by: Pam Houston
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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On her 120-acre homestead high in the Colorado Rockies, beloved writer Pam Houston learns what it means to care for a piece of land and the creatures on it. Elk calves and bluebirds mark the changing seasons, winter temperatures drop to 35 below, and lightning sparks a 110,000-acre wildfire, threatening her century-old barn and all its inhabitants. Through her travels from the Gulf of Mexico to Alaska, she explores what ties her to the Earth, the ranch most of all.
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The most beautiful book I’ve ever read
- By KFratt on 04-26-19
By: Pam Houston
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Wolf Totem
- A Novel
- By: Jiang Rong
- Narrated by: Jason Culp
- Length: 22 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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An epic Chinese tale in the vein of The Last Emperor, Wolf Totem depicts the dying culture of the Mongols - the ancestors of the Mongol hordes who at one time terrorized the world-and the parallel extinction of the animal they believe to be sacred: the fierce and otherworldly Mongolian wolf.
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Influential Heart throbbing story
- By Jared on 11-19-24
By: Jiang Rong
What listeners say about The Hounds of Heaven
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Neesie315
- 04-05-20
Ancient Hounds
I would recommend this book for anyone who loves dogs, anyone who is interested in the history of ancient breeds of dogs, hunting enthusiasts, and people who want to know more about falconry.
The author, Stephen Bodio, does a great job in mixing history, science and humor in his tale of pursuing the ancient breeds of Asia. I learned a lot about dogs in general as well as these tazi/saluki/hounds. Another plus for me is the fact that the author lived in a small town near where I am living in New Mexico and perfectly captured the landscape of this beautiful land. Mr. Bodio pulls no punches in attacking well-meaning animal rights people and purebred snobs in his dissection of their faults.
The narrator, Raymond Scully, does a great job and his performance added a lot to this book.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-23-23
Must Read for folks who hunt with dogs
and should be mandatory reading for non hunting dog lovers. It’s a love story between hunters, their dogs (and quarry) and the environments they inhabit.
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