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Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?
- The Epic Saga of the Bird That Powers Civilization
- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
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Publisher's summary
From ancient empires to modern economics, veteran journalist Andrew Lawler delivers a sweeping history of the animal that has been most crucial to the spread of civilization across the globe: the chicken.
Queen Victoria was obsessed with it. Socrates' last words were about it. Charles Darwin and Louis Pasteur made their scientific breakthroughs using it. Catholic popes, African shamans, Chinese philosophers, and Muslim mystics praised it. Throughout the history of civilization, humans have embraced it in every form imaginable--as a messenger of the gods, a powerful sex symbol, a gambling aid, an emblem of resurrection, an all-purpose medicine, a handy research tool, an inspiration for bravery, the epitome of evil, and, of course, the star of the world's most famous joke.
In Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?, science writer Andrew Lawler takes us on an adventure from prehistory to the modern era with a fascinating account of the partnership between human and chicken (the most successful of all cross-species relationships). Beginning with the recent discovery in Montana that the chicken's unlikely ancestor is T. rex, this audiobook builds on Lawler's popular Smithsonian cover article, "How the Chicken Conquered the World", to track the chicken from its original domestication in the jungles of Southeast Asia some 10,000 years ago to postwar America, where it became the most engineered of animals, to the uncertain future of what is now humanity's single most important source of protein.
In a masterful combination of historical sleuthing and journalistic exploration on four continents, Lawler reframes the way we feel and think about our most important animal partner--and, by extension, all domesticated animals and even nature itself. Lawler's narrative reveals the secrets behind the chicken's transformation from a shy jungle bird into an animal of astonishing versatility, capable of serving our species' changing needs.
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By: Thor Hanson
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Cannibalism
- By: Bill Schutt
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Eating one's own kind is a completely natural behavior in thousands of species, including humans. Throughout history we have engaged in cannibalism for reasons related to famine, burial rites, and medicine. Cannibalism has also been used as a form of terrorism and as the ultimate expression of filial piety. With unexpected wit and a wealth of knowledge, Bill Schutt takes us on a tour of the field, exploring exciting new avenues of research and investigating questions like why so many fish eat their offspring and some amphibians consume their mothers' skin.
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Ruined it at the end
- By Kimberly Ames on 12-07-17
By: Bill Schutt
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The Wonder of Birds
- What They Tell Us About Ourselves, the World, and a Better Future
- By: Jim Robbins
- Narrated by: Danny Campbell
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Birds, Jim Robbins posits, are our most vital connection to nature. They compel us to look to the skies, both literally and metaphorically, draw us out into nature to seek their beauty, and let us experience vicariously what it is like to be weightless. Birds have helped us in so many of our human endeavors: learning to fly, providing clothing and food, and helping us better understand the human brain and body.
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Stories about birds with something for everyone
- By D on 07-24-17
By: Jim Robbins
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Banana
- The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World
- By: Dan Koeppel
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Banana combines a pop-science journey around the globe, a fascinating tale of an iconic American business enterprise, and a look into the alternately tragic and hilarious banana subculture (one does exist) - ultimately taking us to the high-tech labs where new bananas are literally being built in test tubes, in a race to save the world's most beloved fruit.
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Very Good Book - History, Science, and Economics
- By Jose on 11-08-17
By: Dan Koeppel
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Seven Modern Plagues
- And How We Are Causing Them
- By: Mark Jerome Walter
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
- Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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According to veterinarian and journalist Mark Walters, we are contributing to - if not overtly causing - some of the scariest epidemics of our time. Through human stories and cutting-edge science, Walters explores the origins of seven diseases: Mad Cow Disease, HIV/AIDS, Salmonella DT104, Lyme Disease, Hantavirus, West Nile, and new strains of flu. He shows that they originate from manipulation of the environment, from emitting carbon and clear-cutting forests to feeding naturally herbivorous cows “recycled animal protein.”
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Frightening, truthful and a real eye opener
- By RobJD on 02-23-15
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Countdown
- Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth?
- By: Alan Weisman
- Narrated by: Adam Grupper
- Length: 18 hrs
- Unabridged
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Weisman visits an extraordinary range of the world's cultures, religions, nationalities, tribes, and political systems to learn what in their beliefs, histories, liturgies, or current circumstances might suggest that sometimes it's in their own best interest to limit their growth.
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Boring
- By NorthFLADiver on 01-14-14
By: Alan Weisman
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1493
- Uncovering the New World Columbus Created
- By: Charles C. Mann
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 17 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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More than 200 million years ago, geological forces split apart the continents. Isolated from each other, the two halves of the world developed radically different suites of plants and animals. When Christopher Columbus set foot in the Americas, he ended that separation at a stroke. Driven by the economic goal of establishing trade with China, he accidentally set off an ecological convulsion as European vessels carried thousands of species to new homes across the oceans.
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Fascinating Mindbending History.
- By Betsy Powel on 12-19-11
By: Charles C. Mann
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The Humane Economy
- How Innovators and Enlightened Consumers Are Transforming the Lives of Animals
- By: Wayne Pacelle
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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A major new exploration of the economics of animal exploitation and a practical road map for how we can use the marketplace to promote the welfare of all living creatures from the renowned animal-rights advocate Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and New York Times best-selling author of The Bond.
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For all lovers of animals--even the most sensitive
- By monique on 05-01-16
By: Wayne Pacelle
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The Fever
- Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years
- By: Sonia Shah
- Narrated by: Maha Chehlaoui
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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In recent years, malaria has emerged as a cause célèbre for voguish philanthropists. Bill Gates, Bono, and Laura Bush are only a few of the personalities who have lent their names - and opened their pocketbooks - in hopes of curing the disease. Still, in a time when every emergent disease inspires waves of panic, why aren’t we doing more to eradicate one of our oldest foes? And how does a parasitic disease that we’ve known how to prevent for more than a century still infect 500 million people every year, killing nearly 1 million of them?
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Solid but not amazing account of malaria
- By S. Yates on 04-11-16
By: Sonia Shah
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Gods, Wasps and Stranglers
- The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Trees
- By: Mike Shanahan
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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They are trees of life and trees of knowledge. They are wish-fulfillers, rain forest royalty, more precious than gold. They are the fig trees, and they have affected humanity in profound but little-known ways. Gods, Wasps and Stranglers tells their amazing story. Fig trees fed our prehuman ancestors, influenced diverse cultures, and played key roles in the dawn of civilization.
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Incredible research in a wonderful story
- By Alonsa Guevara on 11-24-22
By: Mike Shanahan
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Pandemic
- Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond
- By: Sonia Shah
- Narrated by: Sonia Shah
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Interweaving history, original reportage, and personal narrative, Pandemic explores the origin of epidemics, drawing parallels between the story of cholera - one of history's most disruptive and deadly pathogens - and the new pathogens that stalk humankind today, from Ebola and avian influenza to drug-resistant superbugs.
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You will probably enjoy "Spillover" more
- By serine on 03-01-16
By: Sonia Shah
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The Book of General Ignorance
- By: John Mitchinson, John Lloyd
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Abridged
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Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and flawed facts finally get the heave-ho in this humorous, downright humiliating book of reeducation based on the phenomenal British best seller. Challenging what most of us assume to be verifiable truths in areas like history, literature, science, nature, and more, The Book of General Ignorance is a witty “gotcha” compendium of how little we actually know about anything. It’ll have you scratching your head wondering why we even bother to go to school.
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Interesting.
- By A. Hawkbird on 12-07-08
By: John Mitchinson, and others
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The Beekeeper's Lament
- How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America
- By: Hannah Nordhaus
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Award-winning journalist Hannah Nordhaus tells the remarkable story of John Miller, one of America's foremost migratory beekeepers, and the myriad and mysterious epidemics threatening American honeybee populations.
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From a beekeeper
- By Argos on 06-14-17
By: Hannah Nordhaus
What listeners say about Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Yue
- 07-08-19
Very interesting sets of stories
I liked the book because it gave all aspects from historic to scientific knowledge of the significance of the bird.
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-20-23
Lots of interesting details and facts
Enjoyed the history both natural and anthropological, very interesting.
Amazing how this little bird is a staple on everyday day life without many of us acknowledging it.
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- No
- 08-29-15
Valuable and Yet Undervalued
Would you consider the audio edition of Why Did the Chicken Cross the World? to be better than the print version?
I think the print version is better than the audio. There is so much information in the text it is easy to miss some by inattentiveness. In addition, print affords more ease in returning to earlier parts of the book to review earlier data. At the same time, Mr Holland's delivery is clear and well-modulated, so he is easy to listen to.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Why Did the Chicken Cross the World??
The discussion of American naturalists' efforts to secure, breed, and raise truly wild red jungle fowl. Lawyer's text documented the frustration, anxiety, and concern of the very few scientist-farmers of the early twentieth century who, unsupported by the federal government, took it upon themselves and their own wallets to protect the wild genome.
Have you listened to any of Dennis Holland’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have not, so I cannot comment concerning this question.
What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?
There are so many! But I never knew any chicken could fly. Having heard this, I Googled "red jungle fowl" and found YouTubes showing the same.
Any additional comments?
Who'd have thought a book about chickens could be interesting to a non-farmer? Yet as a consumer of eggs and lots of chicken, I am concerned about the deplorable conditions in which many chickens are raised in the US, and the loss of flavour caused by breeding for size.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Tom
- 01-03-16
Interesting, but a bit dry
A livelier narration would have helped, but as it is it wasn't riveting. Still, the author is right about the chicken being woefully overlooked, and offers some interesting insights on our avian companion
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- Vitko
- 06-15-16
Brave as a... Chicken?
Andrew Lawler spins a yarn interleaving obscure facts, popular misconceptions, and futuristic possibilities. The role of chickens in the economic liberation of women and American blacks is featured here as an unsung ode to the versatility of this closest of man's barnyard companions. Chickens help us to roll back the mists of time letting us glimpse into the influences which shaped humanity's spread across the globe. To the uninitiated the chickens herein are a wonderful mishmash of the natural worlds contribution to our quality of life. By juxtaposing anthropomorphic traits with characteristics of the truly wild which only the heritage of the Tyrannosaurus rex can bestow. The significance of the chicken to religion, medicine, and science have deep roots in the past, and maybe the key to a humane tomorrow where man lives side by side in dignity with the livestock he relies upon for sustenance.
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- Neuron
- 11-04-18
Never imagined the volume of bird trivia
This is a book about chicken. One would think that it is hard to write a book entirely about chicken. And one would think it is impossible to write such a book that is also interesting. Wrong, and wrong again. This book takes you on an unexpected, occasionally thrilling journey.
The reader will learn about:
- The number of chicken in the world: More than twice as many chickens as humans.
- The ancestry of chicken: They are related to dinosaurs and have been a part of our diet since at least 1500bc.
- The use of chicken in medicine: Squeezing it and drinking the resulting fluids cures a fewer (or so people thought.
- The morphology of chickens penises (or lack thereof).
- The role of chicken in ancient Greece: Socrates last words were about penises.
- Cockfighting: Still a very big sport in some countries.
- The intelligence of chicken (they are smarter than you think).
- And how much chicken we eat (crazy amounts).
If you are at all into chicken then this book is certain to be a smash hit. If you eat chicken occasionally and think chickens are ‘fine’, then this book will still be a hit. Even the reader who has never thought about this bird is likely to enjoy this book.
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8 people found this helpful
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- Andy B
- 02-03-16
informative while enjoyable.
I love it when I can learn while enjoying the process. First rate from start to finish.
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- tprestonf
- 05-05-23
Entertaining and Easy to Digest
Very informative and casts a wide net on a big topic. I wish there was more historical information included. Narrator was very good if a little deadpan on some of the more humorous material.
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- Logan
- 09-21-23
Loved the book
Great listen and information across such a wide range of chicken-related topics. Highly recommend
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- Evie M
- 09-01-19
five stars all the way
I love the narrator's voice and diction. I love the book itself FAR more than I anticipated. I'm listening to it for the second time now, and am just as enthralled as the first time--it helps in that regard that I have the basic memory loss of an adult American, but it's also so full of novel information that it would have been impossible to store it all in one go.
Fascinating, delightfully educating, well-rounded, humorous without being too goofy, well narrated...if you're into nonfiction and/or oddball history and facts, stop reading the reviews and invest in this one, already!
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2 people found this helpful