Zebra

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Nature, Animals, Mammals
Cover of the book Zebra by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw, Reaktion Books
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw ISBN: 9781780239712
Publisher: Reaktion Books Publication: May 15, 2018
Imprint: Reaktion Books Language: English
Author: Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
ISBN: 9781780239712
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Publication: May 15, 2018
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Language: English

Common and exotic, glamorous and ferocious, sociable and sullen: zebras mean many things to many people. But one facet of zebras universally fascinates: their stripes. The extraordinary beauty of zebras’ striped coats has ensured their status as one of the world’s most recognizable and popular animals. Zebra print is everywhere in contemporary society—on beanbags and bikinis, car seats and pencil cases. Many zoos house a zebra or two, and they are a common feature of children’s books and films. Zebras have been immortalized in paint by artists, including George Stubbs and Lucian Freud, and they even have a road crossing named after them. But despite their ubiquity, the natural and cultural history of zebras remain a mystery to most.

Zebra is the most comprehensive and wide-ranging survey ever published of the natural and cultural history of this cherished animal, exploring its biology and cultural relevance in Africa and beyond. Few know that there are three species of zebra (plains, mountain, and Grévy's), that one of these is currently endangered, or that among the many subspecies was once found the quagga, an animal that once roamed southern Africa in large numbers before dying out in the 1880s. Drawing on a range of examples as dizzying as the zebra’s stripes, this book shows how the zebra’s history engages and intersects with subjects as diverse and rich as eighteenth-century humor, imperialism, and technologies of concealment. Including more than one hundred illustrations, many previously unpublished, Zebra offers a new perspective on this much-loved, much-depicted, but frequently misunderstood animal.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Common and exotic, glamorous and ferocious, sociable and sullen: zebras mean many things to many people. But one facet of zebras universally fascinates: their stripes. The extraordinary beauty of zebras’ striped coats has ensured their status as one of the world’s most recognizable and popular animals. Zebra print is everywhere in contemporary society—on beanbags and bikinis, car seats and pencil cases. Many zoos house a zebra or two, and they are a common feature of children’s books and films. Zebras have been immortalized in paint by artists, including George Stubbs and Lucian Freud, and they even have a road crossing named after them. But despite their ubiquity, the natural and cultural history of zebras remain a mystery to most.

Zebra is the most comprehensive and wide-ranging survey ever published of the natural and cultural history of this cherished animal, exploring its biology and cultural relevance in Africa and beyond. Few know that there are three species of zebra (plains, mountain, and Grévy's), that one of these is currently endangered, or that among the many subspecies was once found the quagga, an animal that once roamed southern Africa in large numbers before dying out in the 1880s. Drawing on a range of examples as dizzying as the zebra’s stripes, this book shows how the zebra’s history engages and intersects with subjects as diverse and rich as eighteenth-century humor, imperialism, and technologies of concealment. Including more than one hundred illustrations, many previously unpublished, Zebra offers a new perspective on this much-loved, much-depicted, but frequently misunderstood animal.

More books from Reaktion Books

Cover of the book Albrecht Altdorfer and the Origins of Landscape by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book The Rise of the Vampire by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Tennessee Williams by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Water and Art by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Zombies by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Spoken Image by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Vulture by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Søren Kierkegaard by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Angels in Mourning by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Gin by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book The Global Economic System since 1945 by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Sex and Buildings by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Pig by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book Symptom of Beauty by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
Cover of the book A New Philosophy of History by Christopher Plumb, Samuel Shaw
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy