"How doth the little busy bee improve each shining hour / and gather honey all the day from every opening flower!" This famed Isaac Watts verse reveals the enduring fascination that bees have held for humans: bees have long been admired for their remarkable socialization and architectural skills, and since the earliest times they have carried profound symbolic meanings. Claire Preston's Bee offers a comprehensive survey of the natural and cultural history of the bee and explores the impressive body of literature that has grown out of man's search for honey.

A sacred god, a military tool, an erotic symbol: the falcon is a natural wonder of speed, power, beauty, and ferocity that has become embedded in human cultures in myriad ways. Helen Macdonald's Falcon examines the diverse symbolism and roles attached to the falcon throughout the centuries.

As everybody knows, oysters are the ultimate aphrodisiac. Casanova famously ate 50 raw oysters every morning with his mistress of the moment, in a bathtub designed for two. As well as an aphrodisiac, since the earliest times, the oyster has been an inspiration to philosophers, artists, poets, chefs, gourmets, epicures and jewelers. It has been pursued by poachers and thieves, and defended by police, and Acts of Parliament. In this book, literary historian and radio broadcaster Rebecca Stott gathers together the extraordinary history of the oyster and its pearl. She shows how this curious creature has been used and depicted in human culture, and what it has variously meant to those who either love or loathe it.

The graceful winged form of the swan has inspired works of art from fairy tales to ballets, and its profile is recognized immediately by even the most cursory of bird admirers. Now the newest addition to Reaktion's acclaimed Animal series examines the fascinating story behind this elegant bird.