Bee

Description

Claire Preston's Bee is a history of our long, complex relationship with this industrious, much-admired insect. The book moves from ancient political descriptions of the bee to Renaissance debates about monarchy, to the conversion of the virtuous, civil bee into the dangerous swarm of the Hollywood horror flick, and finally to the melancholy recognition that the modern decline of the bee is due to our use of harmful pesticides and destruction of the insect's habitat. Written in a lively, engaging style and containing many fascinating facts, anecdotes, fables and images, Bee is a wide-ranging, highly illustrated natural and cultural history of this familiar visitor to our gardens and parks. The book appeals to a wide audience: those who work with bees and honey; those who appreciate this hard-working, humble creature and its intricate, miniature society; and those too who have an interest in the way the bee has woven itself into the fabric of our culture. 'Bee is excellent. I enjoyed every page of it.' - The Spectator 'It is an outstanding book: marvellously researched and annotated, superbly illustrated and exceptionally well written.' - Times Literary Supplement

Claire Preston is professor of Renaissance literature at Queen Mary, University of London.

"Engaging. . . . An excellent example of how cultural history can entertainingly cross borders."--BBC History Magazine "It is an outstanding book: marvellously researched and annotated, superbly illustrated and exceptionally well written. . . . Preston must have played the bee herself in her meticulous preparation for this book, and she has done this esteemed creature the great service it merits."--Times Literary Supplement "Even the most widely read beekeeper will find something new here. . . . Most pages of this beautifully presented book have excellent and interesting illustrations. . . . It is a great book to read if you want to gain a wider perspective of bees' role within our human society."--Bees for Development Journal "The kind of book I was looking for when I started beekeeping, a general overview of bees as they have appeared in history, art, and society. Preston presents the true, the absurd and everything in between about honey bees by tracing their reality, mythology, and folklore. . . . fascinating. . . . I recommend . . . sitting down to enjoy Preston's new book Bee."--Cynthia Allen "Bee Culture " "With so many fascinating facts, fables and arcana from art, science, literature and apiculture, Bee offers a compelling meditation on the fortune's of nature's workaholic."--American Bee Journal "Easily the best of several recent bee books. . . . Presents her information cogently and attractively . . . Bee is excellent."--James Fleming "Spectator "