A Barrel of Monkeys: A Compendium of Collective Nouns for Animals - Hardcover

9781851244454: A Barrel of Monkeys: A Compendium of Collective Nouns for Animals
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ISBN 10: 185124445X ISBN 13: 9781851244454
Publisher: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, 2015
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What should we call the wild animals we spot from our windows? A surfeit of skunks? A dray of squirrels? A patient watch of wildlife enthusiasts might even catch sight of a skulk of foxes or a scavenging sloth of bears. The practice of inventing collective nouns for animals is an ancient pastime which derives from medieval hunts, but the list has been augmented in every age—and it remains an entertaining pastime today.

A Barrel of Monkeys brings together more than one hundred collective nouns for animals, from a bloat of hippopotamuses to a caravan of camels, a tower of giraffes, and a leap of leopards. The rivalry between male rhinoceroses becomes especially apt when the rowdy ungulates are characterized as a crash of rhinos.  An ambush of tigers is an apt characterization of the skillful hunters that silently stalk their prey. A blend of wordplay, puns, and alliteration, some of the terms collected here are now commonplace, like a pride of lions. Others aren’t heard much these days, but many—like a dazzle of zebras or a prickle of porcupines—richly deserve a comeback.

With charming illustrations by the eighteenth-century artist and naturalist Thomas Bewick, A Barrel of Monkeys is the perfect follow-up to A Conspiracy of Ravens, the Bodleian Library’s book of bird words. Not even a crash of rhinos can stop readers from smiling at this second collection.

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About the Author:
Samuel Fanous is head of publishing at the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.
Review:
“Fanous marries a love of the English language with striking eighteenth-century engravings. . . . It’s difficult to select favorites but how about ‘a crash of rhinoceroses,’ ‘a mischief of mice,’ and ‘a piddle of puppies’? Each of about 125 collective nouns is paired with an illustration by Thomas Bewick, a famed naturalist engraver.”
  (Boston Globe 2015-12-28)

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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. Featuring pets, farmyard animals, big cats and wild beasts, this beautifully presented book is the perfect gift for animal lovers and all those with an interest in this quirky linguistic tradition.We're all familiar with 'a flock of sheep' but what are the collective nouns for racehorses, pigs, zebras or giraffes? Drawing on a range of sources, from fifteenth-century hunting terms to more recent inventions that have now entered the language, this book collects over 100 examples of the most interesting collective nouns for animals, each illustrated with charming woodcuts by the renowned naturalist engraver of the eighteenth century, Thomas Bewick. Some describe a key characteristic of the animal in question: 'a shrewdness of apes', 'a busyness of ferrets'. Others are delightfully humorous: 'a piddle of puppies', 'a crash of rhinoceroses'. Featuring pets, farmyard animals, big cats and wild beasts, this beautifully presented book is the perfect gift for animal lovers and all those with an interest in this quirky linguistic tradition. Featuring pets, farmyard animals, big cats and wild beasts, this beautifully presented book is the perfect gift for animal lovers and all those with an interest in this quirky linguistic tradition. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781851244454

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Book Description Condition: New. Featuring pets, farmyard animals, big cats and wild beasts, this beautifully presented book is the perfect gift for animal lovers and all those with an interest in this quirky linguistic tradition. Illustrator(s): Bewick, Thomas. Num Pages: 144 pages, 126 black & white illustrations. BIC Classification: 2AB; CBX; CJBG. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 119 x 178 x 11. Weight in Grams: 172. . 2015. Hardcover. . . . . Seller Inventory # V9781851244454

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