Dream Birds

Ostriches are curious birds, belonging to no single biological category, leading Linnaeus to name it Struthio camelus, the "sparrow-camel." This book explores the history and myth surrounding ostriches, including their significance in the Karoo desert of South Africa, where the author Rob Nixon hails from. Nixon, who spent his career teaching literature in the U.S., reflects on his homeland's landscape and the ostrich trade's history, from early European settlers to modern industrial ranching in the American Southwest. An engaging study that covers natural history, cultural myths, and economic pursuits related to ostriches.