Christopher Skaife

I cannot BEGIN to tell you how much I ADORED this book!

First of all, Skaife is an incredible storyteller and if I ever get to the Tower of London, I'll wait as long as I have to for him to be my guide. I was completely taken by his wit, humor, and charm; so much so that when I finished the book, I wished I had not. Second, I had no idea that the title "Ravenmaster" even existed. That being said, I am completely ready to quit my job to be an apprentice... holla @ me, bro.

As the legend goes,"if the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it". It is therefore the responsibility of the Ravenmaster (and in this case Yeomen Warder, Christopher Skaife) and his team to ensure this never happens. Skaife describes his daily routines with the ravens, from the very specific way he has to release the ravens in the morning to their rather grotesque feeding time, where readers learn about the... interesting... eating habits of these omnivorous birds. In addition to his own personal experiences with the ravens, he touches upon their behavior (he claims he is no ornithologist, but his firsthand accounts are definitely something to take into consideration), and offers further information on the Tower of London's history, the fascination with ravens in literature, and more.

If you're looking for a delightful book with a whole lot of charm and quirkiness, look no further, the Ravenmaster has got you covered!… (more)

The book delighted me by being an intertwining of ravens, the Tower of London, and the author's own life. I had been expecting the first two elements, but had rather unconsciously assumed science would be the third; I'm glad that it wasn't. Because the author wove in his own life experiences we get something uniquely intimate. I especially enjoyed the parallels he draws between his life as a soldier and his life as a carer for ravens, the similarities were completely unexpected and enlightening.

Ultimately this book feels exactly like a great conversation with a favorite uncle down at the pub one long and relaxed evening.… (more)

So fun! I recommend the audio, read by the author. It's like... it's like that rarely-reached jackpot for travelers, meeting a stranger in a bar or on a train who is full of interesting stories, and you pass hours listening to them without noticing, just learning a whole new life.

I try to read a variety of books and as a result I often find myself saying "not quite my type of book" in my reviews. Well, this is my type of book! Distracting and fascinating, offering a new perspective, telling amusing stories, and I get to focus on something that has flickered in my peripheral vision for a while - that's all I really want.… (more)