Edward A. Armstrong – författare

Tracing the magico-religious beliefs surrounding birds as far back in time as is possible, to the cultures in which these beliefs arose. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.comEdward A Armstrong is already known to readers of the New Naturalist as the author of the remarkable study on the wren. His wide scholarship and talents have fitted him outstandingly for this book, which could only have been written by a man with his deep understanding, not only of ornithology, but of social anthropology, psychology and comparative religion.Mr Amstrong has selected a number of familiar birds - such as the swan, the raven, the owl, the robin and the wren - and has traced magico-religious beliefs concerning them as far back as possible to the cultures in which these beliefs arose. With the scientist’s eye and methods of analysis he has examined the development of myth and ritual with originality and ingenuity.Many odd and interesting facts are cited, and explanations are given, for example of the customs of breaking the wish-bone, and of fables concerning weather-prophet birds and the generation of the Barnacle Goose from shell-fish.This book is the first treatment of a group of folklore beliefs as a series of artefacts are treated by an archaeologist, classifying them in order according to epochs. Archaeological data, as well as oral and literary traditions, have been used to illustrate the origins and significance of the current folklore.The illustrations are of exceptional quality and consist of over 140 carefully chosen photographs and line drawings from worldwide sources.

Saint Francis: Nature Mystic, by Edward A. Armstrong, explores the origins and significance of the remarkable natural history woven into the Franciscan Legend. Although Saint Francis is today celebrated as the Christian saint most closely identified with compassion for animals, plants, and the elements, Armstrong shows that this reputation has been too often romanticized and insufficiently studied. By examining the nature stories in Francis’s biographies—the wolf of Gubbio, the sermon to the birds, and countless other tales—he asks whether they reflect fact, folklore, or a deliberate hagiographical construction designed to present Francis as a new kind of saint.Armstrong situates Francis’s devotion to the natural world within the broader intellectual, cultural, and religious traditions of medieval Europe. He traces influences from Celtic Christianity, monastic poverty movements, troubadour culture, and Joachim of Fiore, while also exploring how Francis’s early companions and later biographers reshaped his image to serve ecclesiastical needs. The study illuminates Francis not only as a mystic whose piety embraced all of creation, but also as a figure shaped by complex historical forces. By combining perspectives from history, theology, folklore, psychology, and natural science, Armstrong recovers the depth of Francis’s vision and challenges us to see him as both a child of his age and a pioneer whose reverence for creation still resonates powerfully in an era of ecological concern.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1973.

Saint Francis: Nature Mystic, by Edward A. Armstrong, explores the origins and significance of the remarkable natural history woven into the Franciscan Legend. Although Saint Francis is today celebrated as the Christian saint most closely identified with compassion for animals, plants, and the elements, Armstrong shows that this reputation has been too often romanticized and insufficiently studied. By examining the nature stories in Francis’s biographies—the wolf of Gubbio, the sermon to the birds, and countless other tales—he asks whether they reflect fact, folklore, or a deliberate hagiographical construction designed to present Francis as a new kind of saint.Armstrong situates Francis’s devotion to the natural world within the broader intellectual, cultural, and religious traditions of medieval Europe. He traces influences from Celtic Christianity, monastic poverty movements, troubadour culture, and Joachim of Fiore, while also exploring how Francis’s early companions and later biographers reshaped his image to serve ecclesiastical needs. The study illuminates Francis not only as a mystic whose piety embraced all of creation, but also as a figure shaped by complex historical forces. By combining perspectives from history, theology, folklore, psychology, and natural science, Armstrong recovers the depth of Francis’s vision and challenges us to see him as both a child of his age and a pioneer whose reverence for creation still resonates powerfully in an era of ecological concern.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1973.

Originally published in 1942, this book is an introduction to the study of bird psychology. Armstrong covers a wide variety of subjects relating to 'ceremonials' and other rituals conducted by various species of birds, including social hierarchy, courtship, song and arena displays. The text is illustrated with a variety of photographs illustrating some of the practices described. This book will be valuable to anyone with an interest in the conduct and communication of birds.