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The Ravenmaster

My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

"[Christopher Skaife's] natural storyteller's charm results in a performance that is conversational, funny, and self-deprecating...Ravenmaster is a joyful listening experience." — AudioFile Magazine
This program is read by the author.
The first behind-the-scenes account of life with the legendary ravens at the world's eeriest monument.

The ravens at the Tower of London are of mighty importance: rumor has it that if a raven from the Tower should ever leave, the city will fall.
The title of Ravenmaster, therefore, is a serious title indeed, and after decades of serving the Queen, Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife took on the added responsibility of caring for the infamous ravens. In The Ravenmaster, he lets listeners in on his life as he feeds his birds raw meat and biscuits soaked in blood, buys their food at Smithfield Market, and ensures that these unusual, misunderstood, and utterly brilliant corvids are healthy, happy, and ready to captivate the four million tourists who flock to the Tower every year.
A rewarding, intimate, and inspiring partnership has developed between the ravens and their charismatic and charming human, the Ravenmaster, who shares the folklore, history, and superstitions surrounding the ravens and the Tower. Shining a light on the behavior of the birds, their pecking order and social structure, and the tricks they play on us, Skaife shows who the Tower's true guardians really are—and the result is a compelling and irreverent audiobook that will surprise and enchant.

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    • AudioFile Magazine
      Author and narrator Christopher Skaife is a Yeoman Warder, otherwise known as a Beefeater, at the Tower of London. Those titles might sound a bit formal or even posh, but Skaife is definitely not either. His natural storyteller's charm results in a performance that is conversational, funny, and self-deprecating. Skaife describes his raven charges with obvious affection. He has most closely bonded with Merlina, and he demonstrates their conversations in "ravenish"--a definite benefit to being a listener. As Skaife outlines his responsibilities as ravenmaster, he blends in ornithological anecdotes about ravens, his former military service (a required qualification for the job), and experiences of living in the tower. Skaife even saw a ghost once, although he prefers to call them "echoes of the past." RAVENMASTER is a joyful listening experience. A.B. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 16, 2018
      In this lively and often cheeky narrative, first-time author Skaife puts a human face on the Beefeaters (aka Yeoman Warders)—the ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London—and the distinctive ravens under their care. According to legend, these birds merit special concern because if they depart, “the Tower itself will crumble into dust and great harm will befall the kingdom,” writes Skaife. Short, entertaining chapters juxtapose history and myth with ornithological facts and an inside look at one of London’s most popular attractions. Skaife introduces readers to the Tower’s seven ravens and shares stories illustrating their quirky personalities (Merlina, for example, has a keen eye for Pringle’s potato chips, which she spots and steals from pedestrians), and chronicles his childhood, military career, and rise to ravenmaster, “the oddest job in Britain.” Balancing fascinating tidbits (a raven’s need for order and routine) with macabre details (blood-soaked dog biscuits and ghostly sightings), he titillates as he educates, rehabilitating the gloomy reputation of the raven. Skaife’s conversational style and disarming candor make this a rollicking tale fit for nearly any armchair adventurer. Agent: Anna Sproul-Latimer, Ross Yoon Agency

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  • English

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