THE NATURAL HISTORY OF UNICORNS.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2.] FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp, clean,matt,colour pictorial illustrated front panel of dw/dj,with dark grey letters, similar lettering to horn detail illustrated spine/backstrip, rear panel also illustrated and dark grey lettered critics' reviews; with negligible shelf-wear,bumping,creasing to edges and corners – no nicks,tears or splits present.Head of spine/backstrip with minimal but gentle pushing and reciprocal creases.Top+fore-edges bright and clean without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound – no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners – pristine, unread,apart from my own collation. Publisher's bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,original,plain dark brown cloth boards with bright,crisp, blocked gilt lettering to spine/backstrip and immaculate/clean plain white sets of endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,xiii-xivpp+1-258pp [paginated] includes author's introduction, 10 chapters,contemporary b/w photographs,historical b/w illustration reproductions interspersed throughout the text and the book,a bibliography,illustrations Credits, and an Index;contents list/table; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,a dedication,an epigram,and separate contents+ illustrations lists/tables. Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional, and even internally, the book is also in an exceptional condition/ state of preservation and presentation. From Biblical stories about virgins to adventures with Harry Potter, unicorns have enchanted people for millennia. In the endlessly fascinating 'The Natural History of Unicorns.',author Chris Lavers ingeniously traces the legend of this mysterious creature to the real people, places,and animals that have influenced its story.For over two thousand years,unicorns have inspired,enchanted,and eluded humanity.The beast appears in Old Testament texts and Greek and Roman natural histories; Christians adopted it as a symbol of Christ, the Middle Ages as a symbol of courtly love.There was a brisk trade in unicorn parts in medieval and Renaissance times,and travellers regularly reported sightings into the modern era.But by the early twentieth century the real-life contenders for the beast had been ruled out,and scientists concluded that the unicorn never existed.It turns out they were a little hasty.Where did the unicorn come from, and how was it accepted as a part of the animal kingdom for so long? Chris Lavers argues that although the unicorn of our imagination isn't real, traces of its character can be found in existing species. In this lively and vivid exploration of the natural world, Lavers follows the beast's trail to the plateaus of India and into the jungles of Africa to unearth the flesh and blood ancestors of our iconic unicorn.Along the way,Lavers introduces the peoples,historians,explorers, traders,and scientists who believed in the unicorn,and describes their efforts to pin it down.Its changing status - from one-horned ass to religious symbol to pure myth - reflects man's journey from superstition to scientific understanding,ultimately leading to a greater insight into the natural world. Please contact seller, for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **