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Sign up todayThe Ravenmaster
My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London
Narrator
Christopher Skaife
This audiobook uses AI narration.
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Length
6 hours 38 minutes
Language
English
Bookseller recommendation
“Yeoman warder Christopher Skaife describes himself as being ornithivorous in relation to his job, inhaling all that there is about ravens, no matter the area of study (science, mythology, art, etc.). And while he covers some of those topics in this book, it’s his personal stories that kept me reading late into the night. Skaife’s voice will rumble in your head and you’ll feel like you’re just swapping stories over a pint with a friend.”
— Rachel • Bookshop Santa Cruz
Bookseller recommendation
“This wasn't a topic I had ever given much thought, much less studied, but it's a fascinating subject that I'm happy to know more about. You will come out of this book with a healthy new knowledge of the Tower of London, the Yeoman Warders, and bird behavior, and probably a favorite raven, too. This book was so much fun on audio! I love hearing books as their authors intended for them to be read, and Skaife performs enthusiastically. He's a wonderful storyteller.”
— Kaley • Quail Ridge Books
"[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.
Christopher Skaife is Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) and Ravenmaster at the Tower of London. He has served in the British Army for twenty-four years, during which time he became a machine-gun specialist as well as an expert in survival and interrogation resistance. He has been featured on the History Channel, PBS, the BBC, Buzzfeed, Slate, and more. He lives at the Tower with his wife and, of course, the ravens.
Christopher Skaife is Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) and Ravenmaster at the Tower of London. He has served in the British Army for twenty-four years, during which time he became a machine-gun specialist as well as an expert in survival and interrogation resistance. He has been featured on the History Channel, PBS, the BBC, Buzzfeed, Slate, and more. He lives at the Tower with his wife and, of course, the ravens.
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