A fascinating look at deer – in real life, myths and art

The Celts called them ‘fairy cattle’ and the Greeks associated them with the hunter goddess Artemis, but for most people today, deer are seen as cute, like Bambi, or noble, like the Monarch of the Glen.

Deer appear in religion and mythology, on coats of arms, in fine art, and in literature ranging from The Yearling to Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia.

Who better to guide the reader through the various species of deer and the part that they have played in our culture throughout the centuries than a qualified vet who lives and works on a deer farm in Auchtermuchty?

This is a well illustrated and thoughtful little guide taking the reader through the evolution of deer as well as the important place that they have held in mythology and art.

Deer, by John Fletcher, published by Reaktion Books, £9.99.

[review rating=”4″ align = “left”]

TAGS

FOLLOW US