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Last of the Curlews

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Last of the Curlews
AuthorFred Bodsworth
LanguageEnglish
GenreNovel
PublisherMcClelland & Stewart
Publication date
1954
Publication placeCanada
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback)

Last of the Curlews is a novel, a fictionalized account of the life of the last Eskimo Curlew. It was written by Fred Bodsworth, a Canadian newspaper reporter and naturalist, and published in 1954.

Plot introduction

The story follows the bird throughout a year during its migration to South America and return to the Canadian Arctic in search of a mate. Although somewhat anthropomorphic in parts, the book paints a realistic and detailed picture of this bird's life and behaviour.

The book may have been somewhat premature in that there were confirmed sightings of this bird in 1963 and there were a number of unconfirmed sightings after that date. However, this bird may now be extinct.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

The book was made into an animated film by Hanna-Barbera Productions. This film was first shown in October 1972 as ABC's very first "After School Special." It was given an Emmy for children's programming in 1973.

Trivia

The 1988 edition (ISBN 1-88-717825-2) includes a foreword by the poet W.S. Merwin and an afterword by the physicist Murray Gell-Mann.