animals
Moose, bears, pigeons, chickens, and the humans who loved them unwisely.
The Shoemaker Who Became a Bear
A grizzly attack left him with a silver-dollar-sized hole in his skull — and that bear ended up on the California state flag.
The Paper Men Who Launched a Barnyard Into the Sky
The king suggested testing the balloon on condemned prisoners. The Montgolfiers had a better idea.
The Boy Who Kept Scorpions in Matchboxes
The zoo that once refused to hire him now sends its directors to the training academy he built.
The Raven That Wrote Two Masterpieces
A paint-eating raven died, got stuffed, and ended up inspiring two of the most famous works in English literature — from two different writers.
The Poet Who Brought a Bear to College
When Trinity College banned dogs from student rooms, Byron checked the statutes, confirmed they said nothing about bears, and installed one.
The Astronomer and the Moose
The greatest astronomer of the sixteenth century lost his nose in a duel over math, consulted a clairvoyant dwarf, and owned a moose that died falling down stairs drunk on beer.