About the Author

Victoria de Rijke is Principal Lecturer in Performing Arts and Education at Middlesex University. She is editor of Nose Book: Representations of the Nose in the Arts and Literature (2000).

Reviews

'de Rijke does an exemplary job of exploring aspects of "this cheery, watery little creature" from its violent sex life (one female may be pursued by 40 males) to the canard presse sold at Tour d'Argent in Paris.' - The Independent 'we find, thanks to Victoria de Rijke's superlative addition to Reaktion's Animal series, that ducks occupy huge reservoirs of our psyche and our planet ... Duck serenades and expands its subject, giving this charming, iconic bird a larger and infinitely more complex life than the one we commonly accord it ... both the birds and this book deserve our regard.' - TLS 'It's not just about what we do with the meat and eggs, but how ducks have infiltrated language and culture, in such matters as the origins of the word "quackery", Donald Duck's connections with propaganda and surrealism and, yes, even Toilet Duck. It's a very readable introduction to a world which is both more interesting than you might have imagined, and very charming too.' - The Herald, Glasgow 'the splendidly illustrated (a hallmark of the series) gallimaufry of the weird andwonderful' - IBIS