THE GREAT AUK Its Extraordinary Life, Hideous Death and Mysterious Afterlife

The great auk, a large flightless seabird related to guillemots and razorbills, has been extinct since 1844, wholly at the hands of people. John Sackville's crisp English accent and conversational pacing draw the listener into ornithologist Tim Birkhead's wide-ranging investigation into the life and afterlife of the great auk. Sackville is a charming and precise guide as we travel back in time to foul-smelling Funk Island, a breeding colony off the coast of Newfoundland, where auks were easy pickings for hungry passing sailors. Not surprisingly, Birkhead's investigation is sad and depressing: He follows the skins and eggs--there are fewer than 80 of each--as they pass through the hands of collectors. Occasionally, the story gets a bit cloak-and-dagger, and Sackville makes the most of it. A.B. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2025]