A narrative by the Tower of London's official Ravenmaster about what it's like to live among the ravens at England's most famous national monument, woven together with insight from folklore, history, and contemporary behavioral science about this unusual bird.

Maps on endpapers.

Silhouette -- Ravenmaster -- The rules -- Roll call -- Bird life -- Tower Green -- Biscuits and blood -- The menagerie -- Black birds -- The raven spreads his wings -- The great escape -- Resistance to interrogation -- Citizens of the world -- Double hatting -- The story -- Application -- Speaking in Ravenish -- Bird brains -- Ravenology -- The legend of the ravens at the Tower -- Blood swept lands and seas of red -- My mistress' eyes are raven black -- Birds and books -- Death and the raven -- The ghosts of my life -- And so to bed -- Great traditions -- Sentinels of the White Tor -- Rising above.