The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London

By Christopher Skaife

'Packed with insight and anecdote, his story brings the Tower ravens to vivid life, each bird with a personality of its own. I've been fortunate enough to tour the Tower and meet the ravens a few times in years past; after reading this book, I cannot wait to go back' George R. R. Martin

For centuries, the Tower of London has been home to a group of famous avian residents: the ravens. Each year they are seen by millions of visitors, and they have become as integral a part of the Tower as its ancient stones themselves. But their role is even more important than that – legend has it that if the ravens should ever leave, the Tower will crumble into dust, and great harm will befall the kingdom.

One man is personally responsible for ensuring that such a disaster never comes to pass – the Ravenmaster. The current holder of the position is Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife, and in this fascinating, entertaining and touching book he memorably describes the ravens’ formidable intelligence, their idiosyncrasies and their occasionally wicked sense of humour.

Over the years in which he has cared for the physical and mental well-being of these remarkable birds, Christopher Skaife has come to know them like no one else. They are not the easiest of charges – as he reveals, they are much given to mischief, and their escapades have often led him into unlikely, and sometimes even undignified, situations.

Now, in the first intimate behind-the-scenes account of life with the ravens of the Tower, the Ravenmaster himself shares the folklore, history and superstitions surrounding both the birds and their home. The result is a compelling, inspiring and irreverent story that will delight and surprise anyone with an interest in British history or animal behaviour.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Oct 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9780008307905

Christopher Skaife

Christopher Skaife is Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) and Ravenmaster at the Tower of London. He has served in the British Army for twenty-four years, during which time he became a machine-gun specialist as well as an expert in survival and interrogation resistance. He has been featured on the History Channel, PBS, the BBC, Buzzfeed, Slate, and more. He lives at the Tower with his wife and, of course, the ravens. Follow him on Twitter: @ravenmaster1.

Reviews for The Ravenmaster

[angelajmaher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A unique memoir from a man working in a unique job. Written in a conversational style, this is an enjoyable and enlightening read. It's a great book if you want to start learning about ravens (and has an excellent list of further reading in the back), but also worthwhile if you enjoy memoirs of people living unusual lives, or like history.

[bookconcierge · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Subtitle: My Life With the Ravens at the Tower of LondonThis memoir details Skaife’s career path to what has become his life’s work: the Ravenmaster at the Tower of London. He recounts what led to his joining the Army, some of his experiences in service and his chance decision to apply for a position as a Yeoman Warder at the Tower upon retirement from active service. But he spends most of the book regaling the reader with stories about the ravens.Skaife is clear at the outset: he is not a scientist. But he has a passion for his work and has made a determined effort to educate himself on the history, anatomy, habits and natural behaviors of corvids in general, and ravens in particular. His dedication to his position as Ravenmaster is evident, as is his great love for the birds. But there were times when I felt the book dragged as he overwhelmed me with scientific detail. I most enjoyed the stories of his various escapades: tracking an escaped raven, climbing scaffolding in the near-dark to get a recalcitrant bird “ready for bed” or embellished histories used to amuse (and partly to educate) the public. Final verdict: interesting but not gripping.

[mickyfine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an utterly charming memoir from the current Ravenmaster at the Tower of London, whose primary duty is to care for the resident ravens at the Tower of London. Skaife is an excellent storyteller (you can definitely see his skills giving tours at the Tower at work here) and he weaves together his life experiences with his work at the Tower providing an insight into both Tower and raven lore and history, mixed with some insights into his own life and character. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and highly recommend it if it intrigues you even slightly.

[bgknighton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An enjoyable introduction to the ravens of the Tower of London. An overview of their history, care, and personalities. A nice light read.

[stbalbach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Memoir by the current Ravenmaster at the Tower of London. Having never been there or even knowing ravens hung out there it was all new. Skaife has a bartenders gift for conversation, likely honed over years of dealing with the public, and with VIP guests at the Tower bar. The focus is on the ravens which are interesting enough. His theory about the ravens origins at the Tower is good, but who knows. This is a light and easy read, notable for Skaife's personality and insider access to a popular tourist spot.

[gwendydd · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this, but it was disappointing. It's pretty touristy - Skaife spends a lot of time talking to tourists, so the book is full of the same kind of information he shares with tourists, which is mostly a bunch of anecdotes, a few historical facts, and an awful lot of army stories. You won't learn anything about ravens that you don't already know from watching a nature documentary.

[montzaleew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ravenmasterby Christopher SkaifeThis is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. This is one of the best non-fiction books I have read this year. I enjoyed everything about this book! The book is laid out wonderfully simple and efficiently. This is a book about taking care of the 6-7 ravens at the tower of London! The author is the Ravenmaster. It is his job to keep the ravens safe and healthy and at the tower. This sounds simple but as he tells it, there is a lot to this job and it is also fascinating! I would love to be an assistant!He tells the history of the tower, of the job, we meet each raven and their personalities, odd things the ravens have done, odd things people have done (including the assists and Ravenmaster), ghosts, life in the tower, and so much more! Each chapter is truly amazing! I was spellbound! I really think he has an awesome job because I love ravens! He also discusses famous visitors, death of some ravens, what they do then, and more. I imagine the physical book might have pictures but I googled it. The author's love for these birds, his job, his humor, intelligence, and pride in his country really shines through! I giggled a lot while listening to this! He also narrated the book which was wonderful to hear it from the Ravenmaster himself! I recommend this book to everyone!!!

[jorgeousjotts · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm a fan of ravens in general, and the tower ravens in particular. Skaife does a nice job conveying many of the highlights of working with ravens and the history of ravens at the Tower of London. He also shares some of his personal history that led him to where he is. The tone is pretty conversational, and it's nice that he narrates the audiobook version, so you really get the right emphasis exactly as he meant them.

[billiebook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Narrated by the author, with whom I now want to hang out and have a drink.

[dele2451 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A British Army veteran finds a second calling as the full-time caretaker of the legendary London Tower ravens. This book is an entertaining mix of bird folklore, British history, and avian science. Fun, informative, and a recommended read to anyone interested in Corvids and all those planning a visit to London. I also appreciated the photos and the recommended reading list in the back.

[beamis12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found every aspect of this book incredibly well done. From the personal tone it is written in, to all the interesting information it imparts. We get to know the Ravenmaster, his time in the military, and what it takes to get this position in the tower. We learn about the Ravens, not only the stories that surround their being at the tower, but an up close look at their habitats, and even their personalities. One of their favorite snacks are dog bones soaked in blood. Well, they are carnivores, after all.All the superstitions associated with Ravens, from the heralders of death, to one of my favorite parts, the connection between the esteemed Charles Dickens and his use of Ravens in his novels. The most famous being the Raven Grip in Barnsby Rudge. As the author notes, "I may have a rather partial view, but to my mind Dickens counts as a genius not because of his prolific output, nor because of his famous public performances and his great public works, but because he gets every single detail about Ravens right!"Of course the famous inhabitants of the Tower, and stories associated with them and the tower itself are included. In fact, for a book without a large number of pages, there is much information s d entertainment to be found. I enjoyed every moment of my reading experience, but then again this is the season for the macabre. Hi baby by

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

nonfiction/memoir of Yeoman Warder and Ravenmaster.
I was expecting more ravens; this had to do mostly with Skaife's life (including some war stories from his days spent as a soldier) and a few stories about the Tower of London (ghosts, birds, and follies).
I would have abandoned but it was a fairly short book so I just pushed through, but I can't say I'm much richer for it.