by James D. Rising
A very good family guide, but read on to see how it compares with the authors’ follow-up photographic guide.
March 2, 2008
by James D. Rising
A very good family guide, but read on to see how it compares with the authors’ follow-up photographic guide.
Here are some bird book and product reviews from magazines and journals published in February, 2008.
If you are aware of any more, please reply to this post below.
I found these while browsing through Amazon (yes, I’m pretty much always looking for books!). I’ve already ordered some of them since I couldn’t find new or used copies for cheaper anywhere else, especially given the free shipping for orders over $25.
Note: Birders and Club George are remaindered/bargain books and thus may have either a sticker on the cover or a black mark along the bottom. But they are new. The copy of Club George I received was a hardcover and had a easily removable sticker over the UPC on the back.
February 22, 2008
by Marcy Cottrell Houle
A fascinating story of a pair of Peregrine Falcons, and a young biologist who studied them.
I’m a latecomer to the world of blogs, and I’m not sure why. I guess I just thought of them as personal vanity sites. I was wrong (well, at least about the ones that I now read regularly). There is a great wealth of content and information available in them.
I’ve found many great bird-related blogs, and most of them also post book reviews and news. Here are all of the ones that I’ve found so far. If they have a category for reviews the links will take you directly there, otherwise to the main page. These have also been added to the Links page.
If anyone is aware of any others please let me know!
Periodically I’ll post “Review Roundups” where I’ll link to new book reviews that others have written or list the reviews that have been published in recent magazines.
Book titles and cover copy are often flush with hyperbole. Which bird deserves the title “World’s Most Beautiful” is debateable and subjective. But I’m not going to argue with the publisher of this book. I’ve been fortunate enough to see some wild Scarlet Macaws and they are easily the most spectacular creatures that I have yet to see.
Sweet, a new book from Kenn Kaufman!
Book Description (from Amazon.com):
In a moving story about a son’s relationship with his mother, a world-famous birder relates the essence of his passion for nature.
At the age of sixteen, Kenn Kaufman left home to travel the world in search of birds. Now a grown man and a renowned ornithologist, he has come back to visit his ailing mother and to try to explain to her what drove his obsession with birdlife. His explanation takes the form of a series of interlocking tales from the frontier where the world of birds intersects with the world of the humans who pursue them. The stories range over settings from Alaska to Africa, from trackless jungles to parking lots. They delve into subjects from first dates to last rites, from imagination and desire to sleep deprivation, from poignant encounters with eternal mysteries to comical brushes with biker gangs and secret agents. But as the stories unfold, the ornithologist comes to realize that he can still learn some things from his mother, about life and even about the meaning of birds.
Flights Against the Sunset brings together nineteen of Kenn Kaufman’s best essays from his long-running column in Bird Watcher’s Digest. They are woven into an original story that examines how we communicate about our passions with those who do not share the same level of interest, and that celebrates the world of infinite possibilities and wonder.
To See Every Bird on Earth: A Father, a Son, and a Lifelong Obsession, by Dan Koeppel
I have yet to read this book, but I just jumped on this deal and it will be added to my queue of books to read.
Welcome to the new, and hopefully vastly improved, Birder’s Library. I have built this new version using the wonderful WordPress blogging software. While I suppose that technically makes this site a blog now, the purpose and basic functionality of the site has not changed. But it will make it much more convenient and easy for me to post reviews and updates.
And it also allowed me to add some really cool features that I wanted to include from the beginning:
So take a look around and test out some of the new features. Then please let me know how you like the changes. And most definitely make me aware of any issues or problems you have viewing or using the site. You can do so by submitting a response to this post, or by emailing me at the address on the contact page.
February 7, 2008
by Malcolm Gladwell
No, this is not a bird book. However, it is extremely relevant to birding, not to mention a fascinating read.
February 2, 2008
by Carl Safina
Wow. I was blown away by this book. Amazingly written, entertaining, and educational – everyone needs to read it.