Thursday, December 27, 2007
Books
Having just finished my copy of "A Curlew in the Foreground" about an RSPB warden on North Uist and thoroughly enjoyed it, can anyone recommend some good "reads" as opposed to guides on birds ? I am currently reading the NN book on a History of Ornithology and enjoying this also, but had not realised what a cantankerous bitching bunch many of the early ornithologists were. I knew from my past reading of old entomological literature that many of the Victorian and Edwardian entomologists would quite happily have done each other in if they thought they would get away with it, but hadn't realised it was apparently a universal trait among many naturalists of that era !
7 comments:
Some would say it carries on today!
Got a copy of "UK 500: Birding In The Fast Lane" by James Hanlon for Xmas, basically a book about twitching (one man's quest to see 500 spp before he gets to 30), only just started it so too early to say how good it is/isn't.
A couple of good reads I did enjoy are "A Bird In The Bush - A Social History of Birdwatching" by Steven Moss and "How To Be Bad Birdwatcher" by Simon Barnes (surprisingly good). Also worth a try is "Birders - Tales of a Tribe" by Mark Cocker, not the best book about birders/birding but goes some way towards explaining the obsession. If you fancy something a bit more erudite (sp?) try "Beguiled by Birds" by Ian Wallace, a difficult read due to the style of writing but still very informative once you get used to it, his earlier book "Discover Birds" is a real gem and is probably the best I have read for conveying the excitement of birding. If you have trouble getting hold of a copy I can lend it you.
I would be interested in other people's recommendations.
Hi Nick
Thanks for the suggestions. I have also heard Mark Cockers latest book Crow Country, is also very good (Peter Marren reviewed it and gave it a big thumbs up)I ordered a copy last week.I would like to take you up on the loan offer for the Wallace book if I may.
No problem but keep reminding me! I believe there is a crime writer who specialises in murder mystery type things but all with a birding theme, anybody heard of them?
Can't remember his name but didn't he write "To Kill a Mocking Bird"? and also the scripts to the films "Bird on a Wire" and of course "The Birds".
Nick's right, Wallace's Discover Birds is a little gem and should be compulsory. Anyone who reads it and does not want to get out birding first light next morning, has not got the passion and should sell their bins.
You may have read this already Paul, but "Birds Britannica" by Cocker and Mabey is a good read. It has a lot of information about man's history with birds in the UK, folk myths etc. It is a dipping into kind of book, rather than one that has to be read cover to cover. I read bits of it regularly.
I enjoyed a book about a writer's relationship with the natural world, landscape and family life; it is "Findings" by Kathleen Jamie. She is a contemporary Scottish poet. "Findings" is a prose work though.
Parts of the book are devoted to her discovery of the wonders of birdlife after being encouraged to get a pair of bins.It is an easy going read, good for a wet afternoon.
I've had "The Bedside Book of Birds" - An Avian Miscellany by Graeme Gibson, bought for Christmas and this looks a good 'dipping-in' book, Paul. Chapters include:
How long have we been enchanted by birds?/Folk tales & parables/Birds we use, eat, wear & sell/Avian defence and flying nightmares/Bird companions.
There's a sad poem by Robinson Jeffers about a red-tailed hawk that is injured, not able to fly, waiting to die etc. that brought a tear to my eye.
Another poem a bit closer to home, that went right over my head, is by Ted Hughes and called The Black Beast and I must admit it doesn't make much sense but I'll read it again as he's a 'local'guy and try and understand it.
Again, if anyone wants a read in a month or so please let me know.
Sandra
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