Book Reviews by Sarah Winnicki

“Bird Book” is a phrase generally viewed as a synonym to “field guide”. But have you ever heard of a “Bird Novel?” Believe it or not, there are a large number of novels out today that involve birders. I would like to recommend a few of them that I have read so far.

“How to be a (Bad) Birdwatcer”
by Simon Barnes (2004):

In his book, Barnes introduces the public to the “Bad Birdwatcher,” which is the ordinary person who watches and enjoys birds not for ornithological or listing purposes but for his own enjoyment. Birders and non-birders will enjoy this informative collection of both lectures and stories that put into light the very reasons that we bird. One of the reasons that I enjoy this book is the fact the Barnes is English, so he talks about various English birds, such as hobbies, but also makes comparisons to American birds. When reading this novel, don’t be offended. Barnes often bashes “twitchers,” which is the English equivalent of listers. However, this book is still one to be enjoyed by birdwatchers and the twitchers alike.

“A Supremely Bad Idea - Three Mad Birders and Their Quest to See It All”
by Luke Dempsey (2008):

In this book, Dempsey tells the comical story of his birding life, starting as a man captivated by his friends and a Common Yellowthroat warbler and ending as a hard-core lister, traveling through some of the scariest places in the United States to find some of the rarest birds. Readers will encounter all sorts of villains along the trail, such as vehicle kicking Floridians, Osprey-scaring tourists, and drug-dealing murderers on the Mexican border, along with some fantastic bird sightings across the continent. Dempsey will take you on a ride in this new novel, but be forewarned, you might have an undeniable need to go birding after you finish.

“The Big Year”
by Mark Obmascik (2004):

Obmascik takes you on a year-long journey as he covers the amazing story of three birders and their Big Years. The Big Year is an intense competition among birders in which participants try to find and identify the most bird species in North America in an entire year. This story follows Sandy Komito, Al Levantin, and Greg Miller who participate in the record-setting 1998 Big Year. The whole story is filled with secrets, coincidental encounters, hundreds of last-minute flights, and crazed birding as the three birders race to beat the old record, beat their own record, and beat each other to claim the crown at the end of the year. Obmascik’s book will keep you on the edge of your seat as each participant’s big year is revealed.