Another rubbish book about birdwatching (1 Viewer)

[trw]

Every time I see a new book about birdwatching in the local Library I cannnot resist borrowing it.
The only trouble is they are mostly rubbish.
I have just borrowed a new birdwatching autobiography which might interest the author's closest friends and relatives but to an outsider it is just another self indulgant load of codswhallop.
Come to think of it I have only read one decent bird book which was called,I think,'To see every Bird in the World.'
I think the difference was that the author was basically writing about his Dad's story to twitch thousands of birds.It was written in a thoughtful,entertaining and manner.It was more about his father's obsession with birdwatching rather than the author blowing his own trumpet.
Maybe future bird authors should read this before embarking on another endless list of their own acheivements and how many birds they have seen.
They might then understand what makes a good entertaining read.

 

[Gordon]

You need to tell us what it is so we can avoid it.

cheers
Gordon

 

[grobble]

You do get some total rubbish in books!

I recall one written by a parrot 'expert' which stated that if your parrot was seen standing on one leg that is an indication of an injured foot and the bird should be taken to a vet !

 

[Farnboro John]

This is a very curious review, not only are the author and title not mentioned but it appears most other birdwatching books are a waste of time.

I look forward to the OP's opus.

In the meantime here is a short list of books about birdwatching that are not a waste of time. One of them got me into birding.... guess which.

Birders - Tales of a Tribe (Mark Cocker)
Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book
The Big Twitch (Sean Dooley)
The Big Year (Obmaschik)
Kingbird Highway (Ken Kaufman)
Gripping Yarns (W E Oddie)
Bluff Your Way at Birdwatching (Steven Sonsino)

John

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

This is a very curious review, not only are the author and title not mentioned but it appears most other birdwatching books are a waste of time.

I look forward to the OP's opus.

In the meantime here is a short list of books about birdwatching that are not a waste of time. One of them got me into birding.... guess which.

Birders - Tales of a Tribe (Mark Cocker)
Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book
The Big Twitch (Sean Dooley)
The Big Year (Obmaschik)
Kingbird Highway (Ken Kaufman)
Gripping Yarns (W E Oddie)
Bluff Your Way at Birdwatching (Steven Sonsino)

John

Gripping Yarns is a compilation of magazine articles, I think Follow That Bird is more in line with what the OP is critiquing and is also a good read.

Stephen

 

[redeyedvideo]

This is a very curious review, not only are the author and title not mentioned but it appears most other birdwatching books are a waste of time.

I look forward to the OP's opus.

In the meantime here is a short list of books about birdwatching that are not a waste of time. One of them got me into birding.... guess which.

Birders - Tales of a Tribe (Mark Cocker)
Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book
The Big Twitch (Sean Dooley)
The Big Year (Obmaschik)
Kingbird Highway (Ken Kaufman)
Gripping Yarns (W E Oddie)
Bluff Your Way at Birdwatching (Steven Sonsino)

John

I'm guessing Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book, an excellent read and hilarious in parts. I'd also recommend Tales of a Tribe, a gripping read and very sad at times.

I started reading The Big Year about 10 years ago and haven't finished it yet. I watched the film on a plane back from India, just about tolerable but I wouldn't buy the DVD!

 

[stevo]

Reading an old book called An eye for a bird,by Eric Hosking at the moment.

Recommended:t:

Steve.B

 

[Jos Stratford]

I started reading The Big Year about 10 years ago and haven't finished it yet. I watched the film on a plane back from India, just about tolerable but I wouldn't buy the DVD!

I read the book and also saw the film on a plane ...the book was reasonably good, the film was entertaining twaddle

 

[stuartg]

Would agree with Farnboro John's list of recommended reads and add:
A Patch Made in Heaven (Dominic Couzens) +
The Biggest Twitch (Alan Davies & Ruth Miller)

Stuart

 

[Allen S. Moore]

The Big Year

I read the book and also saw the film on a plane ...the book was reasonably good, the film was entertaining twaddle

Yes, it was on one of my flights to or from Canada recently. Without the volume it was OK, but some of the birds seemed out of place, such as penguins in Alaska (or did I need the sound to explain what that was all about?)!

 

[scary-canary]

Would agree with Farnboro John's list of recommended reads and add:
A Patch Made in Heaven (Dominic Couzens) +

Stuart

Agreed. Especially the chapter where I find Dominic a grey phalarope!

Chris

 

[JTweedie]

I think the OP is talking about Birdwatchingwatching by Alex Horne.

To add to the list above, another good book is Wild America by Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher. It's one of those books that just makes you want to pack your bags and follow in their footsteps.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I think the OP is talking about Birdwatchingwatching by Alex Horne.

Well he might be but how on earth would you know.

Are you picking up the detail about the book he does rate, 'To See Every Bird'?

Stephen

 

[TheBirdGarden]

I think the OP is talking about Birdwatchingwatching by Alex Horne.

The OP said it was a new one, that one is quite a few years old now |>|

 

[JTweedie]

Well he might be but how on earth would you know.

Are you picking up the detail about the book he does rate, 'To See Every Bird'?

Stephen

Ah sorry, I misread the original post. I thought he was talking about one book (the one he named), then in the next sentence giving an overview of the book I mentioned (which was basically about a guy and his dad too.

Note to self: read the full post in future before commenting.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Ah sorry, I misread the original post. I thought he was talking about one book (the one he named), then in the next sentence giving an overview of the book I mentioned (which was basically about a guy and his dad too.

Note to self: read the full post in future before commenting.

Yes I quite enjoyed Birdwatchingwatching, and as you say there is a certain similarity with To See Every Bird on Earth.

Stephen

 

[birdboybowley]

Yes, it was on one of my flights to or from Canada recently. Without the volume it was OK, but some of the birds seemed out of place, such as penguins in Alaska (or did I need the sound to explain what that was all about?)!

Penguins......did we watch the same movie???

 

[dwallace]

I've just finished "Birduder 344 - A life list ordinary" by Rob Sawyer. It's pretty amusing although perhaps of more interest to Hampshire birders as some of the local sites and birding characters are mentioned. Listing features heavily, but then so do pubs.

Well worth a read.

Dave W

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I've just finished "Birduder 344 - A life list ordinary" by Rob Sawyer. It's pretty amusing although perhaps of more interest to Hampshire birders as some of the local sites and birding characters are mentioned. Listing features heavily, but then so do pubs.

Well worth a read.

Thanks Dave, without that recommendation we probably wouldn't even know about the book here on Birdforum

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Penguins......did we watch the same movie???

I think they were comparing Bosticks character to a Skua stealing fish from Penguins. Not a movie mistake.

Rich