Club George: The Diary of a Central Park Bird-Watcher [Hardcover]

Bob Levy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2006

Club George is a witty tale about one man's adventures with George, a particularly charismatic Red-winged Blackbird. Wryly humorous and brimming with affection for birds in general and George in particular, this book combines solid natural science with stylish prose and endearing photographs. The cast of characters includes creatures of all kinds, both human and not, and supporting roles are played by Pale Male and Lola, the famous Red-tailed Hawks whose nest was unceremoniously removed from their fancy Fifth Avenue building to a worldwide furor of protest.

Both useful and entertaining, Club George covers everything from how to buy binoculars to fascinating trivia about New York's most famous park. This amusing gem will be welcomed by book-buying bird-watchers, Central Park enthusiasts, and armchair nature lovers everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After being downsized out of his corporate career, Levy found solace in New York City's Central Park, where he was astonished to encounter a red-winged blackbird that had learned to use humans as an easy source of food. The bird was named George by a group of admirers whom Levy quickly joined, and in this chatty and sometimes witty book, the neophyte bird watcher tells of his Sundays (and other days) in the park with George, hand feeding him and studying his habits. Fascination with one bird led to attempts to get to know others, including a downy woodpecker and a mallard with a broken beak. He describes them and includes tips on bird identification books and binoculars. Levy's enthusiasm is appealing, but his discussion of hand feeding birds is problematic: watching wild birds is one thing; teaching them to trust humans is another—he mentions two incidents in which George's lack of fear of humans nearly resulted in disaster for the bird, but Levy never seriously addresses the question of whether the kind of interactions he implicitly encourages is in the best interest of wildlife. It's also a shame that the 72 photos are b&w; bird lovers would undoubtedly want them in glorious color. (Mar. 7)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

George is a red-winged blackbird, resident of a small pond in New York's Central Park. Levy was involuntarily unemployed, and Central Park became his place to seek solace. When an acquaintance introduced him to George, a particularly demanding bird that would take food from his^B hand, the nonbirder Levy was immediately converted. His book grew out of his increasingly lengthy notes and journal keeping. Beginning in April and ending in July, the narrative follows one breeding season around George's pond and in other areas of the park. Levy's writing style is fresh and intimate; when he observes a behavior he doesn't understand, he not only expresses his curiosity but also satisfies it by quoting from researchers on the subject. This delightful mix of the^B quizzical and scientific will engage the reader and painlessly teach quite a bit of ornithology. Popular science writing at its best, and highly recommended. Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; First Edition edition (March 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312341679
• ISBN-13: 978-0312341671
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,004,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Birder or not, this is a wonderful read, December 22, 2006

By 

island gardener - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Club George: The Diary of a Central Park Bird-Watcher (Hardcover)

This is one of the most enjoyable "birder" books I've read in years. The author writes with a delightful sense of humor; if you don't find yourself chuckling over something at least every couple of pages, better check your pulse! Even if you can barely tell the difference between a cardinal and a bluejay, you will enjoy this book; anyone with more than a casual interest in birds will absolutely love it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Club George, January 18, 2007

By 

Gilbert Vatter "friend of wildlife" (Middletown, New Jersey) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Club George: The Diary of a Central Park Bird-Watcher (Hardcover)

A wonderful journey through one summer in Central Park in Manhattan, where we meet and learn to love a cast of birds who are residents of the Park.

5.0 out of 5 stars Birds can save your soul, June 7, 2007

By 

Imamuon (Arnold, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Club George: The Diary of a Central Park Bird-Watcher (Hardcover)

Humans can learn much from bird behavior, and this book provides a very entertaining glimpse into the social and biological world of our feathered friends. Whether or not you are a bird watcher, you will enjoy Bob Levy's easy yet intellectual and witty writing style, and you may be very surprised to discover how closely their stories of love, survival, triumph and tragedy parallel the human condition. Levy makes excellent and timely references to insights from legendary bird experts Sibley, Yasakawa, and others to explain the 'why' behind his sometimes puzzling observations. When faced with limited resources, environmental challenges, life- or lifestyle-threatening conflict or other Darwinian forces, the birds' adaptation and response leaves this mere human in awe...