Falconer on the Edge: A Man, His Birds, and the Vanishing Landscape of the American West (Hardcover)

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Rachel Dickinson profiles falconer Steve Chindgren, a man willing to make extreme sacrifices to continue practicing the sport that has ruled his life. Dickinson arrives at a sense of falconry’s allure: the unpredictable nature of the hunt and the soaring exhilaration of success.

Further exploration unveils the enormous emotional cost to a falconer who establishes an extraordinary tie to his birds. When, in the space of two days, Chindgren loses two birds that he’d been training for years, he is plunged into a profound depression that is only deepened when Jomo, his best bird, slows down because of old age.

In addition to this challenge, Chindgren faces the danger to falconry that the modern world presents. Grouse habitat is being degraded by mining, agriculture, and gas industry interests. And the number of falconers is dwindling—the corps is graying and has few acolytes.

Falconry is a sport that requires persistence, stoicism, and sacrifice; in this captivating account, Dickinson illuminates a fascinating subculture and one of its most hard core personalities.

About the Author

RACHEL DICKINSON is a writer whose articles have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, USA Weekend, National Geographic Traveler, Audubon, and many other publications. She is the author of several books. She and her husband, Tim Gallagher, an avid falconer, live with their four children.

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Product Details Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (May 11, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 0618806237 ISBN-13: 978-0618806232 Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #208,977 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

39 Reviews 5 star:  (17) 4 star:  (15) 3 star:  (5) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 4.2 out of 5 stars (39 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Intense and wondrous., March 30, 2009 By  Stephen Thoemmes "All sins are just efforts t... (AZ, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)       (What's this?) I loved this book for it really opened my eyes to a sport that I have admired but never really looked into. What really stayed with me was the intensity and absolute devotion displayed by Steve Chindgren, a real fighter and unique individual. Though I've long loved Peregrines and Kestrels, I still learned so much more about them. In fact all the data in this book fleshed out this sport and made me realize how serious it is. One thing that remained in the background of my reading this book was a disquieting sense of urgency and helplessness at habitat destruction and human sprawl. I fear that this will destroy this unique and spectacular sport. It appears that the masses are mindlessly trampling over yet another endangered and beautiful, not just sport, but a way of life. 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Insight into Falconry in the West, April 23, 2009 By  ephemeral - See all my reviews    (What's this?) Rachel Dickinson explores the sport (or art) of falconry in the western US by profiling Steve Chindgren, a man who has been using falcons to hunt for almost his entire life. The book covers the technical aspects of the hunt, as well as the bond between the birds and their handlers, some of the history of falconry and the laws surrounding it, and the biology of the sage grouse- an important prey item for falconers out west. Dickinson relates first-hand accounts of her experiences with Steve and other falconers and also provides a lot of back story for Steve's life based on her extensive interviews with him. I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing about falconry, and now I feel like I have a basic grasp of what it is and how it works. I'm not sure how interesting it will be for people who are already familiar with the sport, but for anyone wanting to learn more about this esoteric sport that combines modern technology with anachronistic hunting techniques, I'd certainly recommend this book. 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating book that puts you into the heart of falcrony, May 3, 2009 By  Jane Boursaw (Traverse City, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    "Falconer on the Edge" is a fascinating look into a subculture that most people probably know very little about. It's a world filled with hardcore falconers whose lives revolve around their birds and the art of the hunt, an ancient practice that a few passionate souls like Steve Chindgren are keeping alive even in these modern times. Rachel Dickinson spent time with Chindgren in southwestern Wyoming, capturing the heart and soul of this "small, wiry middle-aged man" sporting a "great shock of reddish blond hair and a craggy, ruggedly handsome face with black-plastic-framed glasses perched on his small nose." The book is a wonderful narrative that doesn't simply describe Chindgren and his birds; it puts you right into the field with them. After reading "Falconer on the Edge," you'll swear you've been to Wyoming and seen it for yourself. The descriptions are that vivid. I'm glad Dickinson has taken the time to write this book, because the western landscape and falconry itself is changing, thanks to mining, agriculture, and gas industries. I'll leave you with this passage, describing the scene after Chindgren's bird Jomo has flown directly into a grouse "like a pile driver": "The soft explosion of feathers falls like a dusting of early-winter snow on the predator and his prey. Disney might portray this whole scene as the circle of life, but this isn't a cartoon, and when we witness it, it pulls on some coded prehistoric gene that still remains from the time when we were hunters and killed because we had to. Steve runs toward the birds to watch the falcon cling to the body of the slain grouse and calmly rip hunks of bloody meat from the still warm breast."		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars More than a story, good insight to falconry First, I have to admit that it took me some time to find the time to get through this short book. That's my fault, not the authors. I'm not much of a reader. Read more Published 2 days ago by John D. Hillmer 2.0 out of 5 stars Not great When I first started reading this book, I was excited about it and the pace went along quickly enough. Read more Published 1 month ago by Lili P. 5.0 out of 5 stars A tale of love and obsession Falconer on the Edge was impossible to put down. It describes, with a novel-like level of detail and emotional intensity, Steve Chindgren's obsession with the sport of falconry,... Read more Published 2 months ago by M. Bodin 1.0 out of 5 stars Where was this book's editor? I came to this book out of a somewhat distant but longterm interest in falconry, and a whistful affection for my previous home on the prairies of Wyoming. Read more Published 3 months ago by Ol' Lightnin 4.0 out of 5 stars Perspective- A Falconer's Point of View While I have loved and admired birds of prey my whole life, much of what is written here never even entered my thinking. I figured that birds hatched, lived and died. Read more Published 4 months ago by A. Sullivan 5.0 out of 5 stars More than an intro to Falconry To be honest I was attracted to this book because of it's cover and didn't know anything about the subject. Read more Published 4 months ago by V. Ghazarian 4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended, an interesting book on several levels. As you can read from the other reviews and the book cover itself, this book is an exploration of falconry by a writer who was inspired by her spouses love for the sport to profile... Read more Published 4 months ago by Gabriel's Buddy 5.0 out of 5 stars Great intro to Falconry - conversation. I have always been a fan of Falconry, maybe it was when I was a kid I saw Ladyhawke and fell in love with the age old sport. Read more Published 4 months ago by J. J. Marino 4.0 out of 5 stars Out from the Edge Dickinson spent a lot of time with master falconer, Steve Chindgren, to write about the subculture of falconers. Read more Published 4 months ago by grasshopper4 5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and brutal world of the falconer and his birds. One of the oldest arts, falconry is also one of the most esoteric. In modern society few people hunt, never mind hunt with birds. Read more Published 4 months ago by D. Schaefer Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (May 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618806237
• ISBN-13: 978-0618806232
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #208,977 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intense and wondrous., March 30, 2009

By	Stephen Thoemmes "All sins are just efforts t... (AZ, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

(What's this?)

I loved this book for it really opened my eyes to a sport that I have admired but never really looked into. What really stayed with me was the intensity and absolute devotion displayed by Steve Chindgren, a real fighter and unique individual. Though I've long loved Peregrines and Kestrels, I still learned so much more about them. In fact all the data in this book fleshed out this sport and made me realize how serious it is.

One thing that remained in the background of my reading this book was a disquieting sense of urgency and helplessness at habitat destruction and human sprawl. I fear that this will destroy this unique and spectacular sport. It appears that the masses are mindlessly trampling over yet another endangered and beautiful, not just sport, but a way of life.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insight into Falconry in the West, April 23, 2009

By	ephemeral - See all my reviews

(What's this?)

Rachel Dickinson explores the sport (or art) of falconry in the western US by profiling Steve Chindgren, a man who has been using falcons to hunt for almost his entire life. The book covers the technical aspects of the hunt, as well as the bond between the birds and their handlers, some of the history of falconry and the laws surrounding it, and the biology of the sage grouse- an important prey item for falconers out west. Dickinson relates first-hand accounts of her experiences with Steve and other falconers and also provides a lot of back story for Steve's life based on her extensive interviews with him.

I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing about falconry, and now I feel like I have a basic grasp of what it is and how it works. I'm not sure how interesting it will be for people who are already familiar with the sport, but for anyone wanting to learn more about this esoteric sport that combines modern technology with anachronistic hunting techniques, I'd certainly recommend this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating book that puts you into the heart of falcrony, May 3, 2009

By	Jane Boursaw (Traverse City, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Falconer on the Edge" is a fascinating look into a subculture that most people probably know very little about. It's a world filled with hardcore falconers whose lives revolve around their birds and the art of the hunt, an ancient practice that a few passionate souls like Steve Chindgren are keeping alive even in these modern times.

Rachel Dickinson spent time with Chindgren in southwestern Wyoming, capturing the heart and soul of this "small, wiry middle-aged man" sporting a "great shock of reddish blond hair and a craggy, ruggedly handsome face with black-plastic-framed glasses perched on his small nose."

The book is a wonderful narrative that doesn't simply describe Chindgren and his birds; it puts you right into the field with them. After reading "Falconer on the Edge," you'll swear you've been to Wyoming and seen it for yourself. The descriptions are that vivid. I'm glad Dickinson has taken the time to write this book, because the western landscape and falconry itself is changing, thanks to mining, agriculture, and gas industries.

I'll leave you with this passage, describing the scene after Chindgren's bird Jomo has flown directly into a grouse "like a pile driver":

"The soft explosion of feathers falls like a dusting of early-winter snow on the predator and his prey. Disney might portray this whole scene as the circle of life, but this isn't a cartoon, and when we witness it, it pulls on some coded prehistoric gene that still remains from the time when we were hunters and killed because we had to. Steve runs toward the birds to watch the falcon cling to the body of the slain grouse and calmly rip hunks of bloody meat from the still warm breast."