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

Rachel Dickinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 2009

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Though this eye-opening book is about falconry, the real subject here is obsession. How far will one man push himself around the law and his family to achieve his singular goal of controlling a wild predator? With fine writing and a keen eye for detail, Rachel Dickinson provides some surprising answers."  - Mark Obmascik, author of Halfway to Heaven and The Big Year

"A unique portrait of one of the most eccentric and obsessive characters in contemporary America and the vulnerable part of the West he considers home. Its interest to falconers is guaranteed, but it also deserves to find an audience amongst all those who are repulsed by the destruction of our natural heritage, who cherish wilderness and the creatures that have lived there for millions of years. Behind the complex picture of Steve and his environment, there is a deeper question: how can we ensure that lives such as Steve's and the creatures he loves continue to be possible?" - Tony Huston, screenwriter and falconer

"More than a mere hobby, falconry is a way of life. Its practitioners are stubborn and focused, complex and conflicted, devoted and dedicated, even fanatical. And frankly misunderstood by most naturalists and environmentalists. In this honest and sympathetic portrayal, Rachel Dickinson presents a clear picture of the strange and fascinating lives of modern falconers." - Ted Floyd, editor, Birding

"Falconer on the Edge is a sharply drawn portrait of a hunter, a man who leaves his family to fly falcons on sage grouse for months at a time. Through DickinsonÕs keen observation, we conclude that the sport of falconry cannot survive outside the hothouse of obsession. It is a sport that amounts to a crucible, heating and hardening a few rare individuals single-minded enough to let their lives melt into it." - Julie Zickefoose, author of Letters from Eden

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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.

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: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #224,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 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
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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

(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.

5 of 5 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
(VINE VOICE)   

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

(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 Good read, and a unique look into the world of falconry, May 3, 2009

By 

Bobbi J. Dempsey - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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

Though I'm not really a "bird person," I was transported into the world of falconry through the author's vivid, detailed descriptions. I developed a new understanding for the falconers and their total (at times obsessive) dedication to the sport. I rooted for them (and their birds) to have a good day in the fields, and at times sympathized with them during emotional moments. Overall, this was an enjoyable and informative read.