Customer Reviews

Out of the Woods: A Bird Watcher's Year

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
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I would compare this book to sitting at your grandfather's knee, listening to the old stories, rambling on. Maybe you heard that one before, maybe a similar one someplace else? Just a comfortable, sit by the fire while it's raining outside kind of book. Doesn't require a great deal of thought, conveys no remarkable insights. Comfortable....

Too much of the time, in these days of instant gratification, we don't take time to be still and truly observe the natural world around us.
We also don't take time to listen to those who have been around long enough to see and experience, what once was.
This book was an inspiration!
If you don't want to go for a walk in the woods (birder or not) after reading just one of his magical stories, well then, check your pulse.
How I wish I could've known this wonderful man, who had such a pure and optimistic outlook on the world.
If this is as close as I can get, then it will have to do.
The poetry is a song of love for nature, and those he loved.
Of course, Julie's illustrations (pencil only) are a marvel.
I will be buying a copy of this book for my mother's birthday. She's the one that taught me to appreciate the natural world. She's in her eighties. This is one way I can give back to her, what she gave to me.
Thank you Ora.

Written by journalist, conservationist, and naturalist Ora E. Anderson, Out of the Woods: A Bird Watcher's Year is a memoir reflecting upon the joys of birdwatching, the majesty of growing old, and the wondrous natural diversity of Appalachia. Wit, gentle humor, and an abiding appreciation for avian life from geese to woodpeckers to songbirds fill this appreciative guide, lovingly illustrated with beautiful black-and-white sketches of feathered friends feeding, migrating, flying, or raising their young. A treasure by a birdwatcher and bird lover, for birdwatchers and bird lovers.

This book, written by a man very in touch with nature and himself, is one of my favorites. It is not a long read; just enough to give the reader a chance to feel like they have spent a season with Ora Anderson...walking with him on his journey. The book is broken down into seasons, and within those seasons; his experiences with the animals and nature around him. He does not propose to have a perfect world as he does share with the reader the hardships of watching some of the birds that he has grown attached to die or become injured. But he makes peace with all that is around him. The book also shares bits of information about the different birds; but the information is within his daily walks and "chats" with the reader. It is an easy read, but one that you will want to take your time going through just as you would want to savor the conversation that you would have with Mr. Anderson, if you could. Thank you Mr. Anderson; you are missed...