Customer Reviews

The Rites of Autumn: A Falconer's Journey Across the American West

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are interested in falconry at all, this is a MUST READ! The story takes you from the hack site to the beaches of Texas. I ordered this book for my boyfriend (now husband!) many years ago based on a review that I read in Sports Illustrated. I recently read it again and it was better the second time around (maybe because I know more about falcons, falconry and especially falconers than I did before!). It is a great story, it wont take you long to read and anyone who has ever loved a bird and let it go will really appreciate it!

Dan O'Brien has a keen respect for and love of nature. His desire to protect and preserve peregrine falcons not only is told in an interesting way, but with a desire to teach others a respect for the importance of letting nature teach us.
There are funny and interesting tales of his relationships with his hunting dogs and a peregrine falcon, as he trains a wild falcon to hunt and soar, with the hopes of releasing it in the wild after a migration from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the Gulf of Mexico.
Dan writes with the ability to hold your interest. You'll want to keep reading!
This is a "good read".

If you like the Great Plains, falcons and people with wild souls, this book is just the ticket. His observations about our place in the natural world are right on target and remind me very much of Aldo Leopold's ideas. Super good read.