Publication Reviews
Book Review: Better Living Through Birding - Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World
By Christian Cooper |Random House, 2024
Christian Cooper is the Black birder who rose to fame after being accosted by a white woman in Central Park when he asked her to leash her dog. He has since published his book, Better Living Through Birding, Notes from a Black Man in a Natural World.
I was expecting a book about his birding adventures, and, while it has birding tips throughout, I soon realized this is his autobiography. It delves into what made him the man he is – his struggles with being a Black gay man. As he writes, “As I might lead a bird walk through the woods, this book will lead you through six decades of a Black gay activist birder’s tumultuous past, pausing to observe all things most notable.”
As always, when you step into another person’s shoes, you find much to learn. That was true reading this book. His boyhood was full of frustration as he felt the need to hide his sexual identity. He found solace in bird watching, and has continued to pursue this passion throughout his life. His travels, his work at Marvel, his quest for his religion, his relationship with his father – all are examined in regards to his birding philosophy.
There is a chapter detailing the Central Park incident, which I had not realized happened on the same day that George Floyd was killed. He examines the racial tensions that erupted into the Black Lives Matter movement, and the importance of cellphone videos to capture the truth,
just as many birders use them to document a species.
He summarizes nicely when he says there are things he has stood up for ‘the better part of my life: fairness and justice for Black people, equality for queer people, the sheer joy of birds and the need to protect them and their wild places.’ There are places where Black birders hesitate to go to bird, like their own ‘Green Book’ due to racial geography. Yet he feels that a shared interest in birds can bridge those gulfs in equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging. If we only listen – listen to the birds, and listen to each other.
- Reviewed by Linda Moore
Book Review: The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man's Love Affair with Nature
By J. Drew Lanham |Milkweed Editions, 2016
In this book, Drew Lanham shares his experiences growing up in the rural south as an African American, and his later life as an ornithologist, wildlife ecologist and university professor. Interspersing personal history with natural history, he explores the concept of flight, both avian and his own. He eloquently describes his extended family and the land they worked and shares both the surprise of the experience of being rescued by rednecks after his car spun off the road and the constant hyper-vigilance of working in remote places alone with only binoculars, a spotting scope, and his notebooks.
This unflinching, yet largely celebratory look at what it’s like to be a Black person active in the natural world in the US is so beautifully written even non-birders will enjoy it. - Reviewed by Dawn Smith
The Man Who Loved Birds: Pioneer Ornithologist Dr. Frank M. Chapman (1864-1945)
By James T. Hoffstodt
Independently published, Aug 19, 2022
What were ornithology and bird studies like in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s? How does it relate to our modern-day studies and conservation? James Huffstodt takes us on a journey of the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Dr. Frank M. Chapman.
Today, Chapman is best known as the Father of the Christmas Bird Count, but there is so much more: ornithologist, museum curator, researcher, explorer, artist, photographer, speaker, and conservationist. He wrote popular articles, books, and guides, and began Bird-Lore magazine which later became Audubon. A Renaissance man of the bird world, his life’s work had a great impact on modern-day research and conservation efforts.
Mr. Huffstodt’s biography offers a well-researched, satisfying, and rich overview of Chapman’s work, influence, and research. He creates a narrative that takes you along with the great explorer and has me wanting to read Dr. Chapman’s acclaimed works. I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves birds.
- Reviewed by Jackie Blurton
New Mexico Bird Finding Guide, 4th Edition
By William H. Howe, editor
Published by Outskirts Press, Dec. 15, 2021
The 4th Edition of New Mexico Bird Finding Guide is published and available to purchase from the New Mexico Ornithological Society website nmbirds.org. Visit the link to purchase.
Completely updated with new content and detailed new maps. The book is available on Amazon and also on the author website at Outskirts Press for 10% off. The primary authors are John Parmeter, Sandy Williams, and Bill Wittman. Bill Howe served as editor, Pat Mehlhop created the maps, Sandy Williams wrote the annotated checklist, and Nancy Hetrick developed the index and assisted with final edits. The book has full color photos by Dave Krueper at the start of each region and line drawings by Dale Zimmerman throughout. Many other people contributed to the chapters.
- Reviewed by Dave McDonald
Butterflies and Dragonflies of Southwest New Mexico
Where and When to find them
By Tony B. Godfrey & Shela D. Godfrey
This handy book is the second in the Field and Site Guide Series. The authors, Tony and Shela Godfrey, are familiar to many of us from their time at City of Rocks State Park, where Tony was park technician and his wife, Shela, a volunteer in the Visitor’s Center. Alas they have been transferred to Sugarite Canyon State Park near Raton but have left us with a couple of publications to remember them by.
This guide, like the first about birds, describes ten convenient locations that provide a look at the diversity of locations in this region, from desert to mountain to lakeside, for good viewing of butterflies and dragonflies. Visitors to Southwest NM will find useful the directions to each location and the facilities they offer. A nice feature for both tourists and locals is the guide to the common species to be found at each location based on the month.
The highlight of the book is the excellent photographs. If you have seen any of Tony’s presentations at our meetings, you know that he is an outstanding photographer. The book includes photos of over 130 different species, with a brief description of the habitat you might find them in, and when and where to look. Also handy are pictures of the basic anatomy of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.
This book is not meant to replace a comprehensive field guide, but it could become a valuable addition to your library and would also be a great gift to entice visitors to enjoy our region. The book and companion field and site guide to birds is available at City of Rocks State Park Visitor’s Center or by visiting: FieldAndSiteGuides.com.
- Reviewed by Terry Timme
Common Birds of Southwest New Mexico
Where and when to find them
By Tony B. Godfrey
This handy book is the first in a series by Certified Interpretive Guide and park technician at City of Rocks State Park, Tony Godfrey. The guide describes ten convenient locations that provide a glimpse at the diversity of birding spots in this region – from desert to mountain to lakeside. Visitors to Southwest NM will find useful the directions to each location and the facilities they offer. A nice feature for tourists and locals is the guide to the common birds you can find at each location based on the season.
The highlight of the book is the excellent photographs. If you have seen any of Tony’s presentations at our meetings, you know that he is an outstanding photographer. The book includes photos of 157 species with a brief description of the habitat you might find them in and when and where to look.
This book is not meant to replace a comprehensive field guide for identifying birds, but it could become a valuable addition to your bird book library and would also be a great gift to entice visitors to enjoy the birds of our region. A parallel volume titled Butterflies and Dragonflies of Southwest New Mexico is also likely to be just as beautiful and useful. Information on obtaining both is available at City of Rocks State Park or by visiting, FieldAndSiteGuides.com.
- Reviewed by Terry Timme
