Status
Available
Publication
New York, N.Y. : Hudson Street Press, c2005.
Description
When the author's father Richard was 11 years old, he spotted a Brown Thrasher, and his fascination with birds began. Now a "Big Lister," Richard is one of only 10 or so people to have recorded more than 7,000 species in his notebook. This is the remarkable chronicle of his travels across the globe in pursuit of his fixation. It is also a thoughtful examination of the natural world and a touching father/son story.
User reviews
LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
I selected the book To see every bird on earth : a father, a son, and a lifelong obsession on a whim. I thought the book would be interesting because of having once been a novice 'birder" myself. I got sucked into this book deeply, however, when the author made the comment about how birding is an
This book was not only about birds. It was also about the author's family history which was, oddly enough, tied to the history of the State of Israel. For me, that was an unexpectedly interesting part of this book, although I'm not sure how appealing it would be to other birders.
As I continued to read this book, I saw how sad it was. There were a lot of painful revelations about the author's parents and how both of their lives didn't turn out as expected. It was also disheartening to read how birds interfered with the dad’s relationship with his two sons. Dan’s life was lonely as a child. It was too bad he did not have more support from his father at the time he needed it.
Fortunately, Dan has made his own successful way into the world. This book is but one of his achievements as he is noted in the field of mountain bikes as well as writing.
The author's dad set an amazing record in the number of birds he counted, but as the book progressed, I saw that it was at the expense of other aspects of his life. It seemed more and more as if birding was merely a driving obsession. Only illness stopped this obsessive behavior and gave the father a chance to interact with his son more closely in order to complete the writing of this book.
The author's brother’s favorite bird was the hoopoe bird. It’s also been my favorite bird. From this book, I've learned that the hoopoe bird was supposed to be very wise and have a spiritual connection. In remembering this comical bird, I also remembered the great fun I had in bird watching years ago and made up my mind to take it up as a hobby again in the coming months.
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obsessive hobby with birders liking to count all sorts of things...including books. Hmm? I couldn't stop laughing. Then he talked about stamp collectors collecting bird stamps. I thought back. Oh, yeah! When I was a kid, I collected stamps...and counted them, too! :DThis book was not only about birds. It was also about the author's family history which was, oddly enough, tied to the history of the State of Israel. For me, that was an unexpectedly interesting part of this book, although I'm not sure how appealing it would be to other birders.
As I continued to read this book, I saw how sad it was. There were a lot of painful revelations about the author's parents and how both of their lives didn't turn out as expected. It was also disheartening to read how birds interfered with the dad’s relationship with his two sons. Dan’s life was lonely as a child. It was too bad he did not have more support from his father at the time he needed it.
Fortunately, Dan has made his own successful way into the world. This book is but one of his achievements as he is noted in the field of mountain bikes as well as writing.
The author's dad set an amazing record in the number of birds he counted, but as the book progressed, I saw that it was at the expense of other aspects of his life. It seemed more and more as if birding was merely a driving obsession. Only illness stopped this obsessive behavior and gave the father a chance to interact with his son more closely in order to complete the writing of this book.
The author's brother’s favorite bird was the hoopoe bird. It’s also been my favorite bird. From this book, I've learned that the hoopoe bird was supposed to be very wise and have a spiritual connection. In remembering this comical bird, I also remembered the great fun I had in bird watching years ago and made up my mind to take it up as a hobby again in the coming months.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Dan Koeppel's father has seen over 7,000 species of birds. That's impressive enough on its own, considering that there are about 10,000 bird species on the planet, but even more impressive is that there are less than a dozen other "Big Listers" that have attained those kinds of numbers.
Review: Speaking from the point of view of a biologist who is not a birder - and while there is some overlap, being one does not require the other - it was eye-opening to read about the other side of things. I learned a lot of things about birding and birders that I didn't know - most strikingly the fact that there are so few Big Listers. I also agree with Koeppel's general thesis about the craze for birding (or similar pastimes) springing from a need to create a place of order for ourselves in a wide world that seems chaotic. So, viewing this book as a work of factual non-fiction, it was definitely a success: I was interested throughout, and I learned some new things, although I wish there had been more about the birds themselves.
Viewing this book as a biography/memoir, however, I'm not so sure. Koeppel states his theories about why his dad is a compulsive birder pretty early on, and then describes his dad's life such that it supports those theories. However, he doesn't really present any alternative explanations, and I was never entirely convinced, never sure that there wasn't some piece to the puzzle that Koeppel was standing too close to see.
Speaking of standing too close, I also have to evaluate this book from a scientist's perspective. Birding relies on several scientific principles, and while for the most part Koeppel does an okay job explaining them, there were a few places where I thought the science aspect of things could have used beefing up. For example, the definition of what is a "species" is critical to birders - for those with large lists, revisions of the taxonomy can gain or lose them tens if not hundreds of species at a time, which is critical in a game where numbers are the main thing that matter. Among biologists, species concepts are often hotly debated at extensive length; in TSEBoE, Koeppel dispatches with the issue in less than a paragraph. There are other instances throughout the book where a misplaced word or strange phrasing belied a similar lack of in-depth scientific understanding.
I don't mean to sound overly down on this book. It's highly likely that the amount of science Koeppel introduces is more than adequate for the lay reader, and I'm just being an egghead. Overall, I did enjoy reading it, I just think that it didn't quite reach everything it was aiming for. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Worth reading for an interesting look into a subculture that most people probably know very little about.
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However, that kind of accomplishment is not without a price. In To See Every Bird on Earth, Koeppel traces the origins of his father's birding, how it sprung from stifled childhood dreams and turned from a hobby into an obsession that consumed and overwhelmed everything else in his life, including his job, his marriage, and his family. In trying to understand his father's birding, he also investigates the history of competitive birding, the current state of this unique and eccentric subculture, the methods and motivations of several other Big Listers, and the root of the desire that drives humans to attempt to count and categorize the natural world.Review: Speaking from the point of view of a biologist who is not a birder - and while there is some overlap, being one does not require the other - it was eye-opening to read about the other side of things. I learned a lot of things about birding and birders that I didn't know - most strikingly the fact that there are so few Big Listers. I also agree with Koeppel's general thesis about the craze for birding (or similar pastimes) springing from a need to create a place of order for ourselves in a wide world that seems chaotic. So, viewing this book as a work of factual non-fiction, it was definitely a success: I was interested throughout, and I learned some new things, although I wish there had been more about the birds themselves.
Viewing this book as a biography/memoir, however, I'm not so sure. Koeppel states his theories about why his dad is a compulsive birder pretty early on, and then describes his dad's life such that it supports those theories. However, he doesn't really present any alternative explanations, and I was never entirely convinced, never sure that there wasn't some piece to the puzzle that Koeppel was standing too close to see.
Speaking of standing too close, I also have to evaluate this book from a scientist's perspective. Birding relies on several scientific principles, and while for the most part Koeppel does an okay job explaining them, there were a few places where I thought the science aspect of things could have used beefing up. For example, the definition of what is a "species" is critical to birders - for those with large lists, revisions of the taxonomy can gain or lose them tens if not hundreds of species at a time, which is critical in a game where numbers are the main thing that matter. Among biologists, species concepts are often hotly debated at extensive length; in TSEBoE, Koeppel dispatches with the issue in less than a paragraph. There are other instances throughout the book where a misplaced word or strange phrasing belied a similar lack of in-depth scientific understanding.
I don't mean to sound overly down on this book. It's highly likely that the amount of science Koeppel introduces is more than adequate for the lay reader, and I'm just being an egghead. Overall, I did enjoy reading it, I just think that it didn't quite reach everything it was aiming for. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Worth reading for an interesting look into a subculture that most people probably know very little about.
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LibraryThing member JBD1
Too heavy on the autobiography and too light on the birds for me.
LibraryThing member sriemann
The title tagline actually describes the book - Dan Koeppel talks about his first his father's life and how it intertwines more and more with the world of top-level bird watching (Listing), then he talks about his own life and how his father's birding affected him and his family as a whole. I
I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of nature still in NYC in the early parts of the book. (I'm not focusing on the fact that a lot of it is gone.) I want to google image many of the birds mentioned in the book, and thought perhaps the only way the book could have beena little better (to me) was if it included some color illustrations of the birds that make important appearances. (perhaps a set of color plates in the middle of the book).
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appreciated that he wrote in the things that weren't great - about his family and his own choices, instead of making everyone seem 'okay'. Using the word obsession should indicate something that has sweeping effects, and if the effects hadn't been discussed, the birding would have seemed less urgent, not so much an obsession. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of nature still in NYC in the early parts of the book. (I'm not focusing on the fact that a lot of it is gone.) I want to google image many of the birds mentioned in the book, and thought perhaps the only way the book could have beena little better (to me) was if it included some color illustrations of the birds that make important appearances. (perhaps a set of color plates in the middle of the book).
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LibraryThing member St.CroixSue
The biography of an obsessive birder (one of the 12 who have listed more than 7,000 birds) told by his son. This is the story of a man’s life and the impact of birding on his career, family, and relationships; part psychology, memoir, and travel. I would recommend this absorbing book to anyone
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who is a bird watcher or bird lister. Show Less
LibraryThing member dele2451
I could have done with a little less of the I-didn't-get-enough-attention-from-my-parents narratives, but all the ornithological, taxonomy, naturalist, and travel stuff was fantastic. Sure to be a big hit with any Big List or backyard birder.
LibraryThing member Lace-Structures
This is the first book I've ever read where it was crucial to read the pages of acknowledgements first! As an avid birder when I read the book, I had certain expectations. I expected mentions of other birders, and I expected to get clarification on who was the obsessive one? -- the father, or the
What I missed from TSEB was this perspective of the other birders around this obsessive compulsive dad.
Perhaps I've forgotten, but I thought that a few interviews with other listers, or others he birded with, might have given a fuller picture of the person he was writing about.
Writing this review a dozen years after reading the book, many details have faded. I do remember that as an anesthesiologist he never dealt with patients as people, and as a contract person he had no lingering responsibilities for the care of the patient once they woke up. No babies waiting for delivery, no cancers to monitor, no moods to deal with. The practice served his needs perfectly -- he could earn lots of money and only work when it was necessary. Since he seemed to lack both empathy and social skills, there are few professions that would allow him to succeed.
The extremes to which the father would go to add to his list were interesting and curious. He didn't seem to enjoy his quest. There was little "joy" or "fun" in the book. But, I'm forgiving. Making your first publication an autobiographical biography must be a real challenge. For the "History of Birding and Listing" material,I give him full marks. For the rest, a medium grade-- for failing to fully research his father's effects on others.
What a perfect cover.
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son -- it is intentionally ambiguous. I know a couple of "listers" and have birded with them when I was a novice. They both valued another set of eyes and ears as long as one is not noisy, or awkward, or talkative, or impatient or wearing white (real birders don't wear white). Did that apply to Richard, too?What I missed from TSEB was this perspective of the other birders around this obsessive compulsive dad.
Perhaps I've forgotten, but I thought that a few interviews with other listers, or others he birded with, might have given a fuller picture of the person he was writing about.
Writing this review a dozen years after reading the book, many details have faded. I do remember that as an anesthesiologist he never dealt with patients as people, and as a contract person he had no lingering responsibilities for the care of the patient once they woke up. No babies waiting for delivery, no cancers to monitor, no moods to deal with. The practice served his needs perfectly -- he could earn lots of money and only work when it was necessary. Since he seemed to lack both empathy and social skills, there are few professions that would allow him to succeed.
The extremes to which the father would go to add to his list were interesting and curious. He didn't seem to enjoy his quest. There was little "joy" or "fun" in the book. But, I'm forgiving. Making your first publication an autobiographical biography must be a real challenge. For the "History of Birding and Listing" material,I give him full marks. For the rest, a medium grade-- for failing to fully research his father's effects on others.
What a perfect cover.
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LibraryThing member LTManning
A lovely memoir about the relationship between a father and a son, this book is one of my favorites. You will not only learn more about bird watching than you thought possible, but you will want to hug your father and tell him you love him after reading this book.
LibraryThing member arubabookwoman
Dan Koeppel's father's obsession with birds began at age 12. He wanted to be an ornithologist, but because of pressure from his parents, went to medical school and became a doctor. He married, had two kids, and divorced. After the divorce, he arranged his life to accommodate the bird-watching habit
This book brings us right into the world of these big listers--the lengths they go to and the money they spend to "see every bird." But it is also a son's memoir of coming to terms with his estranged father, as in later life he joined his father on several bird watching trips and struggled to understand his father's obsession.
Recommended
3 1/2 stars
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he had never given up. He worked as an ER doctor, allowing him to accumulate funds, and then take off on long birdwatching trips to exotic locations around the world. He belonged to that elite group of birdwatchers known as "big listers." It is estimated that there are around 9,600 distinct species of bird in the world (only about 900 in the US and Canada), and to see more than 7000 is a huge accomplishment.This book brings us right into the world of these big listers--the lengths they go to and the money they spend to "see every bird." But it is also a son's memoir of coming to terms with his estranged father, as in later life he joined his father on several bird watching trips and struggled to understand his father's obsession.
Recommended
3 1/2 stars
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LibraryThing member murderbydeath
The other day, I was having my weekly coffee with friends when one of them said to me, (in relation to a FB post of mine she’d recently seen): “You’ve become a real Twitcher, haven’t you?”
I hadn’t started this book yet, but my answer was a resounding “no” for several reasons, though
To See Every Bird on Earth is meant to be, if you believe what it says on the wrapper, a book that explores the thrill of the chase across the world to witness as many of the earth’s birds as possible in a lifetime. There’s some of that, but mostly, it’s the culmination of what I’m guessing was a lot of therapy for the author; a psychological catharsis of his family’s dysfunction, written and published. In many ways, this book was marketed to the wrong demographic; those that find personal substance in others’ stories about personal journeys would find a lot to like in this book. Needless to say, it’s not my jam.
BUT having said that, in between the family drama being laid bare, there was a lot of interesting insight into the world of Big Listers. Big Listers are those that have seen thousands of the known species of birds in the world. Known species is a moving target, and is currently around 10 thousand. The biggest Big Lister has seen over 8 thousand. This is about big numbers, big money, and big obsessions – and very little about the birds. Koeppel, when he focuses on these people, does a better than credible job getting into their heads and their world and it was fascinating for me, in a rubber-necking kind of way. The chance to see the birds these people have seen is tantalising; how they go about it, like a military invasion, isn’t.
And ultimately, this is why I’m not a twitcher, neither of the hobby sized or obsessive Big Lister variety. True, I have the list of birds in my state, and I do check them off when I see them, noting the time and place. But I don’t count, I don’t plan, set goals, or study, and I’m embarrassed at how few bird songs I can identify after the 10 years I’ve spent tramping around the bush – and at how easily I can confuse myself over identifications.
But I have no desire to ‘do better’ because my hazy goal, set when I started this and unchanged since, isn’t to just see the birds. When I moved to Australia, not knowing how long I’d be here, I wanted to see Australia, I wanted to experience this place so far away from the rest of the world on so many levels. Looking for birds (which are, let’s be honest, the low-hanging fruit of the wildlife tree), makes me look up, down, and into the bush; I have to actually explore my surroundings, and in doing that I come much closer to actually experiencing this amazing land. The added bonus: not only have I seen (and am seeing) Australia in a way that will stay with me, but I have a new found sense of wonder wherever I go, including home to Florida. I apparently lived 90% of my life alongside hundreds of bird species I never knew about because I never paid attention. And by looking for the birds, I’m finding an entire world of wildlife right there for me to appreciate (or not, in the case of some).
So while I didn’t enjoy To See Every Bird on Earth as much as I’d hoped, I do thank its author for helping me clarify in my own mind my motivations for my avian hobby that definitely isn’t bird-watching.
I hadn’t started this book yet, but my answer was a resounding “no” for several reasons, though
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it was hard to really define them for her. Now that I have finished this book, it’s much easier, and I’ll get back to that at the end of my post.To See Every Bird on Earth is meant to be, if you believe what it says on the wrapper, a book that explores the thrill of the chase across the world to witness as many of the earth’s birds as possible in a lifetime. There’s some of that, but mostly, it’s the culmination of what I’m guessing was a lot of therapy for the author; a psychological catharsis of his family’s dysfunction, written and published. In many ways, this book was marketed to the wrong demographic; those that find personal substance in others’ stories about personal journeys would find a lot to like in this book. Needless to say, it’s not my jam.
BUT having said that, in between the family drama being laid bare, there was a lot of interesting insight into the world of Big Listers. Big Listers are those that have seen thousands of the known species of birds in the world. Known species is a moving target, and is currently around 10 thousand. The biggest Big Lister has seen over 8 thousand. This is about big numbers, big money, and big obsessions – and very little about the birds. Koeppel, when he focuses on these people, does a better than credible job getting into their heads and their world and it was fascinating for me, in a rubber-necking kind of way. The chance to see the birds these people have seen is tantalising; how they go about it, like a military invasion, isn’t.
And ultimately, this is why I’m not a twitcher, neither of the hobby sized or obsessive Big Lister variety. True, I have the list of birds in my state, and I do check them off when I see them, noting the time and place. But I don’t count, I don’t plan, set goals, or study, and I’m embarrassed at how few bird songs I can identify after the 10 years I’ve spent tramping around the bush – and at how easily I can confuse myself over identifications.
But I have no desire to ‘do better’ because my hazy goal, set when I started this and unchanged since, isn’t to just see the birds. When I moved to Australia, not knowing how long I’d be here, I wanted to see Australia, I wanted to experience this place so far away from the rest of the world on so many levels. Looking for birds (which are, let’s be honest, the low-hanging fruit of the wildlife tree), makes me look up, down, and into the bush; I have to actually explore my surroundings, and in doing that I come much closer to actually experiencing this amazing land. The added bonus: not only have I seen (and am seeing) Australia in a way that will stay with me, but I have a new found sense of wonder wherever I go, including home to Florida. I apparently lived 90% of my life alongside hundreds of bird species I never knew about because I never paid attention. And by looking for the birds, I’m finding an entire world of wildlife right there for me to appreciate (or not, in the case of some).
So while I didn’t enjoy To See Every Bird on Earth as much as I’d hoped, I do thank its author for helping me clarify in my own mind my motivations for my avian hobby that definitely isn’t bird-watching.
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