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Birdwatcher: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson

Birdwatcher: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson
By Elizabeth J. Rosenthal

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Product Description

Roger Tory Peterson—the Renaissance man who taught Americans the joy of watching birds—also invented the modern field guide. His 1934 landmark Field Guide to the Birds was the first book designed to go outdoors and help people identify the elements of nature. This self-proclaimed “student of nature” combined spectacular writing with detailed illustrations to ultimately publish many other books, winning every possible award and medal for natural science, ornithology, and conservation.
Birdwatcher is a comprehensive, illustrated biography of Roger Tory Peterson--a hero in the conservation world--including interviews with friends, family, and protégés. 

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #104724 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-05-01
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 464 pages

Features

Editorial Reviews

Review
A"A wonderful biography, bold and surprising and lively, crackling with the adventures of the man who did more than anyone else to create the modern popularity of birdwatching.A"-Kenn Kaufman, author of The Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North AmericaA"Through interviews with more than a hundred of Peterson's colleagues and proteges, Rosenthal weaves an entertaining biography that helps us understand why Peterson ranks among the world's mostcelebrated naturalists.A"-Stephen W. Kress, Director Audubon Seabird Restoration Program

From the Inside Flap

Roger Tory Peterson—the Renaissance man who taught Americans the joy of watching birds—also invented the modern field guide. His 1934 landmark Field Guide to the Birds was the first bird-identification guide designed to be used in the field by the average person. Its success led to the best-selling Peterson Field Guide series, which has since taught millions about virtually all aspects of nature. Peterson combined fine writing with detailed and beautifully rendered illustrations, ultimately publishing many other books and winning virtually every award and medal for natural science, ornithology, and conservation. Before long, he became the birding and natural history guru to the world and was recognized as the key force in alerting the public to the importance of preserving nature. There are now an estimated 70 million birdwatchers in the United States.

For this meticulously detailed biography, author Elizabeth J. Rosenthal has created a fully rounded portrait of this hero of the conservation movement. Never-before-seen photographs enhance this intimate portrayal, which will be welcomed by Peterson’s enormous following.

From the Back Cover

“A wonderful biography, bold and surprising and lively, crackling with the adventures of the man who did more than anyone else to create the modern popularity of birdwatching.”
—Kenn Kaufman, author of The Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America
 
“Birdwatcher is biographical alchemy, blending well researched detail, rich and varied anecdotes, and Roger in the first person with a writer’s insight into the man who was, and remains, first among ‘students of birds.’”
—Pete Dunne, Vice President, New Jersey Audubon Society
 
“Birdwatcher brings laughter, tears, profound admiration, and warm memories.  To read it was to have Roger once again sitting in our kitchen, telling great tales, and every reader will feel that way too.”
—Clay and Pat Sutton, authors of Birds and Birding at Cape May
 
“A brilliant, definitive biography of the man who made birdwatching the leading outdoor recreation in America.”
—George H. Harrison, Nature journalist, author, PBS producer
 
“Birdwatcher is more than a window into the life and creative process of one of the world’s great ornithologists and artists—it’s an exploration, through the words and memories of dozens of people who knew Roger Tory Peterson best, of how this remarkable man changed the conservation landscape for the better, and for good.”
—Scott Weidensaul, author of Return to Wild America
 
“Through interviews with more than a hundred of Peterson’s colleagues and protégés, Rosenthal weaves an entertaining biography that helps us understand why Peterson ranks among the world’s mostcelebrated naturalists.”
—Stephen W. Kress, Director Audubon Seabird Restoration Program
 
“With verve and elegance Elizabeth Rosenthal paints the life of our most important naturalist with all the field marks filled in and life ways fleshed out.”
 —Robert Michael Pyle, author of Sky Time in Gray’s River

Customer Reviews

The Ornithology King5
Finally, the most informative and honest account of the life of a man who galvanized the bird-watching revolution with his great art work. Peterson bird books are available for most of the world now, and this was the shy fellow who did them. I was part of the crowd who followed him even before he published his first book, on the birds of eastern North America. In retrospect, I realize it is not the most happy thing to become so very famous, but he weathered the life of a celebrity as well as he possibly could. This should be in every bird-watcher's library!

She Brings Him to Life5
This is an accurate and vital portrait of Roger Tory Peterson. The author brings the visionary artist/conservationist back to life: She interviewed over 100 surviving colleagues and proteges, so the book is full of excellent quotes and great stories. She also quotes extensively from RTP's writings. The result feels alive, not dry or academic. It is a remarkable form of biography, and is also carefully accurate in my experience. One gets a sense of how environmental education and conservation were done: The field guides; the DDT story; restoration of endangered birds such as the Peregrine Falcon (and RTP's similar vision for the California Condor); and great land conservation campaigns such as the Coto Donana in Spain; are all carefully and colorfully documented. This is great reading, and it is an engaging book for students too.

A great look into an extraordinary life5
Roger Tory Peterson is the most famous birdwatcher in history. 2008 is the 100th anniversary of his birth, and what better way to celebrate it than by learning more about the man himself?

After reading this book, you will not only find out much about Peterson's life and accomplishments, but you will come to know the man personally. The biographer conducted extensive interviews with his relatives, friends, and disciples (or in some cases their spouses or children). Their voice, often in the form of direct quotes, permeates the book. This was a very effective technique, and contributed much to the reader's growing sense of familiarity with Peterson.

Instead of being organized in a stricly chronological order, Rosenthal instead organizes much of the book by topic. When Peterson's life started branching out in many directions, they are focused on seperately. Thus, there are chapters on conservation efforts, travels, the continuing saga of the field guides, and the people that he influenced. With the exception of that last one, which seemed very incongruously placed, the story still flows in a very understandable fashion. This organization, instead of being confusing, actually helped keep me engaged and interested.

Overall, Birdwatcher is a well-written and enjoyable look at the life of the most famous birder in history. After reading this biography, I certainly know much more about Roger Tory Peterson's life and accomplishments. But what's more, I feel like I got to know the man himself. If you would like to do the same, this book is a great way to do so.