Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding
US $3.99US $3.99
Fri, Jun 27, 10:38 PMFri, Jun 27, 10:38 PM
Picture 1 of 1
Gallery
Picture 1 of 1
Have one to sell?
Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding
US $3.99
ApproximatelyC $5.44
Condition:
Good
A book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. Binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, no writing in margins. No missing pages. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections.
Oops! Looks like we're having trouble connecting to our server.
Refresh your browser window to try again.
Shipping:
Free Standard Shipping.
Located in: Little Falls, New Jersey, United States
Delivery:
Estimated between Wed, Jul 30 and Wed, Aug 6 to 94104
Returns:
30 days return. Buyer pays for return shipping. If you use an eBay shipping label, it will be deducted from your refund amount.
Payments:
Shop with confidence
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:297300978055
Item specifics
- Condition
- Release Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 9780156033558
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
ISBN-10
0156033550
ISBN-13
9780156033558
eBay Product ID (ePID)
65895525
Product Key Features
Book Title
Of a Feather : a Brief History of American Birding
Number of Pages
368 Pages
Language
English
Publication Year
2008
Topic
Life Sciences / Zoology / Ornithology, Birdwatching Guides
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Nature, Science
Format
Trade Paperback
Dimensions
Item Height
0.9 in
Item Weight
10.9 Oz
Item Length
8 in
Item Width
5.3 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
Reviews
Weidensaul, author of four other works of natural history, chronicles the origins of American birding. We meet Alexander Wilson, who came to the U.S. from Scotland in 1794 and published a book illustrating all the birds to be found in this country; John James Audubon, famous author of Birds of America; Spencer Fullerton Baird, who created the National Museum of Natural History; Florence Merriam, the author of Birds through an Opera Glass (1889); George Grinnell, who created the first Audubon Society in 1886; Mabel Osgood Wright, the author of best-selling books on birds and the founder of the Connecticut Audubon chapter; and David Sibley, who has written the most successful field guide since Roger Tory Peterson's. With 24 black-and-white photographs, this book will delight birdwatchers and encourage others to start watching., PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER"At once gossipy and scholarly, Of aFeather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies."The Arizona Republic, Weidensaul ( Return to Wild America ) traces bird watching in America from colonial times to the present, when powerful binoculars and other sophisticated technologies have revolutionized the sport. He entertainingly describes many early naturalists who shot and collected birds, including Mark Catesby, John and William Bartram, some military men and an intrepid woman named Martha Maxwell. By the late 19th century, when entire bird populations had been decimated for sport, food and the millinery trade, formidable society ladies began demanding avian protection, the Audubon Society was created and recreational birding, featuring binoculars instead of guns, was born, aided by the emergence of field guides like Roger Tory Peterson's. Today, says Weidensaul, there are millions of birders in the United States, and the sport has entered a new phase, emphasizing competitive birding, lists, rarity chasing and Big Year records. For Weidensaul, this is not a good thing. He finds that people who concentrate on competition and listing often forget the enjoyment of mere observation and the importance of conservation. A naturalist and federally licensed bird bander, he is passionate about birding. His vivid descriptions of his own experiences should send many a reader out of doors to look for the small, contained miracle that is a bird. Photos., PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER "At once gossipy and scholarly, Of a Feather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."— The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies." —The Arizona Republic , PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER "At once gossipy and scholarly, Of a Feather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."- The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies." -The Arizona Republic, PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER "At once gossipy and scholarly, Of a Feather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."-- The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies." --The Arizona Republic, PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER "At once gossipy and scholarly, Of a Feather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."- The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies." -The Arizona Republic , PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER "At once gossipy and scholarly, Of aFeather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies.", PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER "At once gossipy and scholarly, Of a Feather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."-- The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies." --The Arizona Republic , At once gossipy and scholarly, Of a Feather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating'¦, Weidensaul (Return to Wild America) traces bird watching in America from colonial times to the present, when powerful binoculars and other sophisticated technologies have revolutionized the sport. He entertainingly describes many early naturalists who shot and collected birds, including Mark Catesby, John and William Bartram, some military men and an intrepid woman named Martha Maxwell. By the late 19th century, when entire bird populations had been decimated for sport, food and the millinery trade, formidable society ladies began demanding avian protection, the Audubon Society was created and recreational birding, featuring binoculars instead of guns, was born, aided by the emergence of field guides like Roger Tory Peterson's. Today, says Weidensaul, there are millions of birders in the United States, and the sport has entered a new phase, emphasizing competitive birding, lists, rarity chasing and Big Year records. For Weidensaul, this is not a good thing. He finds that people who concentrate on competition and listing often forget the enjoyment of mere observation and the importance of conservation. A naturalist and federally licensed bird bander, he is passionate about birding. His vivid descriptions of his own experiences should send many a reader out of doors to look for the small, contained miracle that is a bird. Photos., PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER "At once gossipy and scholarly, Of a Feather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."-- The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies." --The Arizona Republic , At once gossipy and scholarly, Of a Feather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating…, Praise for Living on the Wind "[Weidensaul] has combined scientific sureness and literary style to produce a book that deserves to become a classic of natural history."--Herbert Kupferberg, Parade "What Rachel Carson did for the sea-opening the public's eyes to the fragile richness of whole ecosystems-Scott Weidensaul has now done for bird migration."--Caroline Fraser, Outside , PRAISE FOR OF A FEATHER "At once gossipy and scholarly, Of aFeather recounts rivalries, controversies, bad behavior and other key episodes in the making of modern birding. Lively and illuminating, it has surprises, too."-- The Washington Post Book World "Weidensaul is a charming guide . . . You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this look at one of today's fastest-growing (and increasingly competitive) hobbies." --The Arizona Republic
Dewey Edition
22
Dewey Decimal
598
Table Of Content
Contents 1 "Birds . . . more beautiful than in Europe" 1 2 "Except three or four, I do not know them" 41 3 Pushing West 79 4 Shotgun Ornithology 107 5 Angry Ladies 145 6 Becoming a Noun 187 7 Death to Miss Hathaway 227 8 Beyond the List 273 Acknowledgments 315 Notes and Bibliography 317 Index 339
Synopsis
Arriving in the New World, Europeans were awestruck by a continent awash with birds. Today tens of millions of Americans birders have made a once eccentric hobby into something so mainstream it's (almost) cool.Scott Weidensaul traces the colorful evolution of American birding: from the frontier ornithologists who collected eggs between border skirmishes to the society matrons who organized the first effective conservation movement; from the luminaries with checkered pasts, such as convicted blackmailer Alexander Wilson and the endlessly self-mythologizing John James Audubon, to the awkward schoolteacher Roger Tory Peterson, whose A Field Guide to the Birds prompted the explosive growth of modern birding. Spirited and compulsively readable, Of a Feather celebrates the passions and achievements of birders throughout Americcan history., Arriving in the New World, Europeans were awestruck by a continent awash with birds. Today tens of millions of Americans birders have made a once eccentric hobby into something so mainstream it's (almost) cool. Scott Weidensaul traces the colorful evolution of American birding: from the frontier ornithologists who collected eggs between border skirmishes to the society matrons who organized the first effective conservation movement; from the luminaries with checkered pasts, such as convicted blackmailer Alexander Wilson and the endlessly self-mythologizing John James Audubon, to the awkward schoolteacher Roger Tory Peterson, whose A Field Guide to the Birds prompted the explosive growth of modern birding. Spirited and compulsively readable, Of a Feather celebrates the passions and achievements of birders throughout Americcan history.
Item description from the seller
Seller feedback (190,861)
This item (1)
All items (190,861)
- o***o (349)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseBook as described. Fast shipping. Thank you!
- 2***4 (137)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseFirst time buying from this seller and All went great. Great selection of DVDs and a buy 2 get 1 Free deals. shipped fast and well wrapped up for the journey, arrived early then they listed it to and the price on all three was great. Arrived just as they described each one to be.
- l***t (453)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseItem arrived as stated in used but good condition. It was a great price for used. A new copy would have cost a lot more. It was shipped out fast and arrived in secure envelope. Seller did a great job with this entire transaction. I’m very happy with seller and would order from them again. Thank you seller, great job. A+. JL
- s***t (181)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseThere was a mixup during packaging where a paperback copy was picked and shipped for a hard cover copy that was ordered. I asked the seller about it and they honestly replied that the mistake was on their end. A full refund for the item was sent immediately and I will not hesitate to order more from ZBK. Very responsive and they stand behind their items and make good on any issues.
More to explore:
- American History Antiquarian & Collectible Books,
- American History Nonfiction Books & Fiction,
- History American Legion Magazines,
- History American Rifleman Magazines,
- History Scientific American Magazines,
- History Nonfiction Books & Fiction American Revolution,
- History Magazines,
- North American Literature History Antiquarian & Collectible Books,
- History Nonfiction Books & Fiction American Revolutionary War,
- Latin American History Antiquarian & Collectible Books in English
Seller feedback (190,861)
This item (1)
All items (190,861)
- o***o (349)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseBook as described. Fast shipping. Thank you!
- 2***4 (137)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseFirst time buying from this seller and All went great. Great selection of DVDs and a buy 2 get 1 Free deals. shipped fast and well wrapped up for the journey, arrived early then they listed it to and the price on all three was great. Arrived just as they described each one to be.
- l***t (453)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseItem arrived as stated in used but good condition. It was a great price for used. A new copy would have cost a lot more. It was shipped out fast and arrived in secure envelope. Seller did a great job with this entire transaction. I’m very happy with seller and would order from them again. Thank you seller, great job. A+. JL
- s***t (181)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseThere was a mixup during packaging where a paperback copy was picked and shipped for a hard cover copy that was ordered. I asked the seller about it and they honestly replied that the mistake was on their end. A full refund for the item was sent immediately and I will not hesitate to order more from ZBK. Very responsive and they stand behind their items and make good on any issues.