The Falcon Thief: A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird is a thrilling book. Heists/thefts. Second book from my 12 categories. I chose this category specifically because the book fit the criteria. A South African (Jeffrey Lendrum) who steals rare bird eggs from the wild and the British detective… Continue reading The Falcon Thief by Joshua Hammer
Category: Birds
Flight of the Diamond Smugglers by Matthew Gavin Frank
RhodesĀ hired mercenaries to slaughter the Matabele people who lived along the South Africa-Zimbabwean boarder, clearing the land for his mining endeavors. Diamonds are ubiquitous. They are in fact not a precious stone. This is the story of how the De Beers corporation turned diamonds into a "girl's best friend," while they oppressed the people living… Continue reading Flight of the Diamond Smugglers by Matthew Gavin Frank
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
Named as one of the 10 Best Books of 2015 by The New York Times Book Review. After Macdonald's dad passes away she decides to put all the sadness from her grief into training a Goshawk. Everything about the hawk is tuned and turned to hunt and kill. Yesterday I discovered that when I suck… Continue reading H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey by Kathleen Rooney
We officers tried to provide relief when we could, but in that tense atmosphere any generous act might also be an affront to dignity. Dignity, I was often reminded, is something most men prize above their very lives. My men were prepared to risk the latter for me, and in return they expected me to… Continue reading Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey by Kathleen Rooney
Barn 8 by Deb Olin Unferth
I am not exactly sure how to go about explaining my feelings on this book. There were parts that I loved and parts that I was "ehhh" about. Overall, I do not regret reading it and there were some very memorable moments. I love birds so I was definitely drawn to the book because of… Continue reading Barn 8 by Deb Olin Unferth