A Field Guide to Little-Known & Seldom Seen Birds of North America

This is my kind of book: birding and satire, for ornithological observers who can take a joke. Like most birders, I have not seen too many of these species, but this authoritative, reliable guide offers practical tips for where and how to find them, or not. Maybe you have even heard or seen one of these birds, but didn’t know what it was. Some of the species might evolve millions of years from now, given the effects of climate change, etc. Or they may have evolved already, faster than we might have guessed. Some are well-adapted, others are not. Many have onomatopoetic, often eponymous calls that, if heard, would be useful and easy to learn. This guide is organized by color-ish.

The Late Starters Orchestra

If you have never played an instrument, or used to and have been away from it, wanting to go back, “The Late Starters Orchestra” is worth considering. The orchestra from this book’s title is the New York City version of a Late Starters Orchestra, just for that kind of person. The author of course is a member, in the cello section (it’s strings only). However, the book is not just about this music group but more a memoir of the author’s personal life, music and otherwise. The big goal in sight is to play the cello at his sixtieth birthday party. He was lucky to have had a great teacher, whose voice he remembers throughout the book, encouraging him when few others will. His wife, eleven years younger than him, must be very patient as it seems they clash in many ways; yet, they manage to work things out. And, in case the cello never worked out for him, he has his youngest son begin with the “Suzuki method,” the workings of which are big in this book. From there his son opens up to other kinds of music, and the two of them grow musically in their own ways.

All Fishermen Are Liars

Anything fish-related catches my eye, even though I am not really a fisherman. That is why I am interested in books like this, to better learn why people like to fish. If you were to read only one book to do the same, this is a good choice. I am fascinated with the beauty of ichthyofauna, trout in particular, but wouldn’t know where to begin if handed a fly rod. I had to kind of pass over some of the technical terms, like the numbers assigned to pieces of equipment. However, after reading enough of this I feel I have a better sense of the tools. This is not textbook-like information but rather the author’s personal experience and how he uses the gear in the field.