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Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder: A Memoir

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$18.95


This memoir tells how a red-winged blackbird infected a talented multilingual professor who has a passion for bird-watching. Julia Zarankin was a Russian child immigrant raised amidst a musically talented family in Toronto and Vancouver. She was endowed with scholastic linguistic talent and was employed as a professor of comparative literature, yet she felt a void in her personal and professional life and ultimately found a soothing relationship with birds. With intrepid courage, she joined birders on their weekly outings and was never shy to admit her embarrassing mistakes in identification. Like any new student, she clumsily ventured into the routine of joining birding excursions, checking aviary references, reveling in correct sightings, and learning by laughing at her bumbling erroneous spottings. Each chapter of these reminisces of bird-watching adventures enchants the reader with its witty, gracefully charming descriptions of how an avocation invoking one with the mysterious migrations, habits, and uniqueness of the avian species can turn into such a satisfying passion. While her own life story remains somewhat elusive, her ardor for the birds and their influence of her own nature are delightfully drawn for the reader. Bird watchers will adore this painting of their craft, while other readers might be tempted to raise their eyes and perk their ears to better see and hear the birds.


Reviewed By:

Author Julia Zarankin
Star Count 5/5
Format Trade
Page Count 256 pages
Publisher
Publish Date 2020-10-13
ISBN 9781771622486
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Issue November 2020
Category Biographies & Memoirs
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