Amazon.com (ISBN 0802139965, Paperback)

Cold, wet, cramped, exhausted, and having the time of his life, nature writer Mark Cocker finds deep satisfaction in bird watching. His book Birders: Tales of a Tribe combines elements of memoir, manifesto, and anthropological study in its examination of how and why these hobbyists go about their sometimes obsessive work. Cocker's writing is lively and compelling--even readers who'd rather stay warm and comfortable quickly find themselves longing for a quick glimpse of the Himalayan Satyr Tragopan. Following the adventures of the author, his acquaintances, and famous and infamous birders across the world, the book uncovers essential truths about human strengths and follies while sharing the rare pleasures of the close observer of nature. Watching birds is often seen as an eccentric hobby, but the value added to environmental monitoring and other scientific endeavors by these legions of amateur spotters is tremendous. What could have been a patronizing showpiece in the hands of a less sensitive writer becomes a rapturous celebration of quiet passions. --Rob Lightner