A Supremely Bad Idea: Three Mad Birders and Their Quest to See It All is a funny romp through the bizarre world of the bird-watching-obsessed. The twist here is that the author is British and lets loose his biting observations not only upon himself but also on his experiences in the U.S. There are plenty of jabs which thin-skinned or overly-sensitive people won't think are too funny, probably because the barbs hit uncomfortably close to the truth (especially on overweight, out of shape people, although I am one, and I didn't take it that seriously). I find it remarkable that the author could combine humor, birdwatching, and travel writing and actually create an entertaining book from this awkward mix!

I never thought of myself as a birder, but I grew up in a family where it was normal to drop everything and bolt toward the window at the sound of any unusual bird call, and to take binoculars along on day trips, so I found this to be entertaining, but not a must read. A great book to keep at your cabin by the lake if you are lucky enough to have one. ( )

This book was not quite what I thought it was going to be. It seemed as if the author was alternately trying to be funny and serious and never quite striking the right balance. There wasn't enough about birds to make it a "real" birding book and his traveling companions never really seemed like rounded characters. All in all, a good idea that just didn't quite work. ( )

This book is kind of a travel memoir around the author's birding trips with his friends. He gives some of his personal background, some local history of the areas he visits, and lots of information about the birds he sees. He and his traveling partners run into some colorful folk along the way that make for entertaining stories.

The writing is light-hearted and humorous but I didn't find myself getting carried away by it. It was entertaining but not a "must read." I never got caught up in the birding aspect either although I do find myself paying a bit more attention now when a bird flies by. ( )

I wanted to love this book. I started out loving this book. Unfortunately, that love affair only lasted a few chapters. The author's tone and sense of humor seemed right up my alley, even if the subject matter was not. Maybe if I was a birder I would have enjoyed it more, stuck it out. But to be honest, I abandoned the book due to lack of interest. Which is strange, because that is something I almost never do. But the book seemed to take on a forced tone, the sentences were no longer grabbing me, and I started thinking, "I don't care." That's when I put down the book for good. I'll keep it around, might try again some other time when I'm not so busy or distracted, but for now, eh, can't say I'm going to miss it. ( )

An enjoyable story that combines comedy, a conservation theme, and the easy comraderie that only comes with countless travel hours logged in close quarters. The only analogy I can think of to describe Dempsey's wonderful book is that it is a little like watching a cartoon on PBS -- it's adorable and it'll make you laugh, but you'll probably learn a thing or two about birds too. ( )