BioFortean Review Book Review
All Things Reconsidered: My Birding Adventures
Roger Tory Peterson
Houghton Mifflin, 2006
ISBN 0-618-75862-3
Reviewed by Chad Arment
This is a posthumous collection of columns written by Roger Tory Peterson throughout his life, through to his last year of life, 1996. The book is edited by Bill Thompson III, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest.
The topics span birding trips all over the world, with glimpses of rare (and not so rare) species on different continents, Peterson's wildlife artistry (and discussions of Audubon and other artists), and discussions of interest to conservationists everywhere. The chapters, being edited from columns, are naturally brief, and Peterson's easy style of writing will make this a good book to read and re-read.
Of interest to us, of course, is Peterson's favorite birding adventure: the search for ivory-billed woodpeckers in Louisiana's Singer tract in 1942. This is a fascinating historical piece for anyone who has followed the recent controversy over the woodpecker's continued survival.
The book itself is a pleasure to hold. Color photography (and art) are integrated into the text seamlessly. This is a quality book that will be enjoyed by birders and wildlife enthusiasts both.