Flights Against the Sunset: Stories that Reunited a Mother and Son
by Kenn Kaufman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Kenn KaufmanEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-03-18
ISBN: 061894270X
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Book Reviews of Flights Against the Sunset: Stories that Reunited a Mother and Son
Book Review: What twelve books would you choose??
Summary: 5 Stars
First, this isn't a book about birding. Well, of course it is--but it really isn't. This is one of those rare books that belong among the dozen or so works of literature that define our lives. It's a book for your children, a gift of remembrance. Easy and enjoyable, the book weaves an account of Kenn's youthful obsession with birding, his coming of age, and a profound and insightful description of his relationships with his family, and especially the remarkable woman who is his mother. It helps to actually know Kenn and Kim; any time spent birding with this brilliant naturalist couple will become a cherished memory. I'd also recommend his autobiographical Kingbird Highway as a first read for orientation into Kenn's world. Capable of changing your whole point of view as only great books can, Flights against the Sunset is a true classic, destined to be read centuries from now.
Summary of Flights Against the Sunset: Stories that Reunited a Mother and Son
At age sixteen, Kenn Kaufman left home to travel the world in search of birds. Now a grown man and a renowned ornithologist, he has come back to visit his ailing mother and explain to her what drove his obsession with bird life. His explanation forms a series of interlocking tales from the frontier where the world of birds intersects with the world of the humans who pursue them. The stories range over settings from Alaska to Africa, from trackless jungles to parking lots. They delve into subjects from first dates to last rites, from imagination and desire to sleep deprivation, from poignant encounters with eternal mysteries to comical brushes with biker gangs and secret agents. But as the stories unfold, the ornithologist comes to realize that he can still learn from his mother some things about life and even about the meaning of birds.Flights Against the Sunset brings together nineteen essays, mostly adapted from Kaufman's long-running column in Bird Watcher's Digest. They weave an original story that examines how we communicate about our passions with those who do not share the same interests and how to celebrate the world of infinite possibilities and wonder.
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