Around the World with 1000 Birds (1 Viewer)

jay1964 · Jul 2, 2003

By Russell Boyman

Has anyone else read this one?
I have just finished it. It's not a bad read but it would be better if he wrote more about the birds he saw and less about his girlfriend. This book will make you hanker to travel.

Andrew · Jul 2, 2003

I have nearly finished this book and agree he bangs on about 'his' girl Naazlin. She must be a strumpet as she has three men in tow and he still hankers after her! Stupid man! He mixes culture, sceneries and other wildlife with his birds. I believe a serious birder would eclipse his totals. He also seems to be an obvious pervert going into lap dancing clubs and trying to make out he is only just being an 'anthropologist'.

jay1964 · Jul 2, 2003

I agree - He spent to much time phoning or e-mailing her. Seemed a waste of time and money to me. He'd have been better off putting his effort and money into his travels. And travelling all the way back to London - whats that all about?

HH75 · Jul 2, 2003

Hi all,
I read this book in the shops and didn't enjoy it at all!It tries to be too many things at once,and fails to be any of them.
Harry H

gordon hamlett · Jul 3, 2003

I reviewed the book in Bird Watching magazine and hated it. Talk about a mid-life crisis and then some.

Anyone who can go on a planned birding trip to Vietnam and only see eight species ... It suggests that the birding and the quest for 1000 species (which is far from difficult if done over a year) were merely an excuse to opt out of life for a bit

Gordon

phyllosc · Jul 3, 2003

It would appear the verdict is don't read it!

And Andrew, some pretty strong stuff from you there! What would we call a guy who three women in tow at once? Nudge-nudge wink-wink!

We bought it at the Birdfair last year and my parnter read it first. She too complained about all the personal stuff in it and so I didn't bother picking it up. It seems I was right not too.

Dave

HokkaidoStu · Jul 3, 2003

I agree. I thought the book was absolute crud. His lap-dancing episodes were almost painful to read and he seemed to view every woman in the book as a potential sexual partner. And looking at the picture on the sleeve of the book Mr Boyman is just a typical overweight middle aged guy. Not exactly Brad Pitt or even David Beckham is he?

Maybe I'm just being over-critical but the book is crap in my opinion.

My favourite Travel books ( with quite a lot about birds ) are by Redmon O'Hanlon. Very witty and he goes to some really exciting places- the Congo, Amazon and Borneo ie not brothels in tourist traps or backpacker dives. Peter Mattieson's books are also pretty good though he strikes me as a bit serious......

Andrew · Jul 3, 2003

Stu, Just bought Peter's book 'Birds of Heaven'. Is it a good 'un?

Phyllosc, a man with three women in tow, I'd call him a millionaire!

kingfisher · Jul 4, 2003

I read a review in a magazine last year, and it really put me off, and by the look of the comments here i am glad i did, a world birding trip based on birdwatching and general wildlife watching...........sounds great to me.

I have come across a book called ' Song of the Rolling Earth: A Highland Odyssey by John Lister- Kaye. He runs a nature reserve and it his story, i hope to be picking up a copy over the weekend, it sounds like a very rewarding read......anybody read this !!!!!!!!

Andrew · Jul 4, 2003

Kingfisher. I await your first impressions and final opinion of this book,

Beverlybaynes · Jul 4, 2003

I've read "Bird of Heaven" and thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope your copy has the Robert Bateman illustrations -- they're breathtaking!

Alastair Rae · Jul 4, 2003

I can't believe that we're discussing "Birds of Heaven" in the same thread as "Around the World with a Mid-life Crisis".

The first is a genuine travel book by a real birder. The second is a mediocre effort which I regret having bought.

Andrew · Jul 4, 2003

Yes, I have the Bateman illustrations. Brilliant. Glad the 'Birds of Heaven' is approved.

Andrew · Jul 6, 2003

I have just finished Boyman's book yesterday evening and the conclusion is if he did not get too personal it would have the makings of a good book. If you can mentally by pass the references to women and his girl back home then it is a decent read.

Stephen Dunstan · Nov 2, 2003

I wish I'd seen this thread before tackling the book. I have it from the library at the moment.

Over half way through and I can't decide what to think about it really. Russell Boyman comes across as difficult to warm to, but on the other hand he appears to be honest and you have to give him credit for that.

Overall perhaps not the greatest read, so any recommendations for good birding tales very much welcome.

Stephen.

Edward woodwood · Nov 2, 2003

A cracking book about birding and to a degree travel is A Diversity of Birds by Geoge Stebbing Allen. U can pick it up really cheap at the moment.

On a similar theme wouldn't it be good if someone wrote a 'Tales of a tribe' with all the 'dodgy' stories that perhaps would be inappropriate in Mark Cocker's book.......

don't ask me for details.........

Edward woodwood · Nov 2, 2003

also Crippling views by John Knifton - a bit gentle in places but humourous.

and there was a book by Stuart Gibson (who tragically died very young) in a similar vein to Twitcher's Diary by R Millington but IMHO better and much funnier.

both will be extremely hard to get though as they weren't 'published' officially. They both gave me a bit of inspiration in my early birding days.

Michael Frankis · Nov 2, 2003

I like The Birds of Siberia by Henry Seebohm. Real adventure stuff this, first published 1901, reprinted 1985 in two paperback volumes, To the Petchora Valley and The Yenesei by Alan Sutton Travel Classics. I think even this new edition is out of print now, but if you see them second-hand anywhere, snap them up.

Michael

gordon hamlett · Nov 3, 2003

My favourite bit of Seebohm was when, having crossed the Siberian tundra in search of breeding waders, he eventually finds a nest, the first ornithologist ever to discover the breeding grounds.

So, what does he do? He takes the eggs and makes an omelette.

Gordon

Tero · Nov 10, 2003

Not so much on the adventure side, but I like Birds of The World by Harrison and Greensmith. It is a bit odd to write about 800 birds in the manner of an actual field guide, but once you get used to that, it reads OK. I only read small sections, such as hawks. Right after Northern Bobwhite is Montezuma Quail, then Chukar. It helps clarify bird families, and the maps are fun to look at. Especially for migratory birds.

A book for birders, not for coffee tables.

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