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teachinsci's review against another edition
4.0
A simple, yet engaging book about the loss of a species and the origins of conservation biology.
annebennett1957's review against another edition
5.0
Some books stay with me long after I read them. This is one of those books. It is about the race to save the Ivory-billed woodpecker and the forces that led to its extinction.
(This is a fill-in review. I'm going back and reviewing books from my notes written at the time I read the book before blogging and Goodreads participation. Written 7/27/21)
(This is a fill-in review. I'm going back and reviewing books from my notes written at the time I read the book before blogging and Goodreads participation. Written 7/27/21)
ejdecoster's review against another edition
4.0
Informative and interesting look at one of the birds of North America that's reached mythical status - the Ivory Billed Woodpecker.
melissa_lound's review against another edition
3.0
what a sad book. it seems much too grave and depressing a topic to be a children's book, but i guess much of children's literature is morbid, sad, or just plain grown-up in subject matter (bridge to terabithia, i'm looking at you!). what's even sadder in this case is that it's a true story.
i'm often guilty of romanticizing anything old or vintage, assuming that people were somehow more virtuous or pure of character 'back then,' but this book makes it abundantly clear how false that idea is! it was heartbreaking to read how cavalierly the ivory-billed woodpecker was once killed, merely for hat plumes or for the sake of getting a drawing of the bird. even more heartbreaking that once ornithologists knew the ivory-billed woodpecker was endangered, they could do little to save the bird, facing big business and an apathetic government. how little things have changed!
i am not quite done with this book, but though i am thoroughly enjoying this read, i do not hold out much hope for a happy ending for the lord god bird.
i'm often guilty of romanticizing anything old or vintage, assuming that people were somehow more virtuous or pure of character 'back then,' but this book makes it abundantly clear how false that idea is! it was heartbreaking to read how cavalierly the ivory-billed woodpecker was once killed, merely for hat plumes or for the sake of getting a drawing of the bird. even more heartbreaking that once ornithologists knew the ivory-billed woodpecker was endangered, they could do little to save the bird, facing big business and an apathetic government. how little things have changed!
i am not quite done with this book, but though i am thoroughly enjoying this read, i do not hold out much hope for a happy ending for the lord god bird.
cspiwak's review
5.0
Great book. Introduces the bird and goes through history introducing the illustrators, hunters and entrepreneurs that crossed its path and fixed its fate.
bibliogirl's review
5.0
It took a long time to finish this book, as I was alternately horrified and fascinated. The wanton destruction of a species for collection and study blew my mind.
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