Falcon Fever

The ornithologist and award-winning author of The Grail Bird shares his love of falconry in this “boundary-stretching memoir” (Kirkus Reviews).“To me, falconry at its highest level is an art form in which the canvas is the entire sky.”   What is it about falconry that inspires such avid devotees? Tim Gallagher has pondered this question since he first became obsessed with the sport at the age of twelve. In Falcon Fever, he interweaves memoir, history, and travelogue as he takes us along on his many adventures—mallard hunting in upstate New York with his falcon MacDuff; traveling to Wyoming and the Scottish Highlands to visit and learn from other falconers; attending the annual field meet of the North American Falconers’ Association; and making his personal pilgrimage to the southern Italian lands and landmarks of his hero Frederick II, the thirteenth-century Holy Roman Emperor who wrote the classic text On the Art of Hunting with Birds.   From his early use of falconry to escape a troubled childhood to the vibrant, modern community that continues to practice the centuries-old sport of kings, Gallagher offers both a knowledgeable introduction to these birds of prey and an inspiring personal story. “A series of exhilarating, often poignant stories. . . . He weaves an eloquent life story around his life with hawks and falcons.” —Houston Chronicle   “The ideal tonic to reinvigorate a nation distracted by laptops from its love for its natural heritage.” —Robert F. Kennedy Jr.   “A poignant, introspective volume.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette