Scan barcode
bozonbozonski's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
geeisforgrace's review against another edition
5.0
What a treat to read this after I finished Noah's most recent book ("Birding without Borders"). It was a peek into his beginnings as a birder, scientist, and writer. This book is charming and hilarious, insightful and evocative. I enjoyed every page, and felt like I was in Antarctica right with him. Half journal, half field log-- it was a real treat. Still my favorite author! Highly recommended.
haazex's review against another edition
3.0
The "famous" birder Noah Strycker ventures to Antarctica for a field season counting penguins. A perfect book for somebody considering visiting Antarctica and participating in research (especially a penguin census). He also happily explains why he became a birder and describes different opportunities he was involved in during his high school and college days. This latter aspect is actually a great one so I would definitely recommend this book for a young budding birder (high school/college age). However, Strycker's writing is a bit immature and sophomoric. At times it was a bit much. Regardless, the passages focusing on the natural history of the Adélie penguins as well as the research being done were quite interesting. He also conveyed his experience of working hard in a team under very cold conditions in an engaging fashion.
bookbirder's review against another edition
5.0
Disclaimer: I am hugely biased as somebody who would like to do this exact internship one day
This book is one of my new favourites, and I realized this after reading just one chapter. Noah Stryker is excellent at capturing stories using his great sense of humour and a somewhat chronological order that kept me interested despite how repetitive his actual days in the field must have been.
I will definitely be rereading this book many times, though due to my bias it is difficult to recommend unless you are also a bird lover or interested in ornithology.
This book is one of my new favourites, and I realized this after reading just one chapter. Noah Stryker is excellent at capturing stories using his great sense of humour and a somewhat chronological order that kept me interested despite how repetitive his actual days in the field must have been.
I will definitely be rereading this book many times, though due to my bias it is difficult to recommend unless you are also a bird lover or interested in ornithology.
oviedorose's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
5.0
jaybirder's review against another edition
4.0
This is an enjoyable look at life in Antarctica, from the perspective of a young, fresh out of college bird lover. His experience is one that is only going to get harder to relate to, as he casually mentiones getting a full-ride scholarship and being able to afford summer-long internships across the world, supported by his freelancing writing for bird magazines. I look forward to reading other memoirs Stryker has written. The almost too casual writing style shows it is one of his first memoirs, and I imagine the other books he's written will be from a more mature viewpoint.
The facts about penguins and wildlife in Antarctica are simultaneously fascinating and limited - I think there are only so many times you can read about how the team split up to endlessly count and band penguins before it gets a little repetitive. The stories from his upbringing and stories from training and from the staff at the camp help break this up, but those tended to feel like filler.
All told, reading this book as a bird lover was enjoyable and I look forward to reading other books by this author. This was a good debut novel.
The facts about penguins and wildlife in Antarctica are simultaneously fascinating and limited - I think there are only so many times you can read about how the team split up to endlessly count and band penguins before it gets a little repetitive. The stories from his upbringing and stories from training and from the staff at the camp help break this up, but those tended to feel like filler.
All told, reading this book as a bird lover was enjoyable and I look forward to reading other books by this author. This was a good debut novel.
lcy_rose's review against another edition
4.0
This book is funny, occasionally thoughtful, and leaves you with a strong sense of Noah Stryckers' personality, and the personalities of the two women he shared the small field station in Antartcia with. I fully enjoyed it as a light read, and as an informative one too! (Penguins poo on you just as much as every other animal seems to do...)
It also left me hoping that he goes on to write more books. His style is engaging, and his imagery evocative without being too heavy-handed.
It also left me hoping that he goes on to write more books. His style is engaging, and his imagery evocative without being too heavy-handed.
More...