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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir in which Helen Macdonald shares her experiences training a goshawk after the unexpected death of her father. While I found some of the parts about T.H. White tedious, I was inspired and moved by the raw grief Macdonald expressed and the way she connected with her hawk Mabel as a way of coming to terms with life, death, and the beauty of the world.
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
I was surprised that the falconry itself held little interest for me, as much as I like birds. However, I loved the way the author described and grapples with grief, and how they connect themself to Mr.
White. Interesting and moving.
White. Interesting and moving.
Becomes increasingly meaningful when your father dies halfway through finishing the book. Docked one star because of a sneaking suspicion the book killed my father as some form of cosmic irony.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Fascinating. I read so I can be exposed to different places, times, occupations and perspectives. Helen Macdonald is an experienced falconer who decides to train a goshawk after her father dies. Goshawks are deadly predators and not easily trained.
While it explained much, I do wish the book was more about falconing, training technique, the history of the sport. I wish there was less philosophy, but I understand this was a time when the author was working through her grief which very much affected her training of her goshawk Mable.
While it explained much, I do wish the book was more about falconing, training technique, the history of the sport. I wish there was less philosophy, but I understand this was a time when the author was working through her grief which very much affected her training of her goshawk Mable.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Lovely writing, lovely descriptive passages of the countryside, but I just never connected with what was going on with Macdonald and her hawk. I think I should have, perhaps I'm cold-hearted, though I did connect with White, and what went on with him and Gos, I found those sections very moving.
And although Macdonald writes about the hunting and death as a sport, I struggled to forget that as I was reading. Her bird had been bred for people to enjoy flying and catching prey - a blood sport. I kept asking myself what I would feel if this was a book about Macdonald and a hound that she took out fox hunting. (I know it's not quite like that - they are in packs; there's not a connection between one person and a dog, but the principle is the same.)
And although Macdonald writes about the hunting and death as a sport, I struggled to forget that as I was reading. Her bird had been bred for people to enjoy flying and catching prey - a blood sport. I kept asking myself what I would feel if this was a book about Macdonald and a hound that she took out fox hunting. (I know it's not quite like that - they are in packs; there's not a connection between one person and a dog, but the principle is the same.)