A review by finesilkflower
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik

adventurous funny informative medium-paced

4.0

Pop journalism treatment of the 1998 American Birding Association "Big Year," when a contest between three serious contenders led to a recordbreaking number of most birds seen in a year by an individual. Sort of a birder's answer to a sports narrative. Obmascik profiles three obsessive competitors: returning champion Sandy Komito, a fast-talking retired contractor with a big personality; recently retired executive Al Levantin, a determined enthusiast making up for lost time; and Greg Miller, the underdog, who balances his stultifying day job as a Y2K bug fixer with intense weekends birding by ear. I had seen the movie based on this book before reading it and I was surprised by how much of the movie is taken directly from the book, including cinematic scenes such as Levantin and Miller teaming up to take a helicopter trip looking for Himalayan snowcocks in the Nevada canyons; Miller reconnecting with his father by looking for owls; and even the humor of Komito rolling up to a remote Alaskan outpost and immediately putting on the favorite pants he left there last time! Obmascik deftly brings out the personalities of the three competitors, provides enough context to get invested in their quest, and interweaves stories of their cross-country adventures and misadventures, making a compelling read. There is a slight "get a load of these weirdos" tone at the beginning that is mitigated by Obmascik's self-professed love of birding and genuine affection for these men.