Equinox: Life, Love, and Birds of Prey

by Dan O'Brien

Book Overview

The South Dakota winter gives a man time to think. One subzero morning, as Dan O'Brien approaches his fiftieth year, the autumnal equinox of his life, he takes stock. Feeling a waning sense of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1558214569
• ISBN13: 9781558214569
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Length: 218 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.7" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

Great Story

I was surprised at how good this book was. I expected it to be a primer for my interest in falconry but found it to be so much more. It is a fantastic account of the training of a raptor and the relationship between man and bird. Obviously passionate about his undertaking the author describes the training process in vivid detail making a compelling story to the end. With an equally interesting personal story that parallels his bird of prey adventure this book makes for a very enjoyable read.

It brings you back in touch with what is real and important.

I just finished reading "Equinox" and I was inspired by Mr. O'Brien's words on birds of prey, the unique beauty of his home, and the importance of staying in touch with the real and genuine aspects of life. He beautifully captures the essence of the noble practice of falconry and, in the process, passes along a few important lessons about life in general.His skills as a falconer and observer of nature (both human and animal) appear to be surpassed only by his ability to gracefully convey the haunting imagery of the high plains.Thank you Mr. O'Brien. I enjoyed this book immensely and I look forward to your future works.

An unexpected brilliant light

"[A]n association with wild things has a way of shining an unexpected brilliant light into the darkest crevices of our lives." So writes Dan O'Brien in this beautiful true story of the symbiotic triangle of falcon, dog, and human.In O'Brien's clear pungent voice are echoes of Peter Matthiessen and, fainter, Walt Whitman. Under his starry South Dakota sky, we feel our connection with everything natural and free. This is a love song to the earth, and a paean to how slowly our attachments grow and how fragile they can be.O'Brien takes us into the world of falconry. We see falcons stoop (dive) for their prey at incredible speeds. We feel what it is like to be a falcon, as well as a grouse or a duck seeking escape. He also takes us into the truth of his own life, as he faces midlife and the very human sense of challenges not yet met.This book's smells, sights, and adventures are thrilling. I love and treasure them.

A rich and compelling look into falconry and life choices

This book lured me in from across a gargantuan bookstore before I'd even turned a page. The cover illustration of a peregrine falcon looking with quiet intensity over one of its folded wings told me "you must read this book."I'm so glad I did.I'm interested in falconry and hope to pursue that interest as soon as I have the time and financial resources to devote to it. It is a rich, noble sport, although one all too often glamorized and sensationalized by the media. In Equinox, Dan O'Brien takes falconry and firmly anchors it in the "real." It's a challenging pursuit that necessitates being taken seriously.Alternating between heartbreaking and breathtaking, O'Brien tells readers of a pivotal time in his midlife where he takes an autumn to fly falcons and shake out his priorities. Weaving in hunger-pang-inducing tales of delicious food with quiet moments of sleeping under a star-filled sky, O'Brien tells us about Harley, a skilled and temperamental female peregrine falcon that impresses and entrances O'Brien almost like a lover...only with feathers and razor-sharp talons.The masterpiece in this book comes from the magic found in everyday life. Faithful dogs. The steady respect and love of a spouse, even across hundreds of painful miles. The companionship of a good friend and the wisdom of telling it straight. Loss, and how it teaches us even as it's breaking our hearts.Equinox is about more than falconry. As O'Brien has titled it, it is about life and love, as well as birds of prey. It's an inherently gentle story that will resonate deeply for many readers.

Vicarious falconry at its' best!

I have had an interest in falconry and raptors in general since adolescence but have never been able to make the total commitment neccesary to care for one. Reading about it and hunting with friends who fly birds of prey has been my best outlet to enjoy this truly remarkable partnership between man and bird. Every facet of the author's story, from his relationship to the land, to the dogs, to the birds,to the prey, to his friends, reminded me of the things I hold dear in my life and that make my time spent here very full. A great read!