This compact little book includes postcards of six favorites from Audubon's watercolors in the Birds of America: Great blue heron, Wild turkey, American white pelican, Roseate spoonbill, Whooping crane, and American flamingo. The quality of the reproductions is very satisfactory, and the cards are well enough perforated to allow for easy removal without tearing into the images. The card size is small enough for postcard postage. All in all a nice value.

"Audubon's Watch", by John Gregory Brown is the first book of his work that I have read, and I intend to read his previous two books very soon. While reading this tale I often thought of the work of Wilkie Collins, one of the great writers of the late 19th century, and the man widely credited with the creation of the modern mystery genre. The Audubon of this novel is the famous artist who documented the birds of America, and while knowing some of the man's history is helpful it is not necessary.

A great mystery work maintains the suspense, the tension of the story to the very end. The tale itself sustains and lures the reader throughout the book without the need for blind alleys or misdirection. The facets that I mention can be great fun when used by many authors. Mr. Brown did not use them here, and I think the work is all that much better without the devices.

A young woman dies and Audubon is asked to sit watch with the husband the first night following her death. There is a second watch that has three owners, a watch that works or doesn't, a watch that appears to have a mind of its own. A common ritual in this instance has immense importance, for the husband is considered a notorious anatomist/resurrectionist, and Mr. Audubon has knowledge that drives his guilt for 30 years, when on his deathbed he summons the man he sat with that evening. But what is he guilty of, why does Emile, the deceased's husband, make a month long trek dealing with his own failing health to hear what Audubon wishes to say? And what could possibly be haunting Emile for these now past 30 years? The answers are all in the book, and they are not what appear to be obvious or even high probability predictions. The author is brilliant at manipulating what he shares and how he shares it, so that what you may take as a conversation among characters is something very different.

The author seems to play with the reader's need to know and the reader's willingness to make presumptions before the tale is complete. The effect he produces is really marvelous and entertaining. When he digresses from the specifics at hand to share the imagery of a roaring fire, a hurricane, and the flashing blades of the cutters of the cane as they work in his inferno is great reading.

John Gregory Brown is another writer that seems to have yet to be discovered by large numbers of readers. His work will now be on my reading list going forward.

I loved Brown's first two novels, "Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery" and "The Wrecked Blessed Body of Shelton Lafleur", but I think this new one is his best. As with the others, this is a terribly sad and rather disturbing story but the writing is glorious and the observations about John James Audubon completely fascinating. Brown takes us into the minds of Audubon and the anatomist Emile Gautreaux not just as artist and scientist but as men. He examines them the way they examine their subjects. The novel's real subject seems to be grief and passion and the way both can take hold of us. I think John Gregory Brown's books deserve to get much more attention than they do.

Shirley Streshinsky, the author of "Audubon," makes several mistakes common to authors, especially authors of biographies. A good editor at The University of Georgia Press could have and should have helped the author overcome these problems.

The book--over 400 pages--is over-written. It would have been far more interesting and readable if the manuscript had been trimmed by a third. The author, having done extensive research to gather hard-won facts, succumbed to the comon temptation of using facts because she had them.

The result is that what should be the theme and focus of the book is often buried in tedious and repetitious detail about travel plans, for example.

Here is a man of amazing genius. Able to things with his pastels and paints and pens that no one has ever been able to match. A facinating, driven man. Arrogant. Egotistical. Tireless. Obsessed. Willing to suffer every hardship, and sacrifice himself, his wife and sons, financial security, friendships his comfort and health--everything to achieve the single-minded purpose of producing the best, most complete pictures and words about America's birds.

All of this is covered in this book, but it is often buried under a so much minutia that the reader may lose focus of this brilliant man who accomplished so much with so little.

Another mistake the author and publisher make is to assume the reader has knowledge which the average reader may or may not have. Much of the book is about Audubon's extensive travels in the U.S. and Europe to sell subscriptions. But as near as I can tell from my careful reading, we are never told exactly what it is Audubon is selling subscriptions to.

We are told repeatedly about double-elephant folios, apparetly an over-sized paper for presenting Audubons's illustrations, but nowhere is a double-elephant filio described or defined.

Same goes for subscriptions to "the new octavo edition." What exactly is an octavo edition?

There is lots of discussion of the work of engravers, colorists, lithographers. But specifically what are these craftsmen doing? We are never told exactly. Whatever it is it apparently involves dozens of craftsmen working full time for years. Are they copying by hand Audubon's drawings onto metal plates? If so, how much of what we see is the faithful work of Audubon, and how much the art of engravers, colorists, lithographers?

You had better have a good memory for names as you read this book, or else makes notes as each of the dozens of new characters in the story are introduced. People brought into the story early often appear later with no reminders of who it is being talked about. The author remembers; the readers may not.

There is a section of illustrations in the book, all in black and white, all but one of people and places. Amazingly there is only one example of Audubon's brilliant artwork--a black and white sketch, unquestionably originally in color, of "A Robin Perched on a Mossy Stone." How can a book be presented about Audubon without including color examples of his brilliant work?

I was seriously disappointed by this book.

I agree that this book is indeed over-written and reads at time like a class assignment; the author simply ticking off facts without much coherent thesis. However, this recital does bring off a charming story interesting enough to hold the attention of the casual historian with only a passing interest in wildlife. For anyone wishing to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the American wilderness and the struggles of the early settlers, it is a pleasure. Just skip over the boring bits!

For latest on ornithology- see her 8 page article in Apr. 2001 American Heritage Magazine...Shirley visited birds on Midway Island,now a refuge in Pacific. On the Wings of Victory..also memorial to sea battle won by US Navy.

I found this book at my local library and am somewhat disappointed to discover that it is out of print. Durant and Harwood seem like good people, if a tad too serious about matching Audubon step for step on his collecting trips around the country more than 150 years ago. I was consistently amazed at their earnestness in seeking out a particular view or clearing or ditch that the artist might have stopped at.

Clearly this was a labor of love for them, and their dedication, not to mention their scholarship, is commendable. It has been said, however, that an author should resist the urge to tell the reader EVERYTHING he or she knows. I know that rule gets thrown out the window when what is being written is more academic than artistic, but this book was apparently intended as both, and I can't tell you how boring it was to read paragraphs that consisted of nothing more than the names of all the plants the author saw around her. The bird lists made for only slightly less dull reading, but only because I'm a birder.

The book is really a combination travelogue/biography/history. It succeeds best at the last two, and some passages and descriptions are quite poetic. But less minutia, no matter how fascinating to the author, would have been most welcome. The urge to record and relate everything (including a photograph of the authors' makeshift drying rack, moist socks included) kills some of the joy of this book.

But I learned a lot about Audubon and grew to respect the authors' experience and knowledge of natural history - Harwood seems to be a highly expert birder and ditto for Durant as botanist.

I will also be seeking out a permanent Audubon exhibit and the artist's grave, which I learned are nearby in New York.

Though the book often came across as a little too indulgent, the zeal and genuine love the Harwoods bring to their work (and they work very hard) is truly inspiring.

I couldn't disagree more with the last reviewer. I read this book more than ten years ago and it is still the best source of information on the life of Audubon, as well as the most enjoyable read in the large Audubon literature. It fired my interest in Audubon more than any other book. The fact that the authors contemplate the people, places, plants, and birds that they found in Audubon's path -- and the changes that have taken place over nearly 200 years -- only adds to the book's value. This is history (natural and biographical) in 3D, and brings Audubon to life like no other book about him.

"Audubon: American Birds" is a not only a wonderful introduction to Audubon's works but a portrait of the birds as seen through the eyes of a great American naturalist. The volume also serves as a good reference source though tempered with an romantic view giving the astute reader an additional insight into the times in which Audubon worked. I would definately recomment this book to both the birder and art lover.

This book is a departure from the ordinary. Yes, there is much about his art and work, but there is much more about the man himself. Any who wish to get a reading of Audubon's personality, his mind-set, his values, must read this work by Foshay. Our business is Audubon, and we feel this book is the best to come out in years. Like the images Audubon produced, this book has "life" in it - Audubon's life. It will make you feel that you know the man. - EZ, Princeton Audubon

I want to buy the book for my elementary art class and I can't find anywhere in the descriptions if they are the same size as the origionals.

For the grump who gave this book a one-star rating (it deserves a six-star rating!), the dimensions of this oversized book are 10 1/2 X 14 1/2 inches.

Drool over the watercolours and then imagine the work that went into creating them. All yours for a fraction of the cost of the originals. A steal!

This book contains the complete collection of the 435 illustrations from Audubon's famous Havell edition "Double Elephant Folio" of "Birds of America." It took 12 years, from 1826 to 1838, for Robert Havell, a 19th century London engraver, working from Audubon's detailed watercolors, to finish the project, and when it was done, the collection of 435 engravings was sold to subscribers. Today the Havell engravings are worth small fortunes individually, and it is the lucky museum or library that can boast of having a complete, original portfolio. But here in this single book, Audubon's beautiful, powerful, and extraordinarily detailed paintings can be seen by anyone interested in natural history, American romantic painting, ornithology, bird watching, etc. Audubon is one of America's most important artists and naturalists, and this book is an excellent way to get better acquainted with John James Audubon's masterpiece, "Birds of America."

The 4th edition of this "Collectors Handbook" is a reprint of earlier editions rather than a much needed rewrite.

The background information provided in this book IS very interesting and helpful. HOWEVER, the first question asked on the back of this book is "What is the value of an Audubon Print?" This book answers that question with print by print price information (almost 1/3 of the book) that is over 20 years old. NO price information is even given for the Octavo prints.

As a guide for collectors looking for current value information for Audubon prints this book is worthless.

For those who are interested in Audubon prints, this book is a good introduction, but if you are serious about collecting or very interested in Audubon, it could raise more questions for you than it answers. Don't expect a comprehensive or 100-percent accurate treatment of Audubon or Audubon prints from this rather short book.

Unfortunately, some of the areas of weakness are important to collectors. For instance, the approach to authentication is simplistic and by no means comprehensive. The book doesn't really address how to distinguish hand coloring from printed color, or the fact that hand-colored reproductions of Havells exist. The authors barely mention plate mark, which is an extremely valuable tool for authenticating Havells. In spite of these shortcomings, the book provides a nice overview of all the major editions of Audubon's prints with a good mix of biography, history and nitty-gritty details.

Beware, however, that brevity comes at a price -- this book has some gaps. Bannon and Clark do not mention the second issue of the Imperial Folio edition of The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, or the existence of a restrike of the Imperial Folio plate, The White Wolf. (You can find more information on both topics in the recently published book, John James Audubon in the West, edited by Sarah Boehme).

Information in Bannon and Clark is not always accurate -- e.g., the later edition octavo dates. (Try Ron Tyler's book, Audubon's Great National Work, for a more detailed account of the octavo Birds). There are also more significant errors. For instance, the number of prints from Nagel and Weingaertner in any given octavo quads set varies; the set that Bannon and Clark looked at just happened to have seventeen plates by Nagel and Weingaertner, but they give that as the number for all sets.

The price information in this book is out of date even though the authors include some appendices that attempt to give an idea of price inflation. Still, the lists do provide an indication of relative prices. As long as you realize that these lists represent a single dealer's opinion and experience, and that other dealers do not necessarily rank the plates in the exact way that Clark ranks them, you should find this information very helpful.

In the end, I have to say that I like this book, and often find myself turning to it for background or price information. Right now, it is the best book -- really, the only book -- available that is specifically geared towards Audubon collectors. Although that will change over time as more books come out, I doubt that Bannon and Clark will become superfluous...it is a good addition to any Audubon library.

This handbook fills a void in the vast library of Audubon publications. It focuses on the various publications of Audubon and his family, such as the double elephant folio, the imperials, the miniatures, and the Bien edition. Accurate dates of publication are given along with very helpful clues to distinguishing between various editions. Our 1998 copy contained welcome revisions to the pricing of the double elephant, Bien, and imperial prints. I have found that in the few years since publication, the prices of the larger images have about doubled, and smaller images are about 15 to 20 percent higher in price than what is stated. In fact, whereas a complete folio sold for about $4,000,000.00 as correctly stated in Addendum C, page 128, (back in 1992), a complete folio recently sold at Christies for about $9,000,000.00. One should use this handbook as a handbook. We make regular notes in the margins in the price pages. For example, plate 376 (Trumpeter Swan) was valued at $30,000 in 1997, when I assume the information in the book was assembled. A plate 376 sold in 1999 for $93,250. We have entered this corrected information in our copy.

We highly recommend this handbook for any who wish to collect the work of a master artist/naturalist. The information will assist you in making intelligent purchases from sites such as eBay.

The introduction had so many typos that (as a purist), I returned it before reading the last paragraph. If readers can live with that, great. Enjoy the book.

As massive an undertaking as the color printing was (first-rate, BTW), the poor attention to proofreading such a small amount of text matter renders the integrity of the rest of the book highly suspect. I didn't want to proofread the 435 plates (in microscopic Roman numerals) for out-of-order errors, missing plates, etc.

Regretfully,

Andy B

This book is neat. I liked reading it, because it is full of information. If there is anything you want to know about America's birdlife, you will find what you are looking for in this book.

This is the best book available for anyone who wishes to see accurate reproductions of Audubon's greatest work, the Double Elephant Folio edition of Birds of America. Produced in collaboration with the uniquely talented printer/artist, Robert Havell, Audubon's massive work is (as the subtitle of this book says) the most famous bird book in the world. As such, the Double Elephant Folio deserves to be reproduced as it really is, with all titles, part and plate numbers, and credits to artist and printer that are part of the original plates. This is the only book of several on the market (whether used or in print) that allows the reader to see the plates-all 435 of them--as they actually appear in the original work.

As a collector and art dealer, I use this book constantly, but I have never spent much time looking at the text. It consists of brief notes to each plate (primarily factual information on the specific birds pictured). Although the 2-page introduction gets the basic facts of Audubon's life right, I noticed many significant errors. The book also has organizational flaws (including the lack of an index to the plates or even page numbers to allow you to quickly locate specific plates). Nevertheless, the color and printing is very good to excellent on most of the images, and it is generally superior to that of other Audubon art books. Until something better comes along, I would consider this book a "must-have" for any serious student or collector of Audubon's art.