Because of this book's subject matter--birdwatching--I haven't been very successful in getting many people to give it a try (those who have been brave have loved it). But The Big Year is much more about human behavior than avian antics. The author, a journalist, describes an annual competition among the most serious of birdwatchers to see who can identify the most bird species in North America in a single year. He focuses in on three men who are battling to win the title in 1998. The Big Year is filled with quirky, obsessed characters who will do almost anything to edge out their fellow birders. I found this to be one of the most delightful books I've read in recent years. The books is funny, fun, and suspenseful, even if you don't care much for birds or birders.
