For a Handful of Feathers

Guy de la Valdéne

Summary

An avid hunter and wildlife preservationist, the Field & Stream contributor explores these seemingly opposed passions in this “beautifully written” memoir (The Bloomsbury Review). After traveling the globe on expeditions with world-class sportsmen, Guy de la Valdéne purchased an eight hundred–acre farm outside Tallahassee and set out to raise and hunt his favorite game bird, bobwhite quail. But de la Valdéne is also a naturalist at heart, and as he planted trees and divided fields, he found that running the farm compelled him to operate as both hunter and protector. Along the way, de la Valdéne gets pulled into some eye-opening adventures: to a masterpiece of controlled burning performed by a Vietnam veteran in a helicopter with three hundred gallons of napalm, and to his own experiences building a dam to fill his pond. For a Handful of Feathers reconciles a passion for hunting with a deep sentiment for the wild. With sensitivity and patience, de la Valdéne searches for his, and our, place in the natural world. “A classic that compares well with Turgenev’s A Sportsman’s Notebook.” —The Bloomsbury Review “An American classic . . . A book as unapologetic as it is thoughtful about blood sport . . . [It] has the verbal spark and pace of a fine novel.” —Gray’s Sporting Journal “A gem that will appeal not only to hunters but to all readers who love the land.” —Publishers Weekly “Valuable for its insight into quail behavior and its thoughtful address of hunting ethics.” —Kirkus Reviews

Available since: 12/01/2007.

Print length: 240 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Extreme Winter Sports Bundle: 2...

Ryan M. Swan

Extreme Winter Sports Bundle: 2 in 1 Bundle, Skiing, SnowboardingDo you want to take up skiing?Does the idea of jetting off to a nice resort for a week or more appeal to you?Do you need a book that will help you understand the basics before you start?You can learn much about this fabulous winter sport long before you decide to hit the slopes, with chapters that explain in detail: This two-in-one bundle series includes the following audiobooks: 1.	Skiing: The Ultimate Guide to learn Skiing (Extreme sports winter adventure Collection)2.	Snowboarding: The Ultimate Guide to learn Snowboarding (Extreme sports winter adventure Collection) Imagine the freedom of coasting down pristine slopes in France or Italy, relaxing after your day with some refreshing drinks and soaking up the atmosphere that goes with it?It's a fabulous way to vacation but knowing a little bit about your chosen sport before you head off is always advisable and with this bundle you will be one step ahead before you start. Get your copy Extreme Winter Sports Bundle: 2 in 1 Bundle today!

Show book

Backpacking - A True Adventure...

Wesley Jones

A handy guide to make your backpacking journey better! 
It has become possible for a larger group of people: To travel the entire world with a single backpack, some items, and a limited amount of money. Some people still show off their income when traveling, but even with a low budget, “backpacking” is an affordable, doable way of living. And yes, you can also make money online while doing it. 
In this guide, we’ll tell you some of the best ways to: Pack your backpack to maximize spaceFind the most popular destinations in the world for backpackersGo on a hike, and make sure you don’t get any physical problemsDiscover if a hostel is for you and which hostels to look forFind better deals on AirBNB and negotiate with the ones who rent their roomsAvoid scams and tourist traps backpackers sometimes come across in different countriesMeet other likeminded backpackers you can socialize withGet some photography tips for your tripsMake money with your travel blog while traveling  
Let’s face it. You could save yourself a lot of trouble, money, and heartache if you know what you’re doing. You might as well learn a little before you take off on your next trip, especially if you have little to no experience. 
With this guide, you’ll be one step ahead. So go ahead and listen.

Show book

Ultimate Book of Sports - The...

Scott McNeely

Learn the ins and outs of your favorite game or uncover a new passion with this compendium of knowledge for over 250 sports. 
 
This ultimate book for the ultimate sports fan extends far beyond classics like tennis and basketball. With the rules of engagement for an outrageous assortment of sports—from jousting and Mongolian wrestling to baseball, cricket, ultimate Frisbee, and caber tossing—this book is a resource and a revelation for sporting types of all stripes. Including extensive sidebars with tips, trivia, and strategy, as well as classic line art and illustrations throughout, this compendium of competitive games is ideal for brushing up on rules and regulations, settling disputes, or finding a new passion.

Show book

Self-Defense - Awareness and...

Wesley Jones

Learn how to defend yourself in any situation!
The world is a dangerous place. Muggers, robbers, thieves, rapists, and murderers roam the streets, and we’re not even talking about simple dumb people who want to pick a fight or drank a little too much and lost their temper.
Self-defense can be done with a clean conscience and should be learned by anyone who finds him - or herself - on the street, especially in the evenings. Would you feel safer if you knew how to avoid dangerous situations or neighborhoods? Would you feel safer if you knew you had a weapon, or you could knock someone out with a single kick or punch? Don’t even answer these questions, because they’re rhetorical.
In this guide, you’ll be shown the best ways to beat up the bullies when you can’t, or shouldn’t, escape. You’ll learn about things like:Martial arts, Krav Maga, and self-defense techniquesHandling weapons and guns in a threatening situationEasy ways to avoid danger and stay away from potential harmTips for property, car, and home securityHow police officers profile and how you can help outKnowing your legal rights and human rightsHow to improvise when you don’t have a real weapon meant for self-defense
Trust me, you won’t want to ever leave your house again without knowing these techniques
If you’ve seen any thriller movies or read of any newspaper articles where the victim lost, you’ll know that a lot of times, they could have done better and not make the same stupid mistakes everyone seems to make. You have the right to defend yourself, so do it! Start listening now!

Show book

101 Cycling Workouts - Improve...

David Ertl

Whether you are a recreational cyclist, a bicycle racer or a triathlete, 101 Cycling Workouts is a must-have guide to help take your cycling to a new level. Rejuvenate and refresh your cycling training with a wide variety of workouts you've never thought of before. Add challenge to your training by trying new workouts that will develop you into a better and more fit cyclist. These workouts will add depth to your training by working on all the physiological systems of a complete cycling training program, including endurance, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, strength, speed and power. Additional non-cycling workouts and gym workouts are included to supplement your training on the bike. Use these workouts to train harder, smarter and more efficiently by making the most of your vital training time.

Show book

The Circuit - A Tennis Odyssey

Rowan Ricarod Phillips

An energetic, lyrical, genre-defying account of the 2017 tennis season. 
In The Circuit: A Tennis Odyssey, the award-winning poet-and Paris Review sports columnist-Rowan Ricardo Phillips chronicles 2017 as seen through the unique prism of its pivotal, revelatory, and historic tennis season. The annual tennis schedule is a rarity in professional sports in that it encapsulates the calendar year. And like the year, it's divided into four seasons, each marked by a final tournament: the Grand Slams. 
Phillips charts the year from winter's Australian Open, where Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal renewed their rivalry in a match for the ages, to fall's U.S. Open. Along the way, Phillips paints a new, vibrant portrait of tennis, one that captures not only the emotions, nerves, and ruthless tactics of the point-by-point game but also the quicksilver movement of victory and defeat on the tour, placing that sense of upheaval within a broader cultural and social context. Tennis has long been thought of as an escapist spectacle: a bucolic, separate bauble of life. 
The Circuit will convince you that you don't leave the world behind as you watch tennis-you bring it with you.

Show book