Two interesting articles by Franzen in the New Yorker are worth trying to get hold of:  August 8/15, 2005, "My Bird Problem" discusses his newfound birding mania, summed up by his observation that "The more I looked at birds, the more I regretted not making their acquaintance sooner."  July 26, 2010, "Emptying the Skies" tells about the decimation of songbirds by Mediterranean hunters (depressing).  The cerulean warbler on the cover of "Freedom" creates a real hardback vs Kindle quandary.

Tom Jones 
Washington, D.C.