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The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the inspiring story of how one man found his life's work--and true love--among a gang of wild parrots roosting in one of America's most picturesque urban settings. Mark Bittner was down on his luck. He'd gone to San Francisco at the age of twenty-one to take a stab at a music career, but he hadn't had much success. After many years as an odd-jobber in the area, he accepted work as a housekeeper for an elderly woman. The gig came with a rent-free studio apartment on the city's famed Telegraph Hill, which had somehow become home to a flock of brilliantly colored wild parrots. In this unforgettable story, Bittner recounts how he became fascinated by the birds and made up his mind to get to know them and gain their trust. He succeeds to such a degree that he becomes the local wild parrot expert and a tourist attraction. People can't help gawking at the man who, during daily feedings, stands with parrots perched along both arms and atop his head. When a documentary filmmaker comes along to capture the phenomenon on film, the story takes a surprising turn, and Bittner's life truly takes flight.… (plus d'informations)
This is much more a personal journal than a story. The author emphasizes his own feelings and emotional reactions to the birds. Much of what he observes as the dynamics of the flock and personalities of individual birds is interesting, but there isn't much to pull it together. ( )
I'm a pretty easy sucker for "here's my relationship with an animal/s" book, but this one is special. It's spiritual and respectful of living creatures and honest (sometimes jarringly so). I very much enjoyed it, it was a real can't-put-it-downer. ( )
Mark Bittner was a homeless vagabond, failed musician and a self styled dharma bum. After wandering the streets of San Francisco staying wherever he could find shelter, someone told him about an ad for a caretaker of sorts for an elderly woman in exchange for a studio apartment. It was here that he discovered the parrots and began feeding them. Not finding much information about their history or habits, he determined to learn as much as possible and in the process befriended many of them. I normally love these kinds of books, but the writing style here was a bit dry and I was left often times wanting more. I was also disappointed in the photos that were included at the beginning of each chapter. All black and white. For a book about very colorful parrots, the inclusion of black and white photos of the subjects seemed strange. You can not see the subtle color variations he tells about in these photos. It was frustrating. The chapter "Consciousness Explained" seemed a bit self indulgent. I will also say that I found it very hard to like this man. His plan for just sitting around and letting life happen to him as part of his spiritual journey (which even that- he just sort of fell into), was all just irritating. I found myself struggling to finish it. ( )
The story of one man's relationship with these parrots, mostly cherry-headed conures, which have established themselves in San Francisco. Bittner was living in a studio apartment on Telegraph Hill when he started feeding them at regular times, gradually getting the flock used to his presence until he could stand with birds eating from his hand and perched on his shoulders. The more he observed the birds, the more he wanted to know about them. He gave them names, sorted out some of their relationships, and rescued ones that were injured or sick. He began asking around about the parrots, trying to learn more about the origins of the flock. Surprised to find that no one was studying the conures, Bittner began taking detailed notes himself on their behavior, and after six years had become a local authority on the birds. He gave slide shows and lectures, and after the book was published, pushed to get legislation passed to protect the birds. His book is a wonderful read full of details about the parrots' distinct personalities. It's also a story of the author's own search for meaning in his life, for stability (in his early years in San Francisco he was homeless), spirituality and love. ( )
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the inspiring story of how one man found his life's work--and true love--among a gang of wild parrots roosting in one of America's most picturesque urban settings. Mark Bittner was down on his luck. He'd gone to San Francisco at the age of twenty-one to take a stab at a music career, but he hadn't had much success. After many years as an odd-jobber in the area, he accepted work as a housekeeper for an elderly woman. The gig came with a rent-free studio apartment on the city's famed Telegraph Hill, which had somehow become home to a flock of brilliantly colored wild parrots. In this unforgettable story, Bittner recounts how he became fascinated by the birds and made up his mind to get to know them and gain their trust. He succeeds to such a degree that he becomes the local wild parrot expert and a tourist attraction. People can't help gawking at the man who, during daily feedings, stands with parrots perched along both arms and atop his head. When a documentary filmmaker comes along to capture the phenomenon on film, the story takes a surprising turn, and Bittner's life truly takes flight.
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