A personal look at modern American hawking—the appeal, the drama, the obsession—and the pragmatic romantics who practice it by the author of Eagle Dreams. "First the hawk, then the horse, then the hounds, then, and only then, the humble falconer." —Anonymous Thus begins the tale by Stephen Bodio, a lover of birds and nature, of the incredible connection between man and birds of prey. Falconry can be traced back over four thousand years and, as Bodio says, "it is amazing that the practice did not die out soon afterward when its first adherents starved." With a new introduction by Helen MacDonald, A Rage for Falcons not only shares the history of falconry, but shows the personal side in a way only Bodio can share. With masterful prose and breathtaking imagery, you not only understand how falconry has lasted, but why. As Bodio so appropriately notes in his introduction: "To understand falconry, you must understand the nature of the relationship between man and bird." In A Rage for Falcons, Bodio explores this incredible relationship and how it has affected him as a person. Never has such a personal touch been put on a sport that has lasted generations, which many people still do not have a grasp of. That's what makes Bodio so great. While his words may not convince you to take up the sport, will certainly open your eyes to appreciate a world unlike any other. "The sportsman and naturalist Stephen Bodio might just be the finest writer New Mexico doesn't even know it's got." —New Mexico Magazine
