Peregrine Falcon
Tags
Summary
This is not a book about birdwatching. It is a book about how to become a hawk. About a person who longs to become something other than human.
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who enjoy nature writing and prose essays and can accept a slow-paced narrative
- Readers interested in themes such as the human-animal boundary and perceptual transformation
- Writing or translation enthusiasts who want to study how meticulous observation is transformed into text
- Those seeking a quiet, solitary reading experience and not pursuing plot progression
Not a good fit for
- Readers hoping for popular science about peregrines or a practical birdwatching guide
- Readers who prefer strong plot and fast-paced narrative and find prose-like writing hard to tolerate
- Learners who need clear chapter structure and summarized knowledge points
Reading tips
- Read in seasonal order from autumn to spring, a small section at a time, giving the words time to ferment.
- When the observational perspective blurs, reread earlier passages and notice how the "human" consciousness gradually recedes.
- Keep a pen to mark recurring images, and after finishing, look back at their cumulative effect.
- Don't force yourself to finish in one sitting; it works better as a slow bedside or early-morning read.
About the publisher
Beijing Daily Press takes world history, historical reading and foreign literary translations as important publishing directions, alongside science fiction and prose. Its catalogue includes Edward Gibbon's unabridged The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Gu Cheng's Southern Ming History and his works on Ming history, reflecting a balance between general and dynastic history; in literature there are Fu Lei's translations of Balzac and of world classics, as well as science fiction and prose such as The Universe Omnipotent Detective Agency, A Canticle for Leibowitz and The Peregrine, with authors ranging from Gibbon, Gu Cheng and Balzac to Fu Lei, Romain Rolland and Douglas Adams. Building on current affairs, history and culture, Beijing-flavoured culture and children's books, the press combines classic translation with original historical writing, emphasising complete editions and translation quality. Public information is limited, so other details are omitted.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 缘起
- 关于游隼
- 埃塞克斯的鹰
- 译后记 一颗寂静主义者的心
- 附录 鸟类译名对照表
FAQ
Is this book a birdwatching guide?
Can I read it without experience in nature writing?
Why is it said to be a book about becoming a hawk?
Comments
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About the author
J.A. Baker is an author about whom very little biographical information is publicly available: no reliable records confirm his nationality, dates of birth and death, or educational background. The only work currently verifiable is a single book, The Peregrine, a collection of prose pieces usually classified as miscellaneous essays. The book centers on close observation of the peregrine falcon, combining the precision of natural history writing with a literary, essayistic texture. In subject matter, Baker attends to the birds' form, habits, and conditions of survival, and his style tends toward quiet, restrained description, with little personal narrative and attention directed instead at the object itself. This approach gives The Peregrine a plain, enduring quality within the tradition of nature writing; readers are drawn less by plot than by the sustained, concentrated gaze behind the text. Because public materials are limited, Baker's life and the full scope of his work remain difficult to outline, and his literary standing awaits further discovery and discussion. Yet on the strength of The Peregrine alone, he has left a name worth remembering in the field of nature essays.
Li Siben is a Chinese author about whom only limited public information is currently available. The only confirmed work is a collection of essays and miscellaneous writings titled Peregrine Falcon. Judging from its classification, the book belongs to the essay and miscellaneous writing category, a form that tends to be flexible in length and guided by personal observation and reflection. Because no reliable records of the author's life, education, or writing career have been found, it is not yet possible to trace his development as a writer in any systematic way, nor would it be appropriate to speculate about the sources of his style. As for the title Peregrine Falcon, the work may well center on birds of prey or on nature, using close observation to move toward reflections on life, the environment, and everyday experience—an orientation similar to the nature writing found in much contemporary Chinese essay writing. Readers may regard him as a writer whose standing awaits confirmation through further works and materials.
