A Summer of Birds: John James Audubon at Oakley House (The Hill Collection: Holdings of the LSU Libraries)
Category: Books,History,Americas
A Summer of Birds: John James Audubon at Oakley House (The Hill Collection: Holdings of the LSU Libraries) Details
Review "Heitman's treatment of Audubon is one of the most sophisticated I've seen. He takes one episode from Audubon's life--an important one--and unfolds from that the whole exciting panorama of Audubon's life and art, a spectacular feat." -- Christoph Irmscher, editor of John James Audubon: Writings and Drawings "Danny Heitman has a wonderful eye for detail, an ear for life's most resounding rhythms, and a heart ever open to understanding what makes us who we are. Across the years John James Audubon has found a friend in Mr. Heitman--a friend who tells this story beautifully." -- Bob Greene, National Public Radio Commentator and author of And You Know You Should Be Glad and Once Upon a Town"I have no doubt that D. H. Lawrence--passionate advocate for 'spirit of place' in American literature--would have admired this book. Danny Heitman has entered a pivotal slice of John James Audubon's life on the brink of Birds of America, taking the fortunate reader along and re-awakening a vision of forests and wildlife around Oakley House in the sultry summer of 1821. The result is richly satisfying and artful: local history as poetic metaphor." -- Neil Baldwin, author of Edison: Inventing the Century and The American Revelation: Ten Ideals That Shaped Our Country from the Puritans to the Cold War Read more About the Author Danny Heitman is an award-winning columnist for the The Advocate (Baton Rouge) and a member of the The Advocate's editorial board. He has contributed essays to the Smithsonian, Christian Science Monitor, and other national publications and recently won the In Character prize for editorial and opinion writing. Read more
Reviews
Wonderful book with beautiful images and endpapers. It addresses a cryptic period in Audubon's life when he was so poor he sought employment as a tutor to a 15 year old girl in a southern plantation owned by wealthy landowners. He was very productive and drew a few birds but on the whole it was a stressful time for him because the lady of the house did not care for him. He was fired and payment was withheld for a while, but an enduring mystery remains as to the reasons for his dismissal.Teresita Alicea
