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Birdwatching
Set against the backdrop of the Sino–Indian war of 1962, Birdwatching is a gripping tale of high intrigue and mystery.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
When American ornithologist Guy Fletcher stumbles upon a dead body near Chanakyapuri, New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave, he does not realize that his life is about to change drastically. Soon, he is recruited into the CIA and sent straight into the heart of a secret war raging in the Himalaya. Alongside him are his two unlikely partners—the enigmatic Captain Imtiaz Afridi of the Indian Military Intelligence, whom he meets on a hunting trip in Kashmir, and the mysterious but alluring Kesang Sherpa, who saunters into his world in Kalimpong. Their missions and emotions inextricably entwined, the three must learn to trust their own instincts, and one another, to uncover what lies beneath the dazzling Himalayan snow.Set against the backdrop of the Sino–Indian war of 1962, Birdwatching is a gripping tale of high intrigue and mystery.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
When American ornithologist Guy Fletcher stumbles upon a dead body near Chanakyapuri, New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave, he does not realize that his life is about to change drastically. Soon, he is recruited into the CIA and sent straight into the heart of a secret war raging in the Himalaya. Alongside him are his two unlikely partners—the enigmatic Captain Imtiaz Afridi of the Indian Military Intelligence, whom he meets on a hunting trip in Kashmir, and the mysterious but alluring Kesang Sherpa, who saunters into his world in Kalimpong. Their missions and emotions inextricably entwined, the three must learn to trust their own instincts, and one another, to uncover what lies beneath the dazzling Himalayan snow.Set against the backdrop of the Sino–Indian war of 1962, Birdwatching is a gripping tale of high intrigue and mystery.
351 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 2022
2 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Alter
45 books63 followersSTEPHEN ALTER is the son of American missionaries to the Himalayas, and was raised in India. The author of seven books for adults, he is the former Writer-in-Residence at MIT, and a recipient of a Fulbright grant. He currently lives in India with his wife, where he is researching his newest book for adults—a behind the scenes look at the world of Bollywood.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 9, 2022
As any true blue James Bond buff will tell you, 007’s character was named for an ornithologist. The real James Bond (1900-1989) was an American, and an authority on the birds of the Caribbean; his definitive book, Birds of the West Indies, was much loved by Ian Fleming, an avid birdwatcher and a resident of Jamaica. Fleming adopted Bond’s name for his suave spy because he thought it the perfect example of an ordinaryname: a name for a man who could disappear into a crowd, so to say.
James Bond, the real one, did not like the Bond books and did not read them; but one might wonder what might have been had he tried to go the way of his fictional namesake. Would an ornithologist have made a good spy? Would the qualities of a good ornithologist—the patience, the powers of observation, the analytical mind, the ability to blend into the background—also serve to make for a good spy?
This is the question Stephen Alter sets out to tackle in his spy thriller Birdwatching: A Novel. American Guy Fletcher, the hero of this fast-paced story, stumbles across a corpse while observing Asian king vultures in Delhi and finds himself catapulted from a relatively quiet existence as a Fulbright scholar studying migratory birds, to being in the midst of intrigue and international espionage. From the American embassy at Delhi, where Fletcher finds himself interrogated by two formidable men even as a party is hosted by JK Galbraith for the visiting Jacqueline Kennedy, Fletcher travels on a duck shoot in Kashmir. From there, now recruited by the CIA, Fletcher is put through a rigorous training course, and sent off on a clandestine mission to Kalimpong—his cover being that of an ornithologist studying the pheasants of the North-East. But Fletcher must find information on something quite different…
… which brings him into contact with the beautiful Kesang, a leading light of Kalimpong society; and Captain Imtiaz Afridi, a military intelligence officer. The year is 1962, and trouble, of course, is brewing near the border with China.
Birdwatching is primarily about adventure and espionage, with a dose (Bond-like) of femme fatale thrown in. Alter does a good job of evoking India in 1962: from the tree-lined streets of Delhi (specifically, the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri and the nearby Jor Bagh), to the misty hill station of Kalimpong, to Gangtok, still part of the independent kingdom of Sikkim: the feel, of some sixty years ago, comes through believably.
Part of this ambience are the people, including real life personalities like the eccentric Kazini Elisa-Maria, European wife of Kazi Lhendup Dorjee, the first chief minister of Sikkim. There is the Chogyal of Sikkim, and his American fiancée, Hope Cooke. And there are fictitious characters every bit as interesting, if not more, than their real life counterparts: alcoholics, traitors, heroes, every day people. Fletcher himself, an American citizen who has spent several years of his childhood in India, makes for a relatable, likeable protagonist. His occasional self-doubt, his worrying, his wondering over the secrets and the machinations around him, and the way he manages to surmount all of these, make Fletcher an inspiring hero.
As anybody now knows, 1962 was to prove an important year in the history, not just of India, but of several other nations as well. China was flexing its muscles; India, teetering between non-alignment and a definite tilt towards the Soviet Union, was trying, at the same time, to maintain good relations with the US—and the Americans, fresh from the Bay of Pigs fiasco, were raring to reinstate themselves on the world stage. Closer home, Tibetan refugees were streaming across the border into India, bringing with them their belongings, their treasures, their way of life.
All of this, the intrigue and the political machinations at the upper levels and the adventures they result in for people like Fletcher, are part of the absorbing narration of Birdwatching.
And there are the birds. Each of the thirty-nine chapters in Birdwatching is named after a bird, and begins with a brief description of the species in question. From common birds like blue rock pigeons and red-vented bulbuls to rarely sighted ones like the Sikkim bay-owl, they’re all here, and each species plays some part, even if it consists only of a brief, barely-noted sighting, in the chapter that carries its name. Plus—the icing on the cake—there is a memorable human encounter related to birds.
Birdwatching is a taut, gripping story, but the birds really take it to another level. For anybody who is even slightly interested in (especially Indian) avifauna, this one’s a must-read, even just for that: for the obvious love of birds that comes through so loud and clear.
(From my review for The Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/boo...)
James Bond, the real one, did not like the Bond books and did not read them; but one might wonder what might have been had he tried to go the way of his fictional namesake. Would an ornithologist have made a good spy? Would the qualities of a good ornithologist—the patience, the powers of observation, the analytical mind, the ability to blend into the background—also serve to make for a good spy?
This is the question Stephen Alter sets out to tackle in his spy thriller Birdwatching: A Novel. American Guy Fletcher, the hero of this fast-paced story, stumbles across a corpse while observing Asian king vultures in Delhi and finds himself catapulted from a relatively quiet existence as a Fulbright scholar studying migratory birds, to being in the midst of intrigue and international espionage. From the American embassy at Delhi, where Fletcher finds himself interrogated by two formidable men even as a party is hosted by JK Galbraith for the visiting Jacqueline Kennedy, Fletcher travels on a duck shoot in Kashmir. From there, now recruited by the CIA, Fletcher is put through a rigorous training course, and sent off on a clandestine mission to Kalimpong—his cover being that of an ornithologist studying the pheasants of the North-East. But Fletcher must find information on something quite different…
… which brings him into contact with the beautiful Kesang, a leading light of Kalimpong society; and Captain Imtiaz Afridi, a military intelligence officer. The year is 1962, and trouble, of course, is brewing near the border with China.
Birdwatching is primarily about adventure and espionage, with a dose (Bond-like) of femme fatale thrown in. Alter does a good job of evoking India in 1962: from the tree-lined streets of Delhi (specifically, the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri and the nearby Jor Bagh), to the misty hill station of Kalimpong, to Gangtok, still part of the independent kingdom of Sikkim: the feel, of some sixty years ago, comes through believably.
Part of this ambience are the people, including real life personalities like the eccentric Kazini Elisa-Maria, European wife of Kazi Lhendup Dorjee, the first chief minister of Sikkim. There is the Chogyal of Sikkim, and his American fiancée, Hope Cooke. And there are fictitious characters every bit as interesting, if not more, than their real life counterparts: alcoholics, traitors, heroes, every day people. Fletcher himself, an American citizen who has spent several years of his childhood in India, makes for a relatable, likeable protagonist. His occasional self-doubt, his worrying, his wondering over the secrets and the machinations around him, and the way he manages to surmount all of these, make Fletcher an inspiring hero.
As anybody now knows, 1962 was to prove an important year in the history, not just of India, but of several other nations as well. China was flexing its muscles; India, teetering between non-alignment and a definite tilt towards the Soviet Union, was trying, at the same time, to maintain good relations with the US—and the Americans, fresh from the Bay of Pigs fiasco, were raring to reinstate themselves on the world stage. Closer home, Tibetan refugees were streaming across the border into India, bringing with them their belongings, their treasures, their way of life.
All of this, the intrigue and the political machinations at the upper levels and the adventures they result in for people like Fletcher, are part of the absorbing narration of Birdwatching.
And there are the birds. Each of the thirty-nine chapters in Birdwatching is named after a bird, and begins with a brief description of the species in question. From common birds like blue rock pigeons and red-vented bulbuls to rarely sighted ones like the Sikkim bay-owl, they’re all here, and each species plays some part, even if it consists only of a brief, barely-noted sighting, in the chapter that carries its name. Plus—the icing on the cake—there is a memorable human encounter related to birds.
Birdwatching is a taut, gripping story, but the birds really take it to another level. For anybody who is even slightly interested in (especially Indian) avifauna, this one’s a must-read, even just for that: for the obvious love of birds that comes through so loud and clear.
(From my review for The Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/boo...)
March 31, 2022
A birdwatcher reaching out to the soul of intrigue
Arvind Passey
11 March 2022
A sense of great possibilities, a space to explore and discover, and a world that wins a place in a reader’s world can be transformative enough to not just give us a massive adrenaline rush but also add life to our life. This is how my mind perceives a thriller and this is way better than a mindless blitz of armed characters rushing around and killing each other to reach an end that is made out to be plausible enough. Birdwatching by Stephen Alter is one book that aims to powerfully reset the way publishers in India have been thrusting down our throat a mundane treatment of adrenaline rush.
The story and the plot move fast for Guy Fletcher, an ornithologist or a birdwatcher who finds his life zoom from where ‘ducks were chuckling to themselves’ and wondering if ‘Delhi has lost its innocence’ straight into the heart of the intrigue that surrounded the buzz of action in the regions that interested China in the early sixties. We find a rather thoughtful Fletcher ‘puzzled why he had been chosen for this mission. Other than his experience in ornithology, he had little or no experience in the Himalayas’ when he lands in Kalimpong, known to be ‘a nest of spies’ and was then just a quaint hill station with ‘a rich legacy of intrigue and skullduggery’. The writer has the India in the sixties captured well as the narrative moves from Bharatpur and Delhi to Kashmir and then the Northeast. Any travel enthusiast will find the narrative as interesting as would a political analyst… well, even those who think thrillers must have a fair bit of action and sensuality sweating it out together will not be disappointed. The charm of the investigative postures zip upwards when it embraces the intricacies of folklore and weaves them into the narrative. For instance, the inclusion of Rock bees or Apis dorsata laboriosa, the Himalayan giant honeybee joins in the action as we are told that this honey is poisonous but valuable as a medicine and that the bees gather the nectar from toxic flowers like rhododendrons. Even a small drop on your tongue makes your mouth go numb. It can cause hallucinations! This is just as thrilling as the time when Fletcher treks through the rhododendron forests of Yumthang and sees a tragopan and recollects his discussion with Thupten who had said that ‘the call spooked me. There’s a folk tale that says it’s the spirit of a stillborn child crying out for its mother’.
The book is about the tenets of intelligence operatives like Guy Fletcher who ‘felt an uneasy sense of indecision, but also some excitement and anticipation’ as he discovers that ‘truth is never black and white but always shades of grey’ and yet takes us into the heart of natural history, mountaineering, birdwatching, and insights into politics, folklore and cultures that aren’t talked about so frequently. Rhyming with the muted sniggering of ducks is Fletcher’s own feeling that he was being used as a decoy to lure the Khampas out of hiding, or to recruit Afridi, or to undercut India’s political machinations in Sikkim. Fletcher then ‘felt like a pawn that had escaped from the predictable grid of squares on a chessboard’ but plods on nevertheless to find something meaningful in all the intriguing references to terma which, in Tibetan Buddhism, suggests that the Himalayas contain valuable treasure. We as readers go along with Fletcher as he finds out that Kanchenjunga means the five treasures of the great snow and that to search for terma is a noble quest. We believe, as he believes, that the CIA is simply attempting to lay its hands on this treasure of immense value that will be sold to support the Chushi Gangdruk guerrillas. The Chinese too are searching for it as are the sleuths from IB. You can imagine the sort of intrigue playing out in places like Kalimpong where the local royalty and other bigwigs meet often but with smiles that mask the truth. It isn’t easy to spot the truth in such circumstances.
To break the tedium of all these humint machinations are charming references to Whistling thrush waking up all other species before dawn and how the Lepcha folklore says the bird performs auspicious rituals by cleaning sacred lakes in the mountains, removing twigs and leaves floating on the surface. There are in the forests of Lachen ‘the monal or impeyan pheasant a flamboyant bird with iridescent blue, violet, green, and russet plumage. The monals crowed loudly at dawn just above the forest rest house and, when he went in search of them, exploded from the bushes with shrill cries of alarm before sailing down the hill on fixed wings.’ We discover that Wren babblers are the hardest to spot and that the ‘kaala teetar or Black partridge sounds like vendors on a railway platform shouting, ‘Paan-bidi-cigarette’, though fletcher thought it sounded ‘more like Morse Code.’ Fletcher who is ostensibly on a Fulbright research assignment in Kalimpong to know more about the Himalayan pheasant finds Thupten, the DFO, and his contact helping him with his research full of tales that fascinate and among them is the one about ‘a vicious demon that used to live in these mountains… he was finally killed and chopped up into tiny pieces and thrown into the forest. Lepchas believe leeches are the fragments of that demon.’ The book makes a reader want to go ahead and investigate the world of nature and culture… however this does not mean that the thriller elements in the book are subdued. Not at all because along with birdcalls are the usual stuff that makes espionage so powerfully magnetic.
Along with Fletcher, we glissade through the loose scree of the politics of that period, watch the alpenglow of the start of the Chinese incursions, use our carbiners and pitons to reach summit ridges of relationships, and we do all this as we read a Lepcha story about the Teesta coming down from the north and the Rangit from the south being two lovers who meet here at the confluence and are joined together forever. We trudge along couloirs with the Khampas studying the topography of treacherous mountain slopes as they carefully cross the border from Tibet to Sikkim with a ‘boy who was a tulku, a reincarnation of the Rinpoche from Yanchen Gompa monastery’ and are introduced to the story of a sixteenth Karmapa who came to Sikkim in 1959 and he chose the Rumtek monastery as his base, in ruins then, but one that was occupied by the Karma Kagyu sect and so he decides to rebuild and restore it as his seat of spiritual authority. This leads us to the as yet unknown location and mystery of the elusive terma that everyone in the story seem to be intently trying to unravel.
Those interested in military history will appreciate some of the observations made in the book and among them is the reason for the Chinese having decided to strike Tawang that has a lot to do with the route that the Dalai lama used when he escaped from Tibet in 1959. There is this bit of political symbolism there besides the strategic ones… and Afridi tells us that we were lucky that the Chinese left Sikkim alone though the reasons were harder to decipher as crossing over Nathu La would have caused a harsher blow to India in more than one way. These are the sort of opinions that makes the book interesting to the political analyst within a lay reader who does not know much about either politics or the military.
This story by any other writer might have ended being no better than a spindrift but Stephen Alter has given it a prose that beats poetry hands down… and by the time one reaches the end one stares at how the tale begins 350 pages ago with an American ornithologist stumbling upon a dead body near Chanakyapuri in New Delhi that gets him into the fold of CIA and a strong friendly bond with captain Imtiaz Afridi from military intelligence. This is a tale where missions and emotions ‘uncover what lies beneath the dazzling Himalayan snow’ against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian war of 1962, just as the inside cover of the book faithfully recounts. Like Salim Ali, the legendary birdman of India, who ‘believed that you can never understand a bird completely until you know what it tastes like’, the book leads right into the spiritual chamber of creative expression that gives unfathomable joy and this realization comes only once the eyes have glided past each word.
.
Book details:
Title: Birdwatching
Author: Stephen Alter
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
ISBN: 978-93-91047-40-5
.
Do reach out for my blog to read reviews of more than 100 books.
Blog: http://www.passey.info
.
Arvind Passey
11 March 2022
A sense of great possibilities, a space to explore and discover, and a world that wins a place in a reader’s world can be transformative enough to not just give us a massive adrenaline rush but also add life to our life. This is how my mind perceives a thriller and this is way better than a mindless blitz of armed characters rushing around and killing each other to reach an end that is made out to be plausible enough. Birdwatching by Stephen Alter is one book that aims to powerfully reset the way publishers in India have been thrusting down our throat a mundane treatment of adrenaline rush.
The story and the plot move fast for Guy Fletcher, an ornithologist or a birdwatcher who finds his life zoom from where ‘ducks were chuckling to themselves’ and wondering if ‘Delhi has lost its innocence’ straight into the heart of the intrigue that surrounded the buzz of action in the regions that interested China in the early sixties. We find a rather thoughtful Fletcher ‘puzzled why he had been chosen for this mission. Other than his experience in ornithology, he had little or no experience in the Himalayas’ when he lands in Kalimpong, known to be ‘a nest of spies’ and was then just a quaint hill station with ‘a rich legacy of intrigue and skullduggery’. The writer has the India in the sixties captured well as the narrative moves from Bharatpur and Delhi to Kashmir and then the Northeast. Any travel enthusiast will find the narrative as interesting as would a political analyst… well, even those who think thrillers must have a fair bit of action and sensuality sweating it out together will not be disappointed. The charm of the investigative postures zip upwards when it embraces the intricacies of folklore and weaves them into the narrative. For instance, the inclusion of Rock bees or Apis dorsata laboriosa, the Himalayan giant honeybee joins in the action as we are told that this honey is poisonous but valuable as a medicine and that the bees gather the nectar from toxic flowers like rhododendrons. Even a small drop on your tongue makes your mouth go numb. It can cause hallucinations! This is just as thrilling as the time when Fletcher treks through the rhododendron forests of Yumthang and sees a tragopan and recollects his discussion with Thupten who had said that ‘the call spooked me. There’s a folk tale that says it’s the spirit of a stillborn child crying out for its mother’.
The book is about the tenets of intelligence operatives like Guy Fletcher who ‘felt an uneasy sense of indecision, but also some excitement and anticipation’ as he discovers that ‘truth is never black and white but always shades of grey’ and yet takes us into the heart of natural history, mountaineering, birdwatching, and insights into politics, folklore and cultures that aren’t talked about so frequently. Rhyming with the muted sniggering of ducks is Fletcher’s own feeling that he was being used as a decoy to lure the Khampas out of hiding, or to recruit Afridi, or to undercut India’s political machinations in Sikkim. Fletcher then ‘felt like a pawn that had escaped from the predictable grid of squares on a chessboard’ but plods on nevertheless to find something meaningful in all the intriguing references to terma which, in Tibetan Buddhism, suggests that the Himalayas contain valuable treasure. We as readers go along with Fletcher as he finds out that Kanchenjunga means the five treasures of the great snow and that to search for terma is a noble quest. We believe, as he believes, that the CIA is simply attempting to lay its hands on this treasure of immense value that will be sold to support the Chushi Gangdruk guerrillas. The Chinese too are searching for it as are the sleuths from IB. You can imagine the sort of intrigue playing out in places like Kalimpong where the local royalty and other bigwigs meet often but with smiles that mask the truth. It isn’t easy to spot the truth in such circumstances.
To break the tedium of all these humint machinations are charming references to Whistling thrush waking up all other species before dawn and how the Lepcha folklore says the bird performs auspicious rituals by cleaning sacred lakes in the mountains, removing twigs and leaves floating on the surface. There are in the forests of Lachen ‘the monal or impeyan pheasant a flamboyant bird with iridescent blue, violet, green, and russet plumage. The monals crowed loudly at dawn just above the forest rest house and, when he went in search of them, exploded from the bushes with shrill cries of alarm before sailing down the hill on fixed wings.’ We discover that Wren babblers are the hardest to spot and that the ‘kaala teetar or Black partridge sounds like vendors on a railway platform shouting, ‘Paan-bidi-cigarette’, though fletcher thought it sounded ‘more like Morse Code.’ Fletcher who is ostensibly on a Fulbright research assignment in Kalimpong to know more about the Himalayan pheasant finds Thupten, the DFO, and his contact helping him with his research full of tales that fascinate and among them is the one about ‘a vicious demon that used to live in these mountains… he was finally killed and chopped up into tiny pieces and thrown into the forest. Lepchas believe leeches are the fragments of that demon.’ The book makes a reader want to go ahead and investigate the world of nature and culture… however this does not mean that the thriller elements in the book are subdued. Not at all because along with birdcalls are the usual stuff that makes espionage so powerfully magnetic.
Along with Fletcher, we glissade through the loose scree of the politics of that period, watch the alpenglow of the start of the Chinese incursions, use our carbiners and pitons to reach summit ridges of relationships, and we do all this as we read a Lepcha story about the Teesta coming down from the north and the Rangit from the south being two lovers who meet here at the confluence and are joined together forever. We trudge along couloirs with the Khampas studying the topography of treacherous mountain slopes as they carefully cross the border from Tibet to Sikkim with a ‘boy who was a tulku, a reincarnation of the Rinpoche from Yanchen Gompa monastery’ and are introduced to the story of a sixteenth Karmapa who came to Sikkim in 1959 and he chose the Rumtek monastery as his base, in ruins then, but one that was occupied by the Karma Kagyu sect and so he decides to rebuild and restore it as his seat of spiritual authority. This leads us to the as yet unknown location and mystery of the elusive terma that everyone in the story seem to be intently trying to unravel.
Those interested in military history will appreciate some of the observations made in the book and among them is the reason for the Chinese having decided to strike Tawang that has a lot to do with the route that the Dalai lama used when he escaped from Tibet in 1959. There is this bit of political symbolism there besides the strategic ones… and Afridi tells us that we were lucky that the Chinese left Sikkim alone though the reasons were harder to decipher as crossing over Nathu La would have caused a harsher blow to India in more than one way. These are the sort of opinions that makes the book interesting to the political analyst within a lay reader who does not know much about either politics or the military.
This story by any other writer might have ended being no better than a spindrift but Stephen Alter has given it a prose that beats poetry hands down… and by the time one reaches the end one stares at how the tale begins 350 pages ago with an American ornithologist stumbling upon a dead body near Chanakyapuri in New Delhi that gets him into the fold of CIA and a strong friendly bond with captain Imtiaz Afridi from military intelligence. This is a tale where missions and emotions ‘uncover what lies beneath the dazzling Himalayan snow’ against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian war of 1962, just as the inside cover of the book faithfully recounts. Like Salim Ali, the legendary birdman of India, who ‘believed that you can never understand a bird completely until you know what it tastes like’, the book leads right into the spiritual chamber of creative expression that gives unfathomable joy and this realization comes only once the eyes have glided past each word.
.
Book details:
Title: Birdwatching
Author: Stephen Alter
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
ISBN: 978-93-91047-40-5
.
Do reach out for my blog to read reviews of more than 100 books.
Blog: http://www.passey.info
.
March 30, 2022
Birdwatching is an excellent thriller with an elusive threat that is brewing beneath the Himalayas.
Our protagonist Guy Fletcher is an American ornithologist who finds himself in a bind when he stumbles upon a dead body in Delhi's Chanakyapuri. His discovery triggers a string of unprecedented events that leads to further mystery and conspiracy.
The backdrop is set upon the Sino-Indian war of 1962. The author has beautifully crafted history along with his imagination to concoct a tale that is larger than life. Guy Fletcher and his two unlikely allies make for an amazing team as they traverse uncharted Himalayan territories, unsure of whom to trust. The mystery element has been infused in equal dozes throughout, making the adventure all the more interesting. I feel like this could easily be adopted into a film or series someday.
Birdwatching by Stephen Alter is a vivacious tale of mystery and intrigue that brings together a motley crew of folks upon whom a serious investigation has been forced. With life altering revelations and deadly consequences, the book trudges along the precarious edges of a crevasse.
Our protagonist Guy Fletcher is an American ornithologist who finds himself in a bind when he stumbles upon a dead body in Delhi's Chanakyapuri. His discovery triggers a string of unprecedented events that leads to further mystery and conspiracy.
The backdrop is set upon the Sino-Indian war of 1962. The author has beautifully crafted history along with his imagination to concoct a tale that is larger than life. Guy Fletcher and his two unlikely allies make for an amazing team as they traverse uncharted Himalayan territories, unsure of whom to trust. The mystery element has been infused in equal dozes throughout, making the adventure all the more interesting. I feel like this could easily be adopted into a film or series someday.
Birdwatching by Stephen Alter is a vivacious tale of mystery and intrigue that brings together a motley crew of folks upon whom a serious investigation has been forced. With life altering revelations and deadly consequences, the book trudges along the precarious edges of a crevasse.
June 10, 2022
Ornithology meets espionage, however, neither really succeeds in the narrative.
Each chapter is preceded by a brief description of a bird, found in the region the protagonist willy-nilly finds himself – I wish there were photos or illustrations to enhance the text.
Not to nit-pick, but some factual errors are irritating and not expected from a writer of such a stature
Each chapter is preceded by a brief description of a bird, found in the region the protagonist willy-nilly finds himself – I wish there were photos or illustrations to enhance the text.
Not to nit-pick, but some factual errors are irritating and not expected from a writer of such a stature
1. It is the red blood cell count and not platelet count that determines adaptation to high altitude flight in bar-headed geese. RBCs transport oxygen from the lungs to the muscles that power the flight over the Himalayas.The ornithologist turned reluctant spy becoming a crack shot with a Beretta, this too appeared far-fetched. There is a menage a trois that seems to have been resolved amicably. But the orgy of shooting ducks that I found abhorrent.
2. A Lt General and not a Maj General is a Corps Commander.
3. Saliva is certainly not salty.
4. An Indian Army officer named Afridi and that too posted in Military Intelligence? Defies credulity
March 22, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. There were lots of things I learned, packed in a gripping and exciting story. Needless to say, I loved the birds and the accounts of various landscapes. A great book to transition from a reading lull with.
I need to mention the cover: the cover art itself I found simple yet alluring, but I was also taken aback by how light the hardcover is!
I need to mention the cover: the cover art itself I found simple yet alluring, but I was also taken aback by how light the hardcover is!
July 20, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded to 4.
While I enjoyed reading Birdwatching most of the time, this was a book it was too easy to walk away from and not return for days.
I liked the historical aspect of the novel and the descriptions of Delhi of the 1960s in particular. The parts set in Kalimpong, Gangtok and the upper regions were equally charming. But I felt that this book was a bit too long for my taste and by the time I was left with the last fifty pages or so, I wanted to finish it as soon as I could.
While I enjoyed reading Birdwatching most of the time, this was a book it was too easy to walk away from and not return for days.
I liked the historical aspect of the novel and the descriptions of Delhi of the 1960s in particular. The parts set in Kalimpong, Gangtok and the upper regions were equally charming. But I felt that this book was a bit too long for my taste and by the time I was left with the last fifty pages or so, I wanted to finish it as soon as I could.
March 31, 2022
BIRDWATCHING: A NOVEL
@alephbookco
@alter.stephen
“The ruins of a fourteenth-century hunting lodge, called the Malcha Mahal, lay within the scrub jungle, which covered more than 2,000 acres. This area seemed safe enough in the daylight, though there was a sense of isolation despite the surrounding city, which made Fletcher alert to danger. It was the sort of place that attracted miscreants and loiterers, though nobody was about. At one spot, someone had dumped a pile of garbage in which rhesus monkeys were searching for edible scraps.”
Birdwatching offers very unique and exciting stories. Set in the backdrop of the Sino–Indian war of 1962. A dead body is found near Chanakyapuri in New Delhi, and an American ornithologist accidentally slips up, something unprecedented arises and heads to a further enigmatic state of affairs. If you're someone who adores creative writing, should try this book. It's a book where you can enjoy the meaningful confluence of facts and fiction to excavate the true parallel to the Sino–Indian war of 1962.
The title of chapters and the denotation of beautiful Aves ( birds) is another fascinating characteristic of this book. Guy Fletcher, the protagonist is an intelligent ornithologist or a bird observer; he is chosen for an unprecedented mission by Central Intelligence Agency. His suffering is thrilling to read. Furthermore, the characters of Afridi, Thupten are as intriguing as gazing into an enormous thriller. All the characters have been crafted with considerable excitement.
It's an unusual blend of history and intuition. The author has poured mesmerizing vocabulary. Loved it.
@alephbookco
@alter.stephen
“The ruins of a fourteenth-century hunting lodge, called the Malcha Mahal, lay within the scrub jungle, which covered more than 2,000 acres. This area seemed safe enough in the daylight, though there was a sense of isolation despite the surrounding city, which made Fletcher alert to danger. It was the sort of place that attracted miscreants and loiterers, though nobody was about. At one spot, someone had dumped a pile of garbage in which rhesus monkeys were searching for edible scraps.”
Birdwatching offers very unique and exciting stories. Set in the backdrop of the Sino–Indian war of 1962. A dead body is found near Chanakyapuri in New Delhi, and an American ornithologist accidentally slips up, something unprecedented arises and heads to a further enigmatic state of affairs. If you're someone who adores creative writing, should try this book. It's a book where you can enjoy the meaningful confluence of facts and fiction to excavate the true parallel to the Sino–Indian war of 1962.
The title of chapters and the denotation of beautiful Aves ( birds) is another fascinating characteristic of this book. Guy Fletcher, the protagonist is an intelligent ornithologist or a bird observer; he is chosen for an unprecedented mission by Central Intelligence Agency. His suffering is thrilling to read. Furthermore, the characters of Afridi, Thupten are as intriguing as gazing into an enormous thriller. All the characters have been crafted with considerable excitement.
It's an unusual blend of history and intuition. The author has poured mesmerizing vocabulary. Loved it.
April 13, 2022
Birdwatching is a thriller set against the backdrop of Sino-Indian war of 1962. Guy Fletcher, an ornithologist discovers a dead body and the story starts from there because he also discovers there is a secret war going in the Himalayas and thereby uncovering the truth. For the most part of the book, the story got me hooked but it kind of dragged a bit in the middle making me want to put the book down but somehow the mystery got me going and by the time I finished the book, I felt like I have finished a good thriller in the Indian literature. I loved how the chapters were named after birds and a little description beneath them gave more insights. Overall, a good one and I thank @alephbookco for the review copy.
April 2, 2022
Set against the backdrop of the Sino- Indian war of 1962, the story follows intriguing journey of 3 people.
A dead body was found in Delhi by Fletcher, which was the pathway to a drastic change in his life. He was recruited into the CIA and was thrown in the Himalayas with 2 partners in order to uncover the secret war raging in the Himalayas.
With their missions & emotions entwined, would they be able to uncover the mystery?
I absolutely loved reading this book. It was such an interesting read that it was difficult to keep it down. The narration as well as the characters were amazing.
Overall it was an enjoyable read. Definitely recommended.
A dead body was found in Delhi by Fletcher, which was the pathway to a drastic change in his life. He was recruited into the CIA and was thrown in the Himalayas with 2 partners in order to uncover the secret war raging in the Himalayas.
With their missions & emotions entwined, would they be able to uncover the mystery?
I absolutely loved reading this book. It was such an interesting read that it was difficult to keep it down. The narration as well as the characters were amazing.
Overall it was an enjoyable read. Definitely recommended.
April 1, 2022
Review Headline
A bird watcher’s delightful journey!
What to expect
Expect an extraordinary story-telling
Expect a great story that ranges from the Himalayan mountains to Delhi city.
Expect a story that introduces its readers to exotic birds
Expect a story of the best spies and their interaction with the local folklore and rituals
Who can read
The book is for every ardent reader who loves exciting and mind-blowing stories. This is a tale where missions and emotions take a significant leap in unearthing the truth parallel to the Sino-Indian war of 1962. As the story has the historical events included with beautiful narration, the book is for everyone.
My thoughts
Set among a dead body found near Chanakyapuri in New Delhi, an American Ornithologist accidentally stumbles, taking him to the CIA. The story then gets interesting with the introduction of Imtiaz Afridi from Military Intelligence. There is so much that happens in the story. Ah! Not to forget the beautiful bird names and the titles of the chapters. It was a wonderful time reading the book.
How is the narration
The narration amidst the layers of thrill and excitement is quite endearing and charming. Be it in Kalimpong or near the river, or on the roof of the building, the narration captures the readers with its detailed descriptions.
About the characters
No reader can refuse themselves without getting smitten by the intelligence operative Guy Fletcher. He is an ornithologist or a bird watcher; in simple words, he is chosen for an unknown mission. His experience is exciting to read. Likewise, the characters of Afridi and Thupten are as interesting as watching a great thriller. All the characters have been drafted with ample scope and excitement.
Writing Style
This happens to be the most exciting thing to talk about. Along with the characters, as readers, we also travel by the socio-political terrain of the land and area. Many sub-plots run over the lands of Sikkim with the then political scenarios. There are mountains; there are monasteries; there are birds; there are military lands, and many more.
Grammar & Vocabulary
Extraordinary language with great vocabulary is used in the book. This is my first book by Stephen Alter, and I am mesmerized by his writing. The language used in the book is delightful. I wish to pick up other books of his.
What did I like
1. The plot
2. The narration
3. The language
4. The layers in which the story moves
What could have been better
The book is an absolute treat, and nothing can be complained about.
Entertainment quotient
The book is a beautiful treat for all those readers who get excited when there is some spy action. Also, the story is set in amidst the Himalayas and the beautiful state of Sikkim and many more treats.
Pick it if
you like history with fiction
you want books with rich language
A bird watcher’s delightful journey!
What to expect
Expect an extraordinary story-telling
Expect a great story that ranges from the Himalayan mountains to Delhi city.
Expect a story that introduces its readers to exotic birds
Expect a story of the best spies and their interaction with the local folklore and rituals
Who can read
The book is for every ardent reader who loves exciting and mind-blowing stories. This is a tale where missions and emotions take a significant leap in unearthing the truth parallel to the Sino-Indian war of 1962. As the story has the historical events included with beautiful narration, the book is for everyone.
My thoughts
Set among a dead body found near Chanakyapuri in New Delhi, an American Ornithologist accidentally stumbles, taking him to the CIA. The story then gets interesting with the introduction of Imtiaz Afridi from Military Intelligence. There is so much that happens in the story. Ah! Not to forget the beautiful bird names and the titles of the chapters. It was a wonderful time reading the book.
How is the narration
The narration amidst the layers of thrill and excitement is quite endearing and charming. Be it in Kalimpong or near the river, or on the roof of the building, the narration captures the readers with its detailed descriptions.
About the characters
No reader can refuse themselves without getting smitten by the intelligence operative Guy Fletcher. He is an ornithologist or a bird watcher; in simple words, he is chosen for an unknown mission. His experience is exciting to read. Likewise, the characters of Afridi and Thupten are as interesting as watching a great thriller. All the characters have been drafted with ample scope and excitement.
Writing Style
This happens to be the most exciting thing to talk about. Along with the characters, as readers, we also travel by the socio-political terrain of the land and area. Many sub-plots run over the lands of Sikkim with the then political scenarios. There are mountains; there are monasteries; there are birds; there are military lands, and many more.
Grammar & Vocabulary
Extraordinary language with great vocabulary is used in the book. This is my first book by Stephen Alter, and I am mesmerized by his writing. The language used in the book is delightful. I wish to pick up other books of his.
What did I like
1. The plot
2. The narration
3. The language
4. The layers in which the story moves
What could have been better
The book is an absolute treat, and nothing can be complained about.
Entertainment quotient
The book is a beautiful treat for all those readers who get excited when there is some spy action. Also, the story is set in amidst the Himalayas and the beautiful state of Sikkim and many more treats.
Pick it if
you like history with fiction
you want books with rich language
April 5, 2022
JiBirds are the carriers of happiness. Seeing them fly in the sky and listening to their chirping has been one of my favorite pastimes. It is a soothing experience for everyone but have you ever thought that the same experience would bring you one of the rare experiences of your lifetime - witnessing a murder? Set in the background of the Sino-Indian war of 1962 wherein the snowcapped mountains of the Himalayas unveil the unknown secrets. Birdwatching by Stephen Alter is an unforgettable reading experience for nature lovers who want to read thrillers.
Birdwatching by Stephen Alter
What the blurb says
When American ornithologist Guy Fletcher stumbles upon a dead body near Chanakyapuri, New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave, he does not realize that his life is about to change drastically. Soon, he is recruited into the CIA and sent straight into the heart of a secret war raging in the Himalayas. Alongside him are his two unlikely partners—the enigmatic Captain Imtiaz Afridi of the Indian Military Intelligence, whom he meets on a hunting trip in Kashmir, and the mysterious but alluring Kesang Sherpa, who saunters into his world in Kalimpong. Their missions and emotions are inextricably entwined, the three must learn to trust their own instincts, and one another, to uncover what lies beneath the dazzling Himalayan snow. Set against the backdrop of the Sino–Indian war of 1962, Birdwatching is a gripping tale of high intrigue and mystery.
When corpse tell the tale
Fletcher is on a wanders in the quest of the life of vultures to stumble upon a corpse. Who is the dead man?
Soon he is sucked into the whirlpool of investigations, suspicion, and unforeseen methods of interrogation.
Soon Fletcher is hired as an American spy to see the operation on the Indo-China border.
What started as a mere birdwatching experience unfolds to a surreal thrill and nail-biting mystery. Each chapter begins with the introduction of different forms of birds. The author has also deftly merged the plot with the life
of the birds. It is interesting to see how he has wrapped the plot in such a way that the bird that was seemingly
unconnected with the plot is found in the middle of the scenario.
The caricatures
The caricature of the characters is subtly mixed with the main plot. The author has established the characters without specifically mentioning their idiosyncrasies. This in turn is a witness to their finesse.As the plot develops the characters lead the plot. However, the author failed to establish the Indo-American life of the protagonist and had to deliberately make it obvious to reach the readers. However, this did not hinder the reading experience.
Birdwatching by Stephen Alter
What the blurb says
When American ornithologist Guy Fletcher stumbles upon a dead body near Chanakyapuri, New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave, he does not realize that his life is about to change drastically. Soon, he is recruited into the CIA and sent straight into the heart of a secret war raging in the Himalayas. Alongside him are his two unlikely partners—the enigmatic Captain Imtiaz Afridi of the Indian Military Intelligence, whom he meets on a hunting trip in Kashmir, and the mysterious but alluring Kesang Sherpa, who saunters into his world in Kalimpong. Their missions and emotions are inextricably entwined, the three must learn to trust their own instincts, and one another, to uncover what lies beneath the dazzling Himalayan snow. Set against the backdrop of the Sino–Indian war of 1962, Birdwatching is a gripping tale of high intrigue and mystery.
When corpse tell the tale
Fletcher is on a wanders in the quest of the life of vultures to stumble upon a corpse. Who is the dead man?
Soon he is sucked into the whirlpool of investigations, suspicion, and unforeseen methods of interrogation.
Soon Fletcher is hired as an American spy to see the operation on the Indo-China border.
What started as a mere birdwatching experience unfolds to a surreal thrill and nail-biting mystery. Each chapter begins with the introduction of different forms of birds. The author has also deftly merged the plot with the life
of the birds. It is interesting to see how he has wrapped the plot in such a way that the bird that was seemingly
unconnected with the plot is found in the middle of the scenario.
The caricatures
The caricature of the characters is subtly mixed with the main plot. The author has established the characters without specifically mentioning their idiosyncrasies. This in turn is a witness to their finesse.As the plot develops the characters lead the plot. However, the author failed to establish the Indo-American life of the protagonist and had to deliberately make it obvious to reach the readers. However, this did not hinder the reading experience.
April 6, 2022
Birdwatching is an adventure & remains one throughout its storytelling, writing & reading journey.
This was my first Stephen Alter novel & I can only say that he writes as one measures a heartbeat—his rhythm, effortless, silent & yet, real. It is extraordinary to experience & almost enigmatic to explain. But I shall try.
Here are my three reasons:
First, travelling & adventure (sometimes not so welcoming) is a large part of the story. In it, a traveller needs hope; sometimes in the form of treasure at the end of the map; at other times, in the form of a partner. Alter writes about what it's like to learn to trust one's co-traveller; how this trust is established; & he writes it with caution, as humanly as possible, as an adventurer must live it. He captures the tension, doubt & fear with an animated accuracy that amazes me. It reminds me of an old classic— Bandopadhyay's The Mountain of the Moon — that teaches how important a travelling partner can be, almost next to food & water. Someone to share your story with, without having to tell it.
The second, is detailing. Nature writing can be a tricky genre & truly very easy to mismange. Alter, however, has managed to make his writing visually appealing instead of throwing smells, colours & scenery at us. Birds, mountains or the man in the middle of them, it is as easy as a snap for you to transport. I now know why people keep saying how clear & inventive his writing is.
And finally, the fact that each chapter begins with a context/ explanation, setting the tone of the story. A chain is created & it is a joy for the reader to be able to follow the pattern. It is one of the few books that moves parallel to geopolitics & history, without overdoing it. It reveals the climate & then comes back to the travel, the mission, the plot & its people. Done with a balance between passion & progression.
I feel it's safe to say that Alter writes a thrilling story & aces it.
This was my first Stephen Alter novel & I can only say that he writes as one measures a heartbeat—his rhythm, effortless, silent & yet, real. It is extraordinary to experience & almost enigmatic to explain. But I shall try.
Here are my three reasons:
First, travelling & adventure (sometimes not so welcoming) is a large part of the story. In it, a traveller needs hope; sometimes in the form of treasure at the end of the map; at other times, in the form of a partner. Alter writes about what it's like to learn to trust one's co-traveller; how this trust is established; & he writes it with caution, as humanly as possible, as an adventurer must live it. He captures the tension, doubt & fear with an animated accuracy that amazes me. It reminds me of an old classic— Bandopadhyay's The Mountain of the Moon — that teaches how important a travelling partner can be, almost next to food & water. Someone to share your story with, without having to tell it.
The second, is detailing. Nature writing can be a tricky genre & truly very easy to mismange. Alter, however, has managed to make his writing visually appealing instead of throwing smells, colours & scenery at us. Birds, mountains or the man in the middle of them, it is as easy as a snap for you to transport. I now know why people keep saying how clear & inventive his writing is.
And finally, the fact that each chapter begins with a context/ explanation, setting the tone of the story. A chain is created & it is a joy for the reader to be able to follow the pattern. It is one of the few books that moves parallel to geopolitics & history, without overdoing it. It reveals the climate & then comes back to the travel, the mission, the plot & its people. Done with a balance between passion & progression.
I feel it's safe to say that Alter writes a thrilling story & aces it.
March 19, 2022
Birdwatching is a deliciously inventive thriller that traces the discovery of a dead body by Guy Fletcher and the aftermath of that discovery. Fast-paced narrative and exquisite descriptions of places far and beyond entice the readers even before the real mystery is understood. When an ornithologist finds a dead body in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri, he is in for a shock, for he doesn’t quite understand what he’s supposed to do. As he learns the repercussions of his actions, his choices further push him into a web of diplomacy, secrets, betrayal and hidden agendas that might lead to collateral damage. Guy Fletcher’s journey through the hot and humid lands and the snow-capped peaks in the Himalayas make him realize how selfish and dishonest everyone is!
Read the complete review here: https://www.aliveshadow.com/category-...
Read the complete review here: https://www.aliveshadow.com/category-...
October 20, 2022
Book: Birdwatching
Author: Stephen Alter
Genre: Historical fiction
1962 was the crucial year in the history of the world. There was Indo-China war and Cuban Missile Crisis which brought the world to the edge of World War.
Birdwatching is set against the backdrop of Chinese aggression in and around border areas and ultimately declared the war. The protagonist is Guy Fletcher who is an ornithologist turned CIA operative who discovered the hidden treasure of Tibetan artefacts brought during the annexation of Tibet by China.
The book is interesting and informative , which includes description of many events like Battle of Rezangla , socio political and geographical details at that time and risky life of spies .
The writing is paced appropriately . Stephen Alter is new favourite of mine.
Rating 4.5/5*
Author: Stephen Alter
Genre: Historical fiction
1962 was the crucial year in the history of the world. There was Indo-China war and Cuban Missile Crisis which brought the world to the edge of World War.
Birdwatching is set against the backdrop of Chinese aggression in and around border areas and ultimately declared the war. The protagonist is Guy Fletcher who is an ornithologist turned CIA operative who discovered the hidden treasure of Tibetan artefacts brought during the annexation of Tibet by China.
The book is interesting and informative , which includes description of many events like Battle of Rezangla , socio political and geographical details at that time and risky life of spies .
The writing is paced appropriately . Stephen Alter is new favourite of mine.
Rating 4.5/5*
June 22, 2022
Set in India in the 1950s and early 1960s, I thoroughly enjoyed this book - since it was set in about the same time I was growing up in India (1945-1959). But also a good spy story, leading us through the mysteries and episodes of the ornithologist/spy's life and events. Others have given some good reviews which you would enjoy reading, and inspire you to read the book yourself.
Only a little disappointed and confused by the, what seemed, quick ending. I wanted it to go on, wanted more, and a different ending, but then, it still was wonderful with each bird species in each chapter, somehow incorporated in the narrative. Now if only there were pictures of each bird species along with the short description at the beginning of each chapter.
Only a little disappointed and confused by the, what seemed, quick ending. I wanted it to go on, wanted more, and a different ending, but then, it still was wonderful with each bird species in each chapter, somehow incorporated in the narrative. Now if only there were pictures of each bird species along with the short description at the beginning of each chapter.
April 19, 2022
I recently read the book "Birdwatching" by Stephen Alter, and enjoyed reading the book. The book is set against the Sino–Indian war of 1962, and is a spy novel. The protagonist Guy Fletcher is an ornithologist, and is also a spy in the CIA. The chapters are named on birds, and the first paragraph of the chapter also discusses birds. The book, thus amalgamates the idea of birdwatching in the narrative, which is interesting.
The readers will read a thrilling narrative about the Sino-Indian war, and this novel is a nice read. Adorned words have been used in the narrative, and the character portrayals are interesting. Readers interested in the genre can pick up this book.
The readers will read a thrilling narrative about the Sino-Indian war, and this novel is a nice read. Adorned words have been used in the narrative, and the character portrayals are interesting. Readers interested in the genre can pick up this book.
May 31, 2022
Fascinating, wonderful mystery novel, set in the early 1960s in the Himalayas - mostly Bhutan and Sikkim. Places I resonate with having grown up in India in the late 1940s and the 1950s, going to school in the Himalayas (Woodstock School, Landour, Mussoorie). A little dissatisfied with the sudden, unexpected ending. But then, maybe a good ending. Made me want to know what next happened in Guy's life. Funny how books can bring so much pleasure, but then sad that they have to end!
April 28, 2022
US spies in India, 1962, intertwined with birding information.
November 1, 2022
Never had a dull moment. Not only did it quench the thirst for good novel but also for some good titbit on birds. Excellent work
February 21, 2024
Like many of the authors books A great build up but somehow it fizzles out..
September 13, 2023
Had not been reading for long time. Recently had casually visited local branch of Sapna Book House. My better-half spotted this book with title eponymous to my favorite past time for past few years; reason behind me sidelining hobby of reading novels.
Never knew of this American author before. Seems like he has fascination for writing about India as he was born and brought up here. Skimming through the pages at the bookstore, I saw each chapter is titled with a bird names, both common and scientific names, along with one para of its description. Read about its review here on goodreads and came to know it's a spy thriller with an ornithologists as the protagonist. Intrigued enough, purchased this one.
Each chapter, as already mentioned, begins with description of a bird which the protagonist encounters, relative to the place he was placed at the respective chapters. These encounters are thrilling to read for a bird-watcher like me, as its reminiscing our birding hobby; both casual and remote excursions. Story continues like any other novel, with the exception of bird or wildlife encounters.
Many real-life dignitaries of the 60s are highlighted. Nehru, Jacqueline Kennedy and other 1950-60s VIPs who're part political landscape then were mentioned. Also there is incident where the protagonist meets the legend of birdwatching and ornithologist of India: Salim Ali. Also mention of still living person, Hope Cooke, whose name pops up in multiple places along with her then fiance Prince Namgyal.
I was blissfully unaware of feuds within members of Sikkim oligarchs and its annexation to India was much later than our independence. Interesting to read about such historical events interspersed with fiction from this novel. Also loved that the author chose to fictionalize one of the real-life person, involved in Sikkim politics then, as a recurring character. India-China border tension of the 60s can be visualised in detail, as the writer scripted those events very well.
The scripture is "wordy." Had to lookup for lot of terms to fully understand context of the proses. Without searching for those terms, it'd be difficult to visualise the scenes in the chapters. Take for example terms describing clothing parts or accessories: brogues, pinstripe, down, gilt, seersucker, anorak, gaiters, down mummy bag, etc. Rafters, gabled, etc. for architecture. Words to describe landscape like manif, crag, crevasse, bergschrund, etc. And so on. Then there are mouthful words like onomatopoeic. Then there are phrases like 'The opiate of the people', 'Plausible deniability', 'esprit de corps' and many more. I feel those who're clearing English tests like IELTS will find this book as good exercise with words used and sentence construction.
The story is more about treasure hunting interspersed with espionage between countries. Not a hard-core thrilling read expect for birders who get hooked to natural history moments in between. However, tries to keep the users engaged with spy narratives. References to real-life events kept me intrigued throughout this period piece.
Definitely worth reading for bird-watchers. Might induce others to take up bird-watching as side passion. More such exposure to natural history notes in books will also be helpful to readers to connect to nature in easy way. I'd experience of reading something similar while reading 'Ashoka: Lion of Maurya' where author(Ashok K. Banker) explained behaviours of the lion pride. Hope more books follow the suit.
Pick this up if you're a birder or (post-independence) historical fiction buff.
Never knew of this American author before. Seems like he has fascination for writing about India as he was born and brought up here. Skimming through the pages at the bookstore, I saw each chapter is titled with a bird names, both common and scientific names, along with one para of its description. Read about its review here on goodreads and came to know it's a spy thriller with an ornithologists as the protagonist. Intrigued enough, purchased this one.
Each chapter, as already mentioned, begins with description of a bird which the protagonist encounters, relative to the place he was placed at the respective chapters. These encounters are thrilling to read for a bird-watcher like me, as its reminiscing our birding hobby; both casual and remote excursions. Story continues like any other novel, with the exception of bird or wildlife encounters.
Many real-life dignitaries of the 60s are highlighted. Nehru, Jacqueline Kennedy and other 1950-60s VIPs who're part political landscape then were mentioned. Also there is incident where the protagonist meets the legend of birdwatching and ornithologist of India: Salim Ali. Also mention of still living person, Hope Cooke, whose name pops up in multiple places along with her then fiance Prince Namgyal.
I was blissfully unaware of feuds within members of Sikkim oligarchs and its annexation to India was much later than our independence. Interesting to read about such historical events interspersed with fiction from this novel. Also loved that the author chose to fictionalize one of the real-life person, involved in Sikkim politics then, as a recurring character. India-China border tension of the 60s can be visualised in detail, as the writer scripted those events very well.
The scripture is "wordy." Had to lookup for lot of terms to fully understand context of the proses. Without searching for those terms, it'd be difficult to visualise the scenes in the chapters. Take for example terms describing clothing parts or accessories: brogues, pinstripe, down, gilt, seersucker, anorak, gaiters, down mummy bag, etc. Rafters, gabled, etc. for architecture. Words to describe landscape like manif, crag, crevasse, bergschrund, etc. And so on. Then there are mouthful words like onomatopoeic. Then there are phrases like 'The opiate of the people', 'Plausible deniability', 'esprit de corps' and many more. I feel those who're clearing English tests like IELTS will find this book as good exercise with words used and sentence construction.
The story is more about treasure hunting interspersed with espionage between countries. Not a hard-core thrilling read expect for birders who get hooked to natural history moments in between. However, tries to keep the users engaged with spy narratives. References to real-life events kept me intrigued throughout this period piece.
Definitely worth reading for bird-watchers. Might induce others to take up bird-watching as side passion. More such exposure to natural history notes in books will also be helpful to readers to connect to nature in easy way. I'd experience of reading something similar while reading 'Ashoka: Lion of Maurya' where author(Ashok K. Banker) explained behaviours of the lion pride. Hope more books follow the suit.
Pick this up if you're a birder or (post-independence) historical fiction buff.
December 27, 2022
Alter’s most recent novel follows the adventures of Guy Fletcher, an American ornithologist studying bar-headed geese in India on the eve of the Sino-Indian War (1962).
Like the birds he is studying, Guy is a creature of migration. Having spent his childhood in India, he is thrilled when a Fulbright scholarship allows him to return home.
Not before long, Guy is caught in a net of espionage in the Eastern Himalayas. Here India, China and America wrestle for control under the cloud of the Cold War. Indian intelligence officers, Chinese spies, CIA agents, Sikkimese royals and Tibetan freedom fighters butt heads as India and China dispute the border between them.
There are many things that I loved about this novel. I loved Alter’s descriptions of time and place - particularly of Sikkim, which I hadn’t read much about. The New Delhi of the 1950s Guy grows up in is safer, greener and lazier than the city I am accustomed to. Especially memorable is the Delhi Guy returns to - full of shifty diplomats and foreign correspondents who prepare to welcome Jackie Kennedy on a state visit.
The birds are another highlight. Even as high ranking government officials and lowly spies wage games of war and espionage, Guy continues birdwatching. Every chapter, titled after a bird sighted in it, leads with a description of a different species.
Unfortunately, Birdwatching left me dissapointed. The novel’s early promise of a pacier plot gave way to a slower middle and end. Perhaps if I had the patience of a birdwatcher I’d have felt differently. I was underwhelmed by the big reveal, and wished for better surprises with bigger stakes.
Still, I’d recommend this novel for its enduring relevance and its snapshot of a spy’s world in 60s Sikkim. As Alter reminds us in his Epilogue, the Sino-Indian border dispute that started this all remains unresolved six decades on.
Like the birds he is studying, Guy is a creature of migration. Having spent his childhood in India, he is thrilled when a Fulbright scholarship allows him to return home.
Not before long, Guy is caught in a net of espionage in the Eastern Himalayas. Here India, China and America wrestle for control under the cloud of the Cold War. Indian intelligence officers, Chinese spies, CIA agents, Sikkimese royals and Tibetan freedom fighters butt heads as India and China dispute the border between them.
There are many things that I loved about this novel. I loved Alter’s descriptions of time and place - particularly of Sikkim, which I hadn’t read much about. The New Delhi of the 1950s Guy grows up in is safer, greener and lazier than the city I am accustomed to. Especially memorable is the Delhi Guy returns to - full of shifty diplomats and foreign correspondents who prepare to welcome Jackie Kennedy on a state visit.
The birds are another highlight. Even as high ranking government officials and lowly spies wage games of war and espionage, Guy continues birdwatching. Every chapter, titled after a bird sighted in it, leads with a description of a different species.
Unfortunately, Birdwatching left me dissapointed. The novel’s early promise of a pacier plot gave way to a slower middle and end. Perhaps if I had the patience of a birdwatcher I’d have felt differently. I was underwhelmed by the big reveal, and wished for better surprises with bigger stakes.
Still, I’d recommend this novel for its enduring relevance and its snapshot of a spy’s world in 60s Sikkim. As Alter reminds us in his Epilogue, the Sino-Indian border dispute that started this all remains unresolved six decades on.
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