Flights Against the Sunset: Stories that Reunited a Mother and Son

by Kenn Kaufman

At age sixteen, Kenn Kaufman left home to travel the world in search of birds. Now a grown man and a renowned ornithologist, he has come back to visit his ailing mother and explain to her what drove his obsession with bird life. His explanation forms a series of interlocking tales from the frontier where the world of birds intersects with the world of the humans who pursue them. The stories range over settings from Alaska to Africa, from trackless jungles to parking lots. They delve into subjects from first dates to last rites, from imagination and desire to sleep deprivation, from poignant encounters with eternal mysteries to comical brushes with biker gangs and secret agents. But as the stories unfold, the ornithologist comes to realize that he can still learn from his mother some things about life and even about the meaning of birds.

Flights Against the Sunset brings together nineteen essays, mostly adapted from Kaufman's long-running column in Bird Watcher’s Digest. They weave an original story that examines how we communicate about our passions with those who do not share the same interests and how to celebrate the world of infinite possibilities and wonder.

Genres: Birds, Memoir, Nature, Nonfiction, Biography

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Kenn Kaufman (born 1954) is an American author, artist, naturalist, and conservationist, with a particular focus on birds.

Born in South Bend, Indiana, Kaufman started birding at the age of six. When he was nine, his family moved to Wichita, Kansas, where his fascination with birds intensified. At age sixteen, inspired by birding pioneers such as Roger Tory Peterson, he dropped out of high school and spent several years hitchhiking around North America in pursuit of birds. This adventure eventually was recorded in a memoir, Kingbird Highway.

Thereafter he spent several years as a professional leader of nature tours, taking groups of birders to all seven continents. In 1984 he began working as an editor and consultant on birds for the National Audubon Society, a connection that continues to this day. Gradually he transitioned from tour leading to a full-time focus on writing, editing, and illustrating, always on nature subjects. His first major book, the Peterson Field Guide to Advanced Birding, was published in 1990. This was followed by another dozen books, including seven titles in his own series of Kaufman Field Guides. His next book, The Birds That Audubon Missed, is scheduled for publication in May 2024.

Currently, Kaufman devotes most of his time to writing books and painting bird portraits. His paintings have been juried into several prestigious exhibitions. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society, a recipient of the Eisenmann Medal from the Linnaean Society of New York, and the only person to have received the American Birding Association's lifetime achievement award twice.

Kaufman resides in Oak Harbor, Ohio with his wife, Kimberly Kaufman, also a dedicated naturalist. Kenn and Kimberly mostly work on separate projects, but they collaborate as the "birding experts" for the popular Birds & Blooms Magazine.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small book of short essays. A tribute to his mother. Some beautifully poetic writing and ideas, but some awkward syntax and grammar, too. Worth reading from a library but not worth buying full-price, imo.

[Dayna Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must admit I'm not in any way interested in birds or birding, but this small book almost makes me sorry I'm not. This is a collection of stories Kaufman told to his ailing mother about his adventures birding around the world. It was a fast read and more enjoyable than I had anticipated. A very pleasant surprise.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted it to be longer and for his stories to be more connected like Kingbird Highway.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I'm a birder, my favorite chapters concerned Kenn's mother. The bird stories were well-written, but I wanted more about the family! If you liked Kingbird Highway, you'll enjoy getting to know Kenn at a different stage in his life.

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great personal account of the author's life and his relationship with his mother. Mr. Kaufman is one of the premier bird biologists in the country and he has written the book as a series of personal accounts wrapped around his personal encounters with birds all over the world.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sequel to Kingbird Highway, This has turned out to be another great read for birders and nonbirders alike. I would strongly recommend reading this after you have read Kingbird Highway, Both are excellent reads.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fair -I'm a birdwatcher, so it made it interesting. If I wasn't, not so sure.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

very memorable and inspiring birding stories

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always wondered why Kaufman was allowed to go off on his own at such a young age. Wonderful story of a family, and a mother-son relationship.