Looking for the Goshawk

The author of Silent Spring Revisited provides a captivating account of his quest to find the elusive Goshawk and the place that this raptor has held in people’s imagination over the past centuries.

The author’s evocative narrative style takes the reader on a journey with him, travelling to mainland Europe and across the Atlantic, meeting people that know this species well and who share his fascination with this majestic raptor.

The book, written as a diary, balances scientific information about the ecology of the Goshawk with the history of the relationship between man and this top predator. The author’s interest in the impact of humans on the landscape is apparent, and the role of man in the elusiveness of the Goshawk is considered throughout the book. The thought-provoking passages are interspersed with amusing anecdotes of the author’s encounters with birds and people, which add to the compelling narrative. Whilst the book is undeniably about the Goshawk, the species is also used as a metaphor for the troubled relationship between nature and man, our need to admire it and own it, whilst marvelling
at its freedom.

This is a welcome addition to the genre of popular science, and whilst it would not satisfy a reader in search of a comprehensive review of the current knowledge on the species, it will appeal to people looking for an interesting, thought-provoking and well-written book about this mysterious raptor.

Book reviewed by Daria Dadam