The Encyclopedia of Falconry

Rating:
Summary: The sport of falconry
Review: A comprehensive look at the the world of falconry. The writing style shows much better organization than the Webster/Beebe books, which tend to ramble. Great photos.

Rating:
Summary: An important addition to the bookshelf.
Review: As with dictionaries and other reference works, nobody sits down to read an encyclopaedia. Instead, I began by carefully studying numerous entries and then put the book to the test by comparing the "glossary of terms" found in two very good books on Falconry to the content of this work.

The book measures 10in x 7¾in (255mm x 195mm) and contains 150 pages packed with information plus an extensive "further reading" section at the end. The publishers claim 95,000 words defining some 1,500 terms used in connection with the sport of Falconry. Those I had selected to study at random were all well described and included the ancient and historic origins of those words (where applicable) in addition to their meaning. The book also contains numerous illustrations to assist the written descriptions plus 4 sections of colour/black and white photographs/illustrations - from both ancient and modern sources.

Thinking I had stumbled across a whole area which had been missed by the author, I looked up a number of medical terms associated with Falconry and was (initially at least) very disappointed to find vitally important words - such as "Bumblefoot," missing altogether. Then I discovered the 8 page appendix on "Diseases and Ailments" right at the end and mentally offered the author my sincere apologies and quickly restored the book's 5 star rating.

Altogether, an excellent book and a most useful reference tool - although I am not sure why they have used the American spelling (i.e. Encyclopedia instead of Encyclopaedia) in the title. A small matter which should not deter anyone from buying the book.

NM

Rating:
Summary: Add this to your library!
Review: Falconry is a sport with a long, complex history and tradition, and there is a wealth of falconry-related literature out there. This book is good to have on hand when researching a word or phrase related to managing your own hawks. Having all these definitions at your fingertips really helps (a lot of falconry classics contain archaic language or very specific terminology). But, the Encyclopedia also contains a lot of current information. It is not a how-to book, so it does not replace any of the better falconry manuals. It is, though, a solid reference tool you will consult time and again.