Reading of Phoebe...

Snetsinger that is...

Have you read about Phoebe?  I have.  As a matter of fact I finished the book about her life and times while in Florida on spring break.  The book I read was entitled: Life List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds by Olivia Gentile.  My friend Tammy had loaned it to me and I eagerly began reading it, interested to learn more about the woman, the myth, the legend.  Granted, this book has been reviewed by all the biggies out there, so my little response isn't really all that necessary, but I'll lay it on you anyway, in just two simple words: astonishingly sad.

I found the book a but sluggish and boomerang-esque with all its back and forth through Phoebe's life over a period of many years.  You do learn more about the ins and outs of the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency (Phoebe's father) but the frequent story rewinds are a bit too, "who cares" for my taste, to keep me riveted to the book.  As a result of that, it took me far longer to trudge through this book than it did for me to read Kenn Kaufman's Kingbird Highway.  Now that book I truly enjoyed, but back to Life List for a few more moments.

The "astonishing" part of my two word review deals with the remarkable birding accomplishments of this uniquely driven, maniacally obsessed woman.  With her boundless financial resources and the understanding of her long-suffering (Purina-rising star) husband Dave; its no wonder Phoebe was able to see all the birds she has recorded on her life list.  Add the threat of a shortened life due to cancer, and Phoebe let 'er really snap.  She took chance after chance with both her safety and her life in pursuit of goal after goal.  Some would look at this behavior and merely applaud it, however I was torn between a "you go girl" attitude, and "what the hell were you thinking?" mindset.  The unfortunate scenarios that she gets herself into are the "sad" portion, and her final, untimely demise is truly the saddest thing about her life.  Most will wistfully say, she died doing what she loved...I logically say, she died and that's a damn shame...I blame the van operator by the way.  If there was ever a more aptly named person (who shared a bir's name) I have yet to read about them...both loners, both obsessed with flitting about in search of stuff...yep, both Phoebes indeed.

So if you want to delve deeply into (not only Phoebe Snetsinger's life) but the lives of anyone she was related to, or came into contact with, read Life List.  If you want pure unfiltered Phoebe, by Phoebe; read Birding On Borrowed Time - her posthumously published autobiography.  I plan to do that very thing; just as soon as Tammy buys it.