Sacajawea Audubon Society Book Club News
Our next SAS Book Club meeting will be held November 16th at Hope Lutheran Church from 6:30 to 7:45 pm. We hope you can join us in person or virtually for a discussion of Birds: Masters of the Air, Land and Water by Tom Murphy (2020), with a foreword by journalist and author Jim Robbins and an essay by Douglas Smith, Senior Wildlife Biologist, Yellowstone National Park, titled “My Life-Long Love of Birds or Why Birds Make Life Better.”
Tom is a Livingston-based photographer whose passion and specialty is capturing images of Yellowstone. As Tom’s bio notes: “Since 1975 he has traveled extensively within its 3,400 square miles, hiking and skiing thousands of miles on hundreds of extended overnight trips in the backcountry.” Tom’s work also reflects his travels to wild places on six continents. To experience a visual feast and to glimpse the range, depth, and beauty of Tom’s portfolio, visit his website at https://www.tmurphywild.com.
It is true that each of Murphy’s photographs in Birds: Masters of Air, Land and Water is worth a thousand words. However, readers will be equally impressed with the short notation accompanying each image, which blends field observations, scientific knowledge, and storytelling. Murphy’s ability to tell a compelling story through photography and text is especially evident in a 40-page photo essay embedded in the book about a Bald Eagle family safely nesting and raising their young on the grounds of a conservation-aware window glass factory. Another attribute of Murphy’s work is the time he spends in the field, which gives him knowledge of individual birds and families because he has observed them over many seasons. Murphy’s photos not only capture moments in time, but add another layer: the life stories of individual birds, populations, and environments he has observed over an extended period—in some instances over decades.
Tom often donates the use of his photography to environmental groups for fundraising to support their efforts. This autumn Tom is offering Sacajawea Audubon Society (SAS) members a discounted price of $35 for his book, or up to the list price of $65. Members can choose a price within this range, and 100% of the funds generated will go to SAS. To reserve your copy, contact Elisabeth at elsswa@gmail.com or (406) 570-8325. Bring a check made out to Sacajawea Audubon Society for your price of $35–$65 per copy. We will have copies of the book at the monthly SAS meetings on November 14th and December 12th. To make an alternative arrangement for pick up, contact Hilary Johnson at ralphhilary@gmail.com or (406) 599-1446.
November marks the last Book Club meeting of the year. We will resume Book Club discussions in January 2023. If you would like to be included in monthly email reminders or to attend the meeting virtually, please email Elisabeth Swanson at elsswa@gmail.com or call her at (406) 570-8325. For other questions, you can email our other leader, Hilary Johnson, at ralphhilary@gmail.com, or call her at (406) 599-1446.
Photo by Tom Murphy
