I’m always so fascinated to learn about the reasons why people embark on certain journeys. For me, travel is very often a whim — I simply set out for a particular destination when the spirits move me. But some folks have very specific whims that they follow — clearly defined goals or agendas that mark their course.
Today’s One for the Road pick is a perfect example of this. Soaring with Fidel is the story of David Gessner’s 7,000-mile journey from Cape Cod to Cuba, as he followed the osprey migration. Gessner has studied ospreys for years and in 2004 he decided to set out and follow the birds during their annual migration across two continents.
Now don’t be scared off if birds are not your thing — Gessner begins by telling readers that “this is not a bird book” and goes on to emphasize how embarking on this odyssey led him to discover the “joy in reducing life to one thing.” His book is all about the migration and the characters he encounters along the way, but it also makes some deeper commentary on happiness and the small delights that come with following what you love.
The guy’s got a sense of humor too, so I’m guessing this could be a really enjoyable read. On his website OspreyWorld, Gessner writes: “This site is about the book but it is also about ospreys and how you can find inner peace and be happy (and thin and famous) by following ospreys…..”
Gessner is also editor of the literary journal Ecotone, which emphasizes the deep importance of place in contemporary writing. He will be appearing tomorrow, May 21, in New York City at Chelsea’s Half King at 7 pm as part of their ongoing reading series and has a bunch of other events slated for the summer.