The Feather Thief
By Kirk Wallace Johnson
Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century. Penguin Books, 2018.
Summary of The Feather Thief book by Kirk Wallace Johnson
A compulsive obsession to possess rare exotic birds leads to a most unusual robbery in this true crime story written by an equally obsessed journalist determined to reopen the closed case. Please be aware: The senseless deaths of birds, purely for greed and fashion, may be triggering for some readers.
Chapters in The Feather Thief book summary
What do you get from this book? How a teenager’s obsession pre-empted a bizarre theft and a journalist’s compulsion for the truth
In the mid 19th century, Alfred Russell Wallace endured years of life-threatening conditions to gather specimens for scientific study
The feather fever prompted the killings of hundreds of millions of birds, largely for fashion
The masters of Victorian salmon fly-tying launched an obsession for exotic bird feathers that still exists today
Among novice and professional salmon fly-tiers was a talented young man who wanted to tie like the best
Edwin’s desire to tie salmon flies with priceless exotic bird feathers grew into an obsession that fueled a crime
A month after the theft, a museum curator finally discovered that many exotic birds were missing—time for an investigation
When Edwin’s name was mentioned at the Dutch Fly Fair, it was the lead that was needed to nab him
Edwin’s arrest angers the fly-tying community as he does whatever he can to avoid going to jail
The sentence Edwin would receive hovered on the judgement and diagnosis of an expert on Asperger’s syndrome
Although the case was closed, there were still over one hundred birds missing, and one man intent on finding them
The more he dug, the wider Johnson’s investigation spread, and the more determinedly he pursued justice
Edwin claims he’s not a thief, believes the birds were useless to science, and blames Long Nguyen for his arrest
Johnson’s five-year investigation comes to an end after no one wants to pursue the remaining missing birds
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The Feather Thief — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read The Feather Thief book
- bird lovers
- museum enthusiasts
- ornithologists
- fans of true crime
About the author of The Feather Thief
Kirk Wallace Johnson
Kirk Wallace Johnson, journalist and author of several books including To Be a Friend is Fatal and The Fishermen and the Dragon, also founded the List Project to Resettle Iraqi Allies. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times publications.
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