The Tattered Autumn Sky: Bird Hunting in the Heartland

This collection of essays focuses on Davis's enthusiasm for bird hunting and the people and places, sights and sounds he associates with his sport of choice. These essays transcend the sometimes mundane""see it, shoot it"" nature of nonfiction hunting stories. Instead, with their lyrical prose, subtle morality and bittersweet endings, Davis's essays are reminiscent of Hemingway short stories. Having read his Hemingway, Davis knows that to be a hunter one must come to terms with the paradoxical nature of a sport that embraces the beauty of nature while at the same time seeking to destroy it. Davis's ability to convey his love and understanding of the woods and animals as well as communicating the thrill of the hunt and the beauty of a bird he has just shot is the literary representation of this paradox. The cyclical nature of hunting seasons (along with Davis's obsession with his setters) does make the essays repetitive in parts, but the repetition is more of a reaffirmation of Davis's beliefs than an annoyance to the reader. As a hunter, Davis says he is""grateful for whatever portion, meager or generous, comes his way,"" but his readers will find this collection leans heavily towards generosity. Illus.