Memoir Mondays... Lift by Rebecca O'Connor, a Review AND Giveaway!

A Special Love Story ...Between a Girl and a Bird

CONGRATULATIONS TO RUBYNREBA! She won the copy of Lift by Rebecca O'Connor! THANK YOU to everyone who joined in on the fun! And thank you for all the tweets and blogging to get out the word! Have a wonderful Holiday!

The girl is Rebecca O'Connor, a falconer, and the bird is Anakin, a peregrine falcon. Their relationship is a special one and so is the book that chronicles Rebecca & Anakin's first year together: Lift.

Lift by Rebeccan O'Connor is a wonderfully written moving memoir that follows the journey of a little girl who gazed upon the beauty of a peregrine falcon that made a chance stop high above her one day and was captivated. I can relate to the beauty of the flight of these majestic birds, as I watch the magnificence of the red-tailed hawk that lives in the woods behind my house. As he glides thru the sky and I follow him with my binoculars, I imagine how amazing it would be to have a relationship with him. But having this special relationship, being a falconer, takes dedication. The relationship is one of trust. They are hunting partners- human and falcon. Rebecca's job is to flush out the game and to protect her partner from other predators. Anakin learns to trust that Rebecca will do her job well. And Rebecca trusts Anakin will return to her after the hunt. The story of Rebecca and Anakin learning to work together is fascinating. Even though we are experiencing the hunt , the killing, we are gently reminded that this is a predatory bird, a wild bird at heart, and that in order to survive must eat. This is what a peregrine falcon would do in the wild... and at times Rebecca must remind herself as she plays her part in the hunt.

"Falconry is a religion, a way of thinking, a means of experiencing life. True falconers are compassionate, clear-eyed straight shooters. We've touched nature's senseless violence, clung to her stray miracles, and this alters our beliefs."

Sprinked in between the story of Rebecca and Anakin, we learn about Rebecca's life growing up, her abusive stepfather, her complex relationship with her mother, a beloved grandfather, and a boyfriend. All of whom make contributions to the person that Rebecca becomes. We watch as Rebecca blooms into a confident falconer, and woman, in a world dominated by men. It's a wonderfully written, heartfelt story that is just so special. Would you like to find out more about Rebecca and falconry? She has a blog called Operation Delta Duck where there is a Falconry FAQ. There are also some wonderful posts, one of which is called Animal Teachers Past where Rebecca writes,

One of the things that falconers learn to accept is that the animals we love the most are not ours to keep. Some we choose to have in our lives for a short period, lending them a helping hand and sending them on their way. Whether they are foster dogs on their way to a new beginning or injured raptors being prepped for release back into the wild, they still touch our lives in deep ways.

This expresses some of the beauty of Falconry that I learned from reading Lift. Enter the world of falconry... read Lift! Would you like to win a copy of LIFT? Rebecca has decided to generously give one of my lucky readers a SIGNED copy of Lift!

To Enter This Giveaway...

*For one entry leave me a comment with your email address!

*Get an extra entry for following my blog! Just leave a comment letting me know you're a follower! ( Not a follower yet? No problem, sign up by clicking on the 'followers" button! Just let me know you became a new follower!)

*Blog or tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link.

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only! (No PO Boxes) Contest ends 11:59pm EST on Dec. 19th. I will randomly pick the winner the next day and email him or her! (please check your email.. winner must reply to me within 3 days! Thanks!) Winner will receive a signed copy of Lift directly from Rebecca! Good Luck!

**And Thank You Rebecca for sending me a review copy of Lift! It was a pleasure to read!