Birding Under the Influence

Cycling Across America in Search of Birds and Recovery

By: Dorian Anderson

Narrated by: Madison Niederhauser

At a personal and professional crossroads, a man resets his life and finds sobriety, love, and 618 bird species, cycling his way to a very Big Year.

In Birding Under the Influence, Dorian Anderson, a neuroscience researcher on a pressure-filled life trajectory, walks away from the world of elite institutions, research labs, and academic publishing. In doing so, he falls in love and discovers he has freed himself to embrace his lifelong passion for birding.

A North American Big Year—a continent-spanning adventure in which a birder attempts to see as many species as possible in twelve months—is a massive undertaking under any circumstances. But doing it on a bike while maintaining sobriety? That’s next level.

As Dorian pedals across the country, describing the birds he sees, he confronts the challenges of long-distance cycling: treacherous weather, punctured tires, speeding cars, and injury. He encounters eccentric characters, blistering blacktop, dreary hotel rooms, snarling dogs, and an endless sea of smoking tailpipes. He also confronts his past struggles with alcohol, drugs, and risky behaviors that began in high school and followed him into adulthood.

Birding Under the Influence is a candid, honest look at Dorian’s double life of academic accomplishment and addiction. While his journey to recovery is simultaneously poignant and inspiring, it is ultimately his love of birds and nature that provides the scaffolding to build a new and radically different life.

©2023 Dorian Anderson (P)2023 Chelsea Green Publishing Company

Great story, for birders, bicyclists, and anyone interested in personal discovery and growth.

Wonderful and well-told story of multiple journeys of discovery - of birds, of bicycle touring, and most of all, of Dorian himself. Well written. Well read. It held my attention, filled me with excitement, and touched my heart. I highly recommend this book!

Detailed and interesting.

The author’s story was great. Both the big year and the progression of his recovery. The narrator should learn how to pronounce all the words especially the Arizona centric words. Saguaro, Mesa, ocotillo, Tubac for example. Also bird words like rufous. But for the most part did a good job. The word nascent was overused.

Fantastic audiobook

I did not know birding existed until I read this beautiful book. I bought the book for cycling the USA and the author's recovery story from addiction. He was a super high-level, brilliant, and functioning addict. Adventure cycling and birding combined with heavy physical exercise and his relationship with his girlfriend helped him quit alcohol, which was the gateway for drugs that would have killed him sooner. The story is fantastic, and the narrator is excellent, too. I've listened twice now. You can read his blog to see this is a real story and also view pics of him and his wife to put faces to the story.

Great book. You don’t have to be a birder to love

I pre-ordered the book because Dorian was a speaker at the 2023 Cape May fall birding festival. I was not disappointed.

Great mix of birds and backstory

I enjoyed this big year book. Dorian mixed the birding with his incredible life story of overcoming drinking and drugs and trading that addiction for birds. Reading this book was also very inspiring and shows that even though the path may not always be smooth it can lead to a great ending. Had the pleasure of being on a bird outing with Dorian as a guide and it was a fantastic trip. Highly recommend both the book and any bird trip you can take with him!!