The Fall of a Sparrow tells the real life story of adventure and self-discovery of S?lim Ali, India’s original bird man. Chronicling an era gone by and vividly describing forgotten landscapes, this engaging tale describes how a childhood curiosity for nature and an intrepid adventuring spirit led to an unusual career choice. Eighty-seven at the time of writing and an internationally renowned figure, Ali vividly describes his childhood adventures in the wild and subsequent expeditions to almost every part of the Indian subcontinent. The birdwatching stories are interspersed with lively details of family life and youthful adventuring. The more than 100 visuals-comprising photographs, line drawings, and paintings of birds by past masters like G.M. Henry, J.P. Irani, and C.J.F. Coombs-are an unusual feature of this adapted edition. These paintings were originally prepared for the ten-volume Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (OUP, 1971) which continues to be in print even today. The colour plate section, featuring some of these paintings in their original avatar, makes this illustrated edition a delight both for young readers and for collectors.