" A Love Affair With Birds , published by the University of Minnesota Press, traces the life of the Minneapolis physician who led birding expeditions, kept meticulous and now invaluable birding journals, and helped found the Bell Museum of Natural History."-- Star Tribune "Minnesota's importance to birds and birders cannot be overstated. More than 400 species have been recorded there. It's a migratory pathway. And it's the home of not just great hotspots but great advocates, like Carrol Henderson and our own Laura Erickson. That's why this book is so relevant."-- BirdWatching "In biographer Sue Leaf's capable hands, we are drawn into Roberts' long and worthy life, beginning with his family's arrival in St. Paul in 1867.
As a boy he was free to explore this edge-of-the-prairie region and its wildlife, and Leaf, herself a bird watcher, paints a vivid picture of what the area was like a century ago. Anyone with an interest in birds, Minnesota's natural history and learning about the life of a singular doctor, author, curator, educator, conservationist and bird enthusiast will find this book a rare treat."-- Star Tribune "Leaf's recounting of this long life is a great read, especially for those of us who love history and the history of ornithology; the author's tendency to wax poetic recalls the literary style of many of Roberts's contemporaries."--American Birding Association Blog "An entertaining read that will engage anyone with an interest in our state's history."-- The Minnesota Historical Society Press "[Leaf] deserves warm plaudits for her careful scrutiny of mass of data, both ornithological and medical."-- Canadian Field Naturalist.