Litsy

pick

Just a lovely time. Really all about one person's observations of the birds in her backyard. Wasn't sure what the tone would be from the preface, since it had a memoir feel, and mentioned her mother's repeated threats of self-harm, but the rest of the book is full of faithful reproductions of excerpted journal entries and truly gorgeous illustrations by the author.1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? While Covid-19 and wildfires are mentioned a few times, it really isn't a story of the author's life outside interactions with birds. Sadly, this comes with the reality that certain birds are sick, injured or die. Overall, it has an endlessly appreciative, curious, pleasant tone. 10h

Robotswithpersonality 3/? I can't say it made me eager to go out and explore this author's fiction offerings, but certainly it should be taken into account that reading one author's first hand, casual non-fiction is not the best way to assess that person's creative writing potential. 10h

Robotswithpersonality 4/4 Side note: It was fun to recognize the overlap in bird species I see at my own feeder, and identify with some of the reactions to observed behaviors.
⚠️animal death 10h

9 likes3 comments

Robotswithpersonality

The Backyard Bird Chronicles | Amy Tan

Emotive! 😆

TheBookHippie I love owls. 10h

dabbe 🤩😂🤩 10h

12 likes2 comments

bekakins

Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness | Alastair Humphreys

pick

Absolutely loved this. A years adventure in a 20kmx20km map centred around the authors home. Really made me think about exploring more of the area in which I live - something I did a lot during Covid but may resume once I‘m moving a bit more!

Also some really interesting thoughts around sustainability, right to roam, housing, and numerous other topics.

#ASingleMap

10 likes2 stack adds

Soubhiville

The Backyard Bird Chronicles | Amy Tan

pick

I have tried a few of Amy Tan‘s fiction books and didn‘t connect well with them. This journal and collection of drawings however was delightful!

She‘s an incredibly talented artist, and I found her observations and commentary on her backyard visitors funny and interesting. Highly recommend if you also like birdwatching or feeding your locals.

MemoirsForMe I‘m looking forward to reading this one even more now. 22h

Hooked_on_books I have very little interest in birds and I loved this one! I found her so relatable and am very impressed with her drawings. 4h

73 likes3 stack adds2 comments

Robotswithpersonality

The Backyard Bird Chronicles | Amy Tan

Oof, the entry packs a punch, but the ending sentence really knocked me out.

12 likes

Robotswithpersonality

The Backyard Bird Chronicles | Amy Tan

Hee hee. Spicy for birdy, not for squirrel! 🌶️

10 likes

Robotswithpersonality

Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell | Sy Montgomery

so-so

Sy Montgomery's distinctive voice, a mix of perky and reverent, just isn't a match for the overwhelmingly sad tone of the material. If dismal statistics and a flood of accidental, neglectful, cruel, and gory turtle injuries and casualties recounted wasn't enough, references to the COVID-19 pandemic and other hellish aspects of 2020 enter the story to depress the reader further. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? On the plus side:
Insatiable curiousity yields some interesting side bars/tangents.
The book showcases important work being done. I think perhaps Montgomery also wanted to focus on a more uplifting, relatable topic, the people helping the turtles, showing that people care even in the worst and most challenging of circumstances. 1w

Robotswithpersonality 3/3 There are sweet and silly moments, by they come late and few.
The sub-theme of linkages to time based on the lifespan of turtles, the aging of the author, is not quite as shoe-horned into the narrative as it might first appear.

⚠️animal abuse, animal death, discussion of COVID-19 pandemic, discussion of transphobia 1w

15 likes2 comments

bookishbitch

The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats | Sally Roth

We have 5 pairs of cardinals that have been visiting our feeders this year. It's impossible for me to get a good photo of them all at the same time. This one isn't bad though.

Leftcoastzen I live where there are no Cardinals.Thanks for posting, beautiful! 2w

bookishbitch @Leftcoastzen You're welcome! 2w

15 likes2 comments