Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.
When my grandparents built their cabin, they installed a giant window in the dining room so my grandma could watch her beloved birds flitting around in her backyard. My grandfather set up a host of bird feeders in front of almost every window. Hummingbird feeders lined the roof of the back porch. It was a bird paradise. Some of my fondest memories are of sitting with grandma sharing her binoculars as she pointed out the different species of birds.
Now as an adult, I live in more urban spaces that don’t have many opportunities for bird watching. But I still love to read books about different people’s relationships with bird watching. Here are a few of my must-read nonfiction titles about bird watching.
The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan
I’ve read Amy Tan’s books for years, but I never expected that she would delve into the world of bird watching. In her latest, Tan has written and illustrated this beautiful book on her relationship with one of her favorite hobbies. In 2016, Tan felt overwhelmed by the state of the world, but she found solace in nature. She began watching the birds flying in and out of her backyard. Before long, she had dozens of sketches of different kinds of birds. Tan’s new hobby gave her hope that a better world was still possible.
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Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper
You may be familiar with Christian Cooper, who was birdwatching in Central Park when a confrontation he had with a dog walker went viral. Now he tells his story.
Better Living Through Birding is part memoir, part nature writing. Cooper delves into his childhood when he first fell in love with bird watching. As a self-described “Blerd” (Black nerd), Cooper meanders into thoughts about his love of comics and the importance of some of their queer storylines to him when he was a young gay man.
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Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts by J. Drew Lanham
MacArthur Fellow J. Drew Lanham has a few different books on his relationship with birding as a Black nature enthusiast. My favorite is his poetry collection Sparrow Envy. Each poem is a perfect gem. They make you think about humanity’s relationship with the natural world in a new way.
English (US) · 