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r_lumbrix's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
It’s rare for me to read a book of poetry cover-to-cover, but this book allows you no other option. Once you begin, you are IN the forest, in the swamp, in the experience of being a Black birder in the American South. These poems are by turns praise hymns, prayers, protest anthems. JDL’s writing is reminiscent of Ross Gay and Mary Oliver, and his love of nature absolutely gushes from every page. This book is not to be missed.
thndrkat's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
A collection of beautifully contemplative poems that engage with the natural world while also shedding light on the human world that affects it so profoundly. Lanham is an astute observer of all animals, including the human ones, and it’s an educational joy to see through his eyes.
graypeape's review against another edition
5.0
A thoughtful, lovely collection that really makes Lanham's love of birding clear. I especially enjoyed Group Think: New Names for Plural Birds, as I also agree that a group of crows shouldn't be labeled as murderers, I am admittedly not a birder, but I do appreciate watching birds being birds, and listening to their songs, calls, chattering, what have you. Also appreciated was learning the trials of being Black while birding, as a middle aged white woman, I would never have thought of the dangers of that; white people, can we please do better? Can we please get over policing Black people about living their lives?
ehmannky's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
A very lovely collection of nature poems with the added insight into what it's like trying to enjoy nature as a Black man living with the knowledge that while nature is a healing experience, the outdoors is frequently seen as a white space and it's hard to lose yourself in nature when you're thinking about the atrocities white America is visiting on you daily. I'm not the world's best poetry reader (I just always feel like I'm missing something while reading), but this is a really good, short collection.