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A review by laurieb755
Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper
4.0
Christian Cooper is a birder extraordinaire, a writer who is a delight to read and, as I learned, a comic junkie (especially for Marvel, superheroes and Star Trek) as well as the host of Extraordinary Birder on National Geographic (available for viewing on several platforms including Apple TV). He also sits on NYC Audubon's Board and has traveled to some incredible locations in the world.
He has written comics for Marvel, comics for Star Trek, and edited or written science articles, so you might think that writing was his first passion. However, after reading his memoir – only 9 years separate us, he being the younger one, but oh my when looking at his author photo he sure looks like he's more than 9 years younger! – you realize he is a birder through and through. As a backyard birder lucky to have a tidal creek and salt marsh just out my back window, I thoroughly enjoyed reading his Birding Tips and Seven Pleasures of Birding.
'Ebullient honesty' and 'unbridled enthusiasm' spring to mind as I attempt to describe his writing, which often had me feeling like he was sitting in my living room sharing the stories from his book. Given Christian's interest in and experience of writing for comics, writing for a book is likely a natural extension of his story telling. It's not just birding that he shares; after all, this is a memoir. I learned about his family, the activism that runs through all the Coopers, what thoughts went on in the mind of a young, black, queer boy growing up on Long Island (where I also grew up), and how he grows into who he is.
He has remarkable patience, something you need to be a birder, and a beautiful smile (see the author photo on the inside jacket). I hope you pick up "Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World" (second part of the book's title), get yourself a pair of binoculars, and begin to see the world as Christian Cooper sees it. He brought to mind the term my husband and I coined to describe taking a walk with our then two-year old granddaughter: a Montessori Walk. This is a walk where you slow down, really slow down, and look and listen.
He has written comics for Marvel, comics for Star Trek, and edited or written science articles, so you might think that writing was his first passion. However, after reading his memoir – only 9 years separate us, he being the younger one, but oh my when looking at his author photo he sure looks like he's more than 9 years younger! – you realize he is a birder through and through. As a backyard birder lucky to have a tidal creek and salt marsh just out my back window, I thoroughly enjoyed reading his Birding Tips and Seven Pleasures of Birding.
'Ebullient honesty' and 'unbridled enthusiasm' spring to mind as I attempt to describe his writing, which often had me feeling like he was sitting in my living room sharing the stories from his book. Given Christian's interest in and experience of writing for comics, writing for a book is likely a natural extension of his story telling. It's not just birding that he shares; after all, this is a memoir. I learned about his family, the activism that runs through all the Coopers, what thoughts went on in the mind of a young, black, queer boy growing up on Long Island (where I also grew up), and how he grows into who he is.
He has remarkable patience, something you need to be a birder, and a beautiful smile (see the author photo on the inside jacket). I hope you pick up "Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World" (second part of the book's title), get yourself a pair of binoculars, and begin to see the world as Christian Cooper sees it. He brought to mind the term my husband and I coined to describe taking a walk with our then two-year old granddaughter: a Montessori Walk. This is a walk where you slow down, really slow down, and look and listen.