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A review by mjchamplin
Birds Art Life: A Year of Observation by Kyo Maclear
4.0
The beauty of this story lives in its smallness. It isn't trying to be a sweeping memoir or espouse big, poignant, life-changing discoveries; it's just a record of a year of time. I appreciate the glimpses it offers of larger narratives: the author's father's storied career as a war reporter, his decline into old age, and the author's reaction to both of these realities. Her description of her friendship with The Musician is perhaps the most intimate thread of the book, to the point that at times I wondered if the book would teeter into a kind of ill-advised romance. It does not, but instead offers a visceral portrait of the way that people come into our lives, make their mark, and exit—either all at once or in a way akin to a fading memory. The author also injects a welcome levity through her descriptions of famous personalities and their relationships with birds, accompanied by playful sketches.
Ultimately this book doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes it all the more relatable. I truly enjoyed this little book.
Ultimately this book doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes it all the more relatable. I truly enjoyed this little book.