A review by veliciajerus
Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper

funny hopeful informative inspiring slow-paced

4.5

Note for other readers: the audio version has accompanying bird sounds that pull you into the world of birds. 

I am thankful for Christian Copper, who grew up to have a complicated, messy life. He is an activist who leads with his consciousness - not revenge - and is thrilled to not know everything. He shows us all the tools of white supremacy, from respectability politics and whitewashing to white woman tears and fears.. and reminds us that

“If you’re looking for Amy Cooper to yell at, look in the mirror.”

Favorite technique: giving his family members names. His doesn’t pigeonholed them into the relational nouns of mother or father. He gives them proper names, humanizes them, and see them as complicated and messy, too. 
History and Names are important in this book: Amadou Diablo, Trayvon Martin, Philandro Castile, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, Emmett Till, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, and so many others so that we should never forget. See the true history of Seneca Village. .  

Favorite quote: “… bias knows no latitudes.”

My plea to all: Let there always be more to learn, more to see, more the hear, more to write.