Heartfelt, enchanting, and beautifully written…An enchanting mix of memoir, guide book for birding, and self-help.
In this moving memoir, debut author Steed explores encounters with birds as meditations on life. Told in a series of large snippets composed of notable bird sightings, the narrative offers splendid reminders of the beauty and force of nature as well as exploration of what it means to really be present and tune in to all that’s happening around you. Steed didn’t take up birding until his late 40s: in the spring of 2020, the impossibilities of COVID-lockdown combined with ongoing hardships of life began to weigh too heavy and Steed decided to take on walking, which soon turned into birding. The experience of finally recognizing the Pileated Woodpecker behind a familiar cackling—a forest noise that Steed had heard many times throughout his childhood at his parents’ place became his access point to nature, and from there he cultivated that connection, taking on birding as a passionate hobby. Through birds, Steed was able to realize how the beauty of soaking in all and enjoying the simple moments, such as birding or taking walks by water, can be illuminating, “making life a little brighter. Clearer. Not necessarily easier. But better.” This sense of enchantment permeates the book as he brings us along on his regular walks, including sightings of a lone male Northern Shoveler on the main pond at Whitley Place, spotting Bird #100, the Snowy Egret, with Ruby, his fifth child, observing a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks chasing each other through the Treetops at Bonnie Wenk Park among others. In addition, there are interesting facts, such as how The Great Horned Owl can hear a mouse rustling in leaves from 300 yards away; a couple of useful birding apps for phones; iBird PRO and Merlin Bird ID; and history, myth and folklore. Ultimately this is a book about how life, with all its joys and sorrows, is still beautiful—during dark times, all we need to do is hang on and wait patiently because light is just around the corner. Norah Steed’s colorful, pen-and-ink drawings are fascinating, beautifully bringing the birds alive while adding to the book’s appeal. Both an eloquent source book for bird seekers and a profound understanding of ourselves, this is a stunner.
The Birds That Saved Me
An Introduction to Birding for Self-Improvement (with Color Artwork)
J. P. Steed (Author), Norah Steed (Illustrator)
Coming soon
GHOW Press, 2023
ISBN 196055400X, 9781960554000
