Description: "An intimate exploration by a master naturalist of the lives of birds and their interactions with man"--
Brief description: Adam Nicolson is the author of many books on history, landscape, and great literature. He is the winner of the Somerset Maugham Award, the W. H. Heinemann Award, and the Ondaatje Prize. His books include The Life Between the Tides and Why Homer Matters. He lives on a farm in Sussex.
Review Quotes:
"Bird School is elegant and involving. Like one of the nests Nicolson finds on his property, it's been deftly assembled."
--Stephen Smith, The Observer (London)
--Joe Shute, The Telegraph
"Wrens, robins, buzzards, blackbirds and tits come to bird school to teach lessons about themselves alone: how they breed, fly, navigate, why they sing. Nicolson is a good student--a fine observer of the natural world--and for a while, he lives a bird lover's dream."
--Charlie Gilmour, The Guardian "[A] marvellous and revelatory guide to our native bird-life . . . Bird School is a magical reminder of the rich, inexhaustible pleasures of watching wildlife and bird-life, . . . an intoxicating and joyous invitation to us all, to step out into nature and take it all in."
--Christopher Hart, Daily Mail
"In addition to a wealth of facts about bird behavior, Nicolson has access to an endless fount of lyrical descriptions to make birds come alive on the page . . . An evocative ode to English birds that invites readers to look more closely at the world around them."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "In this revelatory narrative, Ondaatje Prize winner Nicolson shares his experience observing birds near his home in Sussex . . . Nicolson is especially good at illuminating what goes unseen (or unheard) . . . He also draws attention to the ways human activity, like intensive farming, has caused bird populations to plummet in recent decades. This is a beautiful love letter to the avian world."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Nicolson's observations ramble with curiosity and delight in his local environment. Highly recommended for readers interested and soothed by reading about the natural world."
--Catherine Lantz, Library Journal
"Wonderfully interspersed with his observations are quotes from poets, historical tidbits both national and local, ideas from proponents of the rewilding movement, and intimate moments with the local birds. This meditative, poetic work will find a niche in the hearts of nature and bird lovers on both sides of the pond."
--Nancy Bent, Booklist