Page 15 - Stuart Exposure - March '25

Stuart Exposure, Page 15

book review

The Backyard Book of birds that visit her
backyard, but often
Chronicles becomes a part of their
lives—feeding them,
By Nils A. Shapiro sometimes holding
Nils began his career them, protecting them
as marketing director for whenever possible from
a major book publisher. predators, trying to
He has since edited the outsmart the agile and
authors’ manuscripts’ for determined squirrels
more than 20 published who want their portions
books, written more than of the seeds meant for
200 book reviews, served the birds—and each
as publisher of several day learning something
million-plus circulation wonderfully new which
national magaz ines, she shares with us: their individual personalities, her avian
created the official yearbooks for teams in Major friends’ food likes and dislikes, fears or willingness to be
League Baseball, the National Football League, National approached, mating habits, parenting skills, dominance
Basketball Association and National Hockey League, and traits, aggression or shyness—and so much more.
“retired” as president of a successful telecommunications Throughout the period covered in these pages Tan learned
company. to identify 62 different kinds of birds that visited her backyard
It was a wonderful surprise—and coincidence—when and lists them at the back of the book in such categories as:
a copy of this book arrived at my home one Monday as a corvids, doves and pigeons, finches, nuthatches, raptors,
gift from my two daughters, Brett and Hillary. Just a day sparrows (which alone covers 10 species), thrushes, warblers,
earlier I had noted The Backyard Book Chronicles at the woodpeckers and other songbirds.
top of the Sunday New York Times nonfiction bestseller Some visit her regularly throughout the year. Others
list, and Barnes & Noble bookseller chain’s naming it as obey their ancient instincts and migrate thousands of miles
their “Book of the Year.” around the globe as the seasons change, returning the same
Such success is not new to author Amy Tan, whose ten time each year to a warm welcome at Tan’s backyard.
earlier books include the novel, The Joy Luck Club, which We learn about them not only through her Chronicle’s I watched the large limbs or our oak trees swaying, I
became an international bestseller and the inspiration for fascinating and informative text but also from some of the imagined the birds in those trees being whipsawed and
the hit motion picture of the same title. intentionally rough drawings accompanied by handwritten flung into the storm. Where do they go to stay dry when
After learning of the book, I had immediately decided notes that are equally interesting and which point out the rain is blasting sideways?
to schedule it for review in my column, thanks to my unusual facts worth knowing that she has either sketched, “As if in answer, two pygmy nuthatches flew into the
daughters’ thoughtfulness, a clear indication that they are or less often photographed then sketched, while observing covered porch off my office, shook themselves off, and sat
very much tuned in to my reading tastes, this very special the birds’ actions. on top of a cage feeder a couple of inches apart. Most
book was already in my hands. And now, as I have just The range of emotions engendered by these people would agree that the pygmy nuthatch is one of the
turned the last page I am in awe of every aspect of this experiences is exemplified by two examples that I will cutest birds on earth. They look and sound like squeaky
remarkable work: touch on very briefly here. Most of the text has been toys. I assumed they would eat a few suet balls for fortitude
• the very concept of the book—a day by day dated omitted for lack of space and replaced with ellipses and head for a heavily leafed hiding spot. But after five
journal of the author’s experiences watching and inter- (…). Here is the first, dated Sept. 26, 2021, a situation minutes, they were still there …
acting with the natural lives of the wide variety of bird in which a young, inexperienced Cooper’s Hawk flying “They did not go into the feeders to eat. They simply
species that visit her home’s backyard in the San Francisco over Tan’s backyard had spotted three cage feeders and watched the rain from their spectator seats. The smaller
Bay area; done a fast dive intending to pluck a songbird from its nuthatch scooted closer to the bigger one. The bigger one
• the author’s writing skills that reflect the wide range perch as an easy meal, not realizing that the birds were then allopreened the smaller one, poking and picking at
of emotions she (and we) feel through her experiences; the safe inside the metal feeders. It crashed into one of the its feathers. I assumed they were adults, a mated pair,
more than 130 drawings, sketches and color illustrations feeders, injured a wing and Amy Tan, after frantic efforts since the season for fledglings was long over. For thirty
Tan herself learned to create that include many which to free and release her, rushed the hawk to a wildlife minutes the two nuthatches sat close together like lovers
compare favorably to the iconic Audubon paintings, center to try to have the bird healed. on a porch swing, watching the rain as I watched them.”
• and even the splendid presentation of this initial “She received a total of three months of incredible These offer just a bare hint of the information and
edition from the publisher, Knopf, with a hardcover care. But she was still not flying symmetrically. A few days experiences awaiting you in the almost 300 pages of this
binding that is slightly flexible and the book’s overall after that report, I received a voicemail message from the book, so deserving of its recent honors. Experience it for
stunning design. medical director, asking that I return her call. I knew by yourself.
In 2016, unhappy and uncomfortable with the national her soft, consoling tone that the news would not be good.
and international news swirling around her and everyone I spared her the difficulty of telling me and left a voicemail
else—and having always been aware of what she refers to message, saying I appreciated all that they had done. I
as her lifelong “obsession” with birds —Amy Tan decided knew that if (the hawk) could not fly well enough to find
to focus inward, studying the natural life within her own food, she would slowly starve in the wild … I understood Captain’s was established in 1980 servicing
backyard, and to keep a personal journal of that experience. why it was more humane to euthanize her, and I was Palm Beach County and is a privately
She took drawing lessons to brush up on the art skills she grateful that they would do it in the kindest way possible. owned and managed company.
had already demonstrated at a very young age. “After I left the message, I cried. I tried to draw her Captain’s is committed to providing
After an excellent and informative foreword by portrait. But I could not capture her spirit. I could not dependable, reliable and professional
ground transportation to and from all
renowned ornithologist David Allen Sibley, who explains capture the way she must have felt within I briefly held South Florida Airports and Seaports.
why birdwatching has become such a popular activity her in my arms and told her I was sorry.” To reserve your vehicle: PBCVH212
throughout the U.S., followed by the author’s preface A month later, on Oct. 24, 2021, a bomb cyclone arrived 561-798-2180 or 800-634-7890 www.captainsairport.com
in which she describes a childhood and personal life in the Bay Area. As Amy Tan notes—here again I am
interests that have led to this new book, the first entry in quoting just brief excerpts from her wonderful description
the Chronicles is dated Sept. 16, 2017; the last is dated of the event: Southern Exposure Technologies
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