TURNING TO BIRDS: The Power and Beauty of Noticing, inspiring readers to mindfulness practice

TURNING TO BIRDS: The Power and Beauty of Noticing
LILI TAYLOR
Crown Publishing (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$1.99 ebook, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

A LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF 2025

The Publisher Says: Accessible essays about searching for peace in the cacophony of birds and discovering a world of meaning in small moments—from award-winning actress Lili Taylor.

Most people don’t really know birds—or rather, they aren’t aware of them. Lili Taylor used to be one of those people. She knew birds existed. She thought about them, maybe even more than the average person. But she didn’t know them. And then something happened.

During a break from her work as an actor, Lili sought silence and instead found the bustling, symphonic world of birds that had always existed around her. Since then, she has kept a keen eye pressed to her binoculars in search of vivid stories that elevate the everyday, if only one pays attention.

Through a series of beautifully crafted essays, Taylor shares her intimate encounters with the birds that have captured her heart and imagination—from tracking flitting Zorros through oak trees to spotting majestic Bluejays perched on a Manhattan fire escape; from the exhilaration of chasing a migratory flock up the Empire State Building to the quiet joy of observing a nest of hatchlings in her own backyard.Through simply paying attention to birds, Lili has been shown a parallel world that is wider and deeper, one of constant change and movement, full of life and the will to survive.

This book is part-memoir, part-love letter to the beauty and resilience of the natural world—a reminder of the profound connections that exist between all living things. Taylor's lyrical prose and thoughtful meditations on both the art we make and the art we discover around us create a sense of intimacy and wonder, inviting readers to see the world through new eyes and to find joy in the most unexpected places.

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My Review: Essays are tricky to recommend...they depend so much on how something is said, but possibly even more on who's saying it; never, of course, forgetting the all-important what the essays are about. These essays succeed, for this reader, at least in part because Author Taylor is an indie-film darling with a very clear body of work behind her, thus has solid credibility; and also stays busy by acting in shows like Outer Range and the Lincoln's assassination series Manhunt as Mrs. Lincoln.

In the midst of that, and raising a child, she's been active in conservation organizations like the Audubon Society...her work for them, her work life, her busy-ness, led her to seek time to spend enjoying the natural world she was working to protect.

Birding offered a way to do that while still working. Bird census, anyone? This collection is clearly by a deeply committed person, one with a lot of integrity, who does not simply sit and wait for things to change but stands up and gets into the fray.

The humor, the anecdotes, offer her acting-life fans the little jolts of familiarity that make books by celebrities so appealing. Those who came for the Mystic Pizza or the I Shot Andy Warhol girl will feel satisfied catching up to her; those who love her TV work will too. Both can get their fixes with a side of gentle encouragement to seek solace in the unhuman world we exist inside but so seldom look around at. The birding is a joy to her, it feels as though she's telling us her secret to long life abnd happiness (she's younger than I am, so I hope it works but won't be around to find out).

A novice birder's delight; a celebrity-follower's browsing garden; an example of how to be multifaceted in a world that would prefer you do one thing and shut up about everything else. What it isn't is a how-to, or a guide to the world of birding. It's meditating on the benefits of time in nature, not giving a how-to. Organizing the book by species watched with the whys and the hows of that moment in her life made me feel I was along with her...woodcocks, bluebirds, those awful house sparrows...and what happened while she was doing the watching...well, it worked for me.

As a reminder to seek a mindfulness practice, all five stars; as a birding book, four and three-quarters...but as a celebrity tell-all, three stars. Hence my weighted average of four and a half stars and a smile.

THE COMPLETE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS: A Definitive and Illustrated History, beautiful object to delight and beguile bird people this Yule

THE COMPLETE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS: A Definitive and Illustrated History
RANDI MINTEOR
Wellfleet Press
$24.99 hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: The Complete Language of Birds offers stunningly illustrated profiles of nearly 400 bird species, covering both their physical and mystical qualities.

Expand your bird knowledge with this gorgeous encyclopedia of nearly 400 bird species around the world, unique for its inclusion of both their physical and mythological characteristics.

If you’re a nature lover who thrives on bird videos and photography, go beyond the scope of standard field guides with this comprehensive reference. Each entry of The Complete Language of Birds provides not only the bird’s name and physical qualities, but also its history, symbolic meanings, and hidden properties from mythology, legends, and folklore.

Within the pages of this colorful volume, you’ll find:

Beautiful illustrations and descriptions of common and unusual birds

Notes on the surprising properties and powers of birds

Discussions of the symbolism and mythological significance of each bird species

Dive into an unusual dimension of historical and arcane knowledge with the study of birds.

A collection of fun and interesting facts about birds gathered from science and culture, the stunning illustrations and lively descriptions make this an engaging guide you’ll return to again and again.

Elegantly designed and beautifully illustrated, the Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia series offers comprehensive, display-worthy references on a range of intriguing topics, including dream interpretation, techniques for harnessing the power of dreams, flower meanings, and the stories behind signs and symbols.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Wow. Just...wow.

Even the explanatory notes we begin with are stunning as well as legible and useful.

The "A"s are placed in an impossible composition, but one that very clearly exemplifies the quality of art and design we'll be seeing throughout the book.

The informative "A"s are less elaborate, as one would expect, but no less beautifully illustrated, and clearly legible with the descriptive text being very logically placed and broken into discrete entries.



More opening spreads to drool over. I was especially delighted by the "R"s...that toucan!

My favorite bird: the hoopoe! I hope one day to see one in the plumage. (Don't like to say "flesh" about les birbs, it tends to be misinterpreted by those as do not know me.)

This section is just for fun, of course, and fun it certainly delivered to me. I'm fascinated by the fantasies humans have stitched together out of reality. Some details:

Honest to Gussie! The "Chickharney" had to be dreamt up by someone who ate a bushel of ergot-tainted rye. I don't *think* the synthesis of LSD had been discovered back then....

I left this read feeling genuinely delighted and refreshed. I'm so happy that it's available for a very reasonable price for all y'all's gifting needs this Yuletide...and beyond of course, but the world's economy might necessitate some price hikes next year, so do it now and get the gorgeous for the right price.

Your birding-lover giftee will very likely appreciate and enjoy it. Your coffee table will positively revel in it as an ornament. It's a lovely object with good information in it.

THE FIELD GUIDE TO THE DUMB BIRDS OF THE WHOLE STUPID WORLD, great Valentine gift for your birder love

THE FIELD GUIDE TO THE DUMB BIRDS OF THE WHOLE STUPID WORLD
MATT KRACHT
Chronicle Books
$15.95 trade paper, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: This must-have sequel to the bestselling parody book The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America proves that all birds are fascinating, wonderful, idiotic jerks—no matter where in the world they reside.

Following in the tracks of the first uproarious and beloved bird book in the series, this hilarious sequel ventures beyond to identify the stupidest birds around the world. Featuring birds from North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, author Matt Kracht identifies the dumb birds that manage to live all over the freaking place with snarky yet accurate names and humorous, anger-filled drawings. Offering a balance of fact and wit, this uproarious profanity-laden handbook will appeal to hardcore birders and casual bird lovers (and haters) alike.

ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL: This laugh-out-loud funny spoof guide to all things wings includes a matching game, a bird descriptor checklist, and tips on how to identify a bird (you can tell a lot by looking into a bird's eyes, for example). Plus, each entry is accompanied by facts about a bird's (annoying) call, its (dumb) migratory pattern, its (downright tacky) markings, and more.

POPULAR AUTHOR: Matt Kracht is an amateur birder, writer, and illustrator who enjoys creating books that celebrate the humor inherent in life's absurdities. Based in Seattle, he enjoys gazing out the window at the beautiful waters of Puget Sound and making fun of birds. Other amusing titles from Matt include The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America and OMFG, BEES!

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My Review: Do you love a birder? You do?! Why? Couldn't you find a normal person, one that doesn't glue (super expensive, need upgrading all the time) binoculars to their face at the smallest rustle of a leaf?

Well, it's your life, you do you. Or them, I suppose....

As Valentines Day is coming up very, very quickly, you might need a last-minute gift idea since you have the terrible taste to hang out with a bird nut. No doubt forgetting it's the romantic holiday is completely within such a goofball's capabilities. If the hinted-after super-de-dooper binocs are outside your budget, but something bird-y is still required, believe me when I tell you a reference book ain't a lot cheaper than the binoculars. Go for this book, it's more fun than you usually have with the bloody birds, and it's about $20.

Enjoy the artwork.

Even *I*, no bird-fancier bones in me anywhere, got a ton of good laughs at the expense of all these dumb birds from all over the entire stupid world.

THE REAL JAMES BOND: A True Story of Identity Theft, Avian Intrigue, and Ian Fleming, not quite what you're expecting

THE REAL JAMES BOND: A True Story of Identity Theft, Avian Intrigue, and Ian Fleming
JIM WRIGHT
Schiffer Books
$24.99 hardcover, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Whatever happened to him actually outshines anything I’ve had my James Bond do. —Ian Fleming

James Bond: author, ornithologist, marksman, and . . . identity-theft victim?

When James Bond published his landmark book, Birds of the West Indies, he had no idea it would set in motion events that would link him to the most iconic spy in the Western world and turn his life upside down. Born into a wealthy family but cut off in his early twenties, James Bond took off to the West Indies in search of adventure.

Armed with arsenic and a shotgun, he took months-long excursions to the Caribbean to collect material for his iconic book, Birds of the West Indies, navigating snake-infested swamps, sleeping in hammocks, and island-hopping on tramp steamers and primitive boats. Packed with archival photos, many never before published, and interviews with Bond's colleagues, here is the real story of the pipe-smoking, ruthless ornithologist who introduced the world to the exotic birds of the West Indies.

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My Review: Gotcha!

You thought, like I did, that this was about someone glamourous and important to the intelligence agencies rife in the world, didn't you? After all, James Bond....

Turns out that the REAL James Bond, the one whose book inspired the stuck-for-a-name birder Ian Fleming to call 007 by his name, was a bad-ass adventurer and ornithologist whose privileged background and education prepared him for a leisurely life of loafing and then poof! got pulled out from under him by his dear old Dad. (007 has some daddy issues, you'll recall.)

The ancestral pile, now part of a university campus near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Being disinherited in favor of second wife of father, Bond went out to get his daily bread the best he could. It was some adventuring best! His ornithological methods weren't to modern tastes:

...but that's how it was done in those days.

The important part is that Bond and Ian Fleming shared a taste for adventure, an interest in birds, and resdency in the West Indies:

The only known photo of the Real James Bond with Ian Fleming, at Fleming's Jamaica home
...or we'd never have had the iconic 007 that we do now.

The book is quite a treat on the eyes with its over-a hundred photos, most in color, and its clear, easy-to-read text. The story of a man making another man's name and nature famous would play out very differently today. In this case the way it unfolded was amicable. The author got famous, but died young; the subject lived on, an ornithologist with the definitive textbook to his name; the character is immortal. The story's so astounding that your film-buff giftee might not believe it at first. If you know a Bond guy, he'll have heard the story in its outlines as part of the lore. The reality of James Bond, though, is less well-known and very much worth learning about. A birder friend? Get 'em in the tent by saying, perfectly truthfully, that James Bond was a bird-watcher.

The world the Real James Bond spent his life exploring and explaining to the world
Tomorrow I'm posting #Booksgiving ideas about Nature, so this seemed like a fun way to make the transition. Enjoy the read; I sure did.

BROWN PELICAN, strongly Louisiana-centered story of saving...and protecting...an iconic bird

BROWN PELICAN
RIEN FERTEL
LSU Press/Louisiana True series
$21.95 trade paper, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: In this compelling book, Rien Fertel tells the story of humanity’s complicated and often brutal relationship with the brown pelican over the past century. This beloved bird with the mythically bottomless belly—to say nothing of its prodigious pouch—has been deemed a living fossil and the most dinosaur-like of creatures. The pelican adorns the Louisiana state flag, serves as a religious icon of sacrifice, and stars in the famous parting shot of Jurassic Park, but, most significantly, spotlights our tenuous connection with the environment in which it flies, feeds, and roosts—the coastal United States.

In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt inaugurated the first national wildlife refuge at Pelican Island, Florida, in order to rescue the brown pelican, among other species, from the plume trade. Despite such protections, the ubiquity of synthetic “agents of death,” most notably DDT, in the mid-twentieth century sent the brown pelican to the list of endangered species. By the mid-1960s, not one viable pelican nest remained in all of Louisiana. Authorities declared the state bird locally extinct.

Conservation efforts—including an outlandish but well-planned birdnapping—saved the brown pelican, generating one of the great success stories in animal preservation. However, the brown pelican is once again under threat, particularly along Louisiana’s coast, due to land loss and rising seas. For centuries, artists and writers have portrayed the pelican as a bird that pierces its breast to feed its young, symbolizing saintly piety. Today, the brown pelican gives itself in other ways, sacrificed both by and for the environment as a bellwether bird—an indicator species portending potential disasters that await.

Brown Pelican combines history and first-person narrative to complicate, deconstruct, and reassemble our vision of the bird, the natural world, and ourselves.

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My Review: I can't think of too many things that more clearly say "Louisiana" to me than the sight of pelicans coming back to their nests from a long day's fishing over the Gulf of Mexico. The unbelieveably narrow brush these big, beautiful bird had with complete, species-level extinction...actually going locally extinct during the rampant mosquito-killing applications of dDT back in the 1960s. That being when I was first aware of the environment of the Gulf Coast and its multivarious bird species, I felt very invested in reading that part especially. (My part of the coast, in South Texas, had more roseate spoonbills over pelicans but they did show up.)

The natural world of Louisiana and of the Gulf Coast more broadly is cramjam full of fascinating creatures very much still threatened by the ongoing actvities of mankind, and the legacy of the petrochemical industry. Climate change won't do that finely balanced system a particle of good, either.

No, this is NOT me. I'm not that old.

While it is an academic book, a good story is a good story! How this species, a bellweather for the overall environmental health of its native region, was and is being protected is worth reading. This book's a great one for your birder friend, your environmentalist grandchild, your Louisiana-loving nephew who's discovered there's more to the place than the French Quarter...also anyone who just loves that there are still these beauties in the world:

I myownself think this is the face your giftee will make when this book comes out of the wrapping paper:

I know it is what my face did as I read about the past and present efforts to protect these marvelous dinosaurs.