I’ve by no means learn a guide like We Ought to All Be Birds. That’s saying so much, as a result of I learn so much – to the tune of fifty+ books a yr, together with opinions. However Brian Buckbee’s story of his thriller, debilitating sickness and the enjoyment and solace he present in yard birds is exclusive, one which reminds us all to understand life in all its types.
At its coronary heart, it is a guide about grief. Grief over love misplaced, grief in life-style misplaced, grief in recognizing a special future than the one you envisioned for your self. Buckbee writes eloquently and heartbreakingly about his sudden nosedive into fixed ache, weak point, and fatigue – penalties of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Power Fatigue Syndrome. In his distress, which features a near-constant migraine, he rescues an injured pigeon. Naming his new pal Two-Step, Buckbee steadily nurses the hen again to well being, slowly adopting extra injured birds earlier than releasing them again into his yard in Missoula, Montana. Many birders and wildlife managers detest pigeons, however Buckbee treats them with curiosity, empathy, and love, reminding readers that each one life is treasured.
I’m often a voracious reader, however moved slowly by way of We Ought to All Be Birds, pausing for reflection. The story shifts in time between his present life navigating his sickness, and the “earlier than occasions” when he travelled and he skilled the world with out fixed ache. As I learn, it felt like Buckbee talks proper to me. Which, in a manner, he does: His ache is so dangerous that he can barely learn on pc screens, so he dictates all the guide, which is then edited by Carol Ann Fitzgerald. Earlier than studying this, I’ll admit I barely checked out pigeons aside from noting their silhouettes as they flew over the freeway, however his phrases jogged my memory of their spectacular adaptability, their beautiful colour combos, and their dedication to their companions and chicks.
I like to recommend this guide to birders, nature lovers, and the commonly curious and empathetic. I promise you’ll stroll away with a brand new perspective on life in our large, chaotic world.
