Description

“Tan is a tremendously charming emissary from the world of birding . . . [Her] curiosity, along with a sharp eye and a novelist’s penchant for narrative, has been channeled into an absorbing, quirky book of days focused on the avian ecosystem Tan has established in her Sausalito backyard . . . The intensity of Tan’s love for her visitors makes The Backyard Bird Chronicles an unexpectedly moving account regardless of your level of interest in bird-watching. Because while the book is about goldencrowned sparrows and Cooper’s hawks and hummingbirds, it’s also a book about survival, adaptation, and chance.” —Francie Lin, The Boston Globe “Tan’s observations of her avian guests, recorded in journal form, are both entertaining and informative. And the drawings that illustrate her musings are remarkable . . . Like the early naturalists, Tan learns by watching, bringing no preconceptions, and it’s a pleasure to sit with her as she observes and accumulates knowledge. She takes careful notes, she sketches what she sees and she tries to draw conclusions . . . Fun, messy spontaneity, it turns out, can make for an awfully good book.” —Sue Horton, Los Angeles Times “Moving . . . Through diary entries, original sketches and questions to spark readers’ own introspection, this is a heartfelt look at the impact of the natural world—for those who take the time to look outside.” —People Magazine “Charming . . . Tan delivers a journal of birdwatching that’s filled with sketches, casual observations, and the delight of having a hummingbird feed out of your hand. Writers observe and Tan does that beautifully, encouraging you to pause, look around and observe as well. Not just for birders.” —Parade Magazine “Delightful . . . Tan’s lovely graphite and colored pencil drawings reveal yet another side of the multitalented author . . . Her depictions of their habits and foibles are laced with considerable wit . . . Her bird chronicles are fun, too — and informative.” —Heller McAlpin, Los A