Life savers

MUCH of this book is about grief, family illness, personal trouble and strife; it is often an uncomfortable read. The birds come in to help turn things around, but while some fit the bill admirably, others barely enter the story and seem contrived. It is not a book meant to offer serious bird information.

Some birds are evoked better than others, while some of the details seem a bit off: I’m not sure it is a good idea to go to Wales to see eagles, or that a common bird on your hanging nut feeder is Blackbird, for example. Some of these things could easily have been picked up by an editor.

The value of birds as described – the inspirational qualities of Eurasian Skylark, for example – is unquestioned, but to be brutally honest most people take no notice. It is a very personal thing, as is this book.