The Backyard Bird Chronicles is a gently written and enjoyable ode to birdwatching full of reminiscences and sketches by Amy Tan. Released 23rd April 2024 by Knopf Doubleday, it's 320 pages and is available in flexibound, audio, and ebook formats.
Contemplative and relaxing to read, the author is quite talented with description and her ruminations on the division and unpleasantness which inevitably comes with being an internet citizen will have readers nodding along in sympathy. Her answer was to turn her gaze on the world outside her windows. She learned how to sketch the birds visiting her backyard, and she's done quite a remarkable job of it. Her sketches are technically adept and lovely to look at.
She also speaks a bit about the creative processes of writing a novel (torture, discipline, and structure) contra journal (pure joy and spontaneity) and how those differed from the drawing part.
It is written as a journal/diary... with dated observations and many illustrations. It's fascinating reading.
Four and a half stars. It would be a great public library acquisition, home library addition, or gift purposes.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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