There were moments when listening to this lovely memoir about birding, when I wondered why Mr. Cooper should write a memoir, if it weren't for the Unfortunate Incident in Central Park. But later, as I got further into the book and learned that he was in fact a published author, that it made much more sense. (yes, arguably everyone has a story to tell. But I don't think everyone should try to tell it.) And it explained how this book, which has the jumping off of an ugliness about American society, manages to be so thoughtful, so calm, so well-structured, and so ordinary (in the best possible way).
Christian grew up on Long Island and picked up birding as a very young child. His father took him to some organized birding walks where his skill (occasionally correcting the leader) and enthusiasm quickly became very apparent. And it has infused his life ever since. It was a way to bond with his father, a science teacher and outdoor enthusiast. It is a way to organize his life. It's even been a way to meet people--despite its reputation as a solitary endeavor, birders over time in repeated locations tend to eventually get to know each other. A gay man working in comic book publishing in New York City wasn't exactly bereft of friends, but these are a very different kind of friend. And one day, early in the pandemic, a white woman in The Ramble in Central Park let her dog off leash, illegally, and Chris very calmly and politely reminded her of the law and asked her to leash her dog. We all remember what happened next.
But he doesn't focus the book on issues of racism, and I won't either. He has issues with his dad but they reconcile towards the end of his life, which was so nice to see. He has relationships flourish and also break up. His travels are amazing. Even as someone who travels as much as I do, I was a bit envious. He was a lovely person to spend a lot of afternoons with, the audio recording he did was fantastic and felt really personable and friendly. I would thoroughly enjoy spending more time with him.
I borrowed this digital audiobook from the library via Libby.
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