Guest review by Janelle Bailey, avid reader/ever-an-educator/lifelong learner

As soon as I saw this book cover online and the author’s name, the reference to birding in its title, I knew EXACTLY who this man is, remembered well the incident, and thought: by golly, he’s written a book. This is, however, not a book solely about that incident in Central Park’s Ramble in May of 2020; nor is it the only reason anyone should know Christian Cooper.

In fact, this book is about so much more than that, that “that” incident doesn’t really even take up a single chapter of its own; rather, one prevalent reality throughout the book circles and highlights that the direction had been given for all of the local NYC birders to behave much as Christian Cooper did “that” day: begin video recording any interaction with and then request that anyone with an unleashed animal leash it. As one can quickly learn, and as Cooper conveys in this book for non-birders or budding birders to learn: loose dogs readily mess with any/all birds enjoying their natural habitat for birders to seek/find/enjoy. And that day Christian Cooper began recording the interaction as he made that request of Amy Cooper (totally a coincidence, they are in no way related), that she leash her dog. What happened from there was far more her deal than his. And oh, what a mess it was.

What really happens in this book instead is that Christian Cooper articulates well his own coming of age and coming of birding love and skill, not blissfully blooming into his own adult life and easily finding his way but more like most of us, figuring it out day by day, year by year. He tells it all as it is, though, and yet omits “gay” from the title, when that is also very much who he is, AND it’s certainly a reality conveyed inside the front cover, inside the back cover, etc. so I gather it was an executive decision to not lead with it in the title.

I did enjoy hearing from a very honest and sincere telling, more about who Cooper is and how he came to his “now,” struggling much of his young adult into adult life to be comfortable and confident in his own skin, his own home. The book seems to convey that he is, indeed, enjoying life now and in ways that were worth earning–working and striving toward now. And I very much appreciated and enjoyed some of the finer points he makes about birds as well. That is, indeed, one premise and product achieved by the book, and I am inspired to listen and look more carefully, to follow some of his birding tips and to also consider the seven pleasures of birding he shares.

I am especially pleased to have read this book while camping at a state park, considering that scenery and those sounds and their connection to all of the learning about birding and birds and nature, ala Christian Cooper’s conveyance of his experiences. They will long be connected experiences for me.