The Bird Way

Reviews / Votes

This book is a celebration of the dizzying variety of bird life and behaviour, one that will enthral birders and non-birders alike . . . The science here is hard, compelling and presented in Ackerman's engaging and jargon-free prose, and on every page there is evidence to support the book's thesis . . . The Bird Way crystallises and threads together these revelations into a book full of wonders large and small. * The Observer (Alex Preston) * The American author Jennifer Ackerman is not a field researcher, but with her eye for a great story she converts the scientific findings of others into popular books. The Bird Way builds on her previous volume The Genius of Birds (2016), already considered a classic. The new book, while offering a global survey of the latest research into the lives of birds, focuses on Australasia, and confronts the prejudice of so much Euro-American ornithology . . . The real joy of her book is its close attention to some of the specialists of the region . . . Ackerman is also alive to the humour at play in field research. * Mark Cocker, The Spectator * Quirky, poetic . . . biologist and bestselling author Jennifer Ackerman knows what she's talking about . . . Chapter by meatily evidence-based chapter, she lays out the assumptions that underpin our understanding of birds - and then pecks them apart . . .Her knack for catching the personalities of different species in gorgeous, playful prose further collapses comfortable barriers between the human and the birdlike . . . More than it is a book about birds - and it is, indisputably, a book about birds - The Bird Way is about diversity and tolerance. A little bird told me that's just what we need in 2020. * Daily Telegraph, ***** FIVE STARS * In The Bird Way, Jennifer Ackerman digs deeper and ranges farther into bird behaviour, pulling tasty stories out of rich ground as she hops across the continents [ . . . ] Like a bowerbird, Ms. Ackerman gathers and displays treasures to amaze and delight - then lets the scientists' stories take center stage [. . .] Refreshingly, Ackerman spotlights a number of female researchers * Wall Street Journal * Ackerman's new book reminds us that we have a lot in common with birds - like us, they are capable of deception and manipulation, not to mention cooperation, culture and communication * The Washington Post * From tales of dazzling plumage to anecdotes about almost unfathomable mimicry, Jennifer Ackerman's The Bird Way is a walk through the mysteries, wonders, and peculiarities of the avian world [. . . ] Ackerman's excitement and love for it are evident in her writing. Her superb storytelling paints a rich picture that engages the reader's imagination, making sometimes-hard-to-grasp research accessible * Science Magazine * [Ackerman's] exhilarating book will leave you as awestruck by the complexities and contradictions of bird life as she is * San Francisco Chronicle *