A SUNDAY TIMES NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR

It's flight and egg and feathers and song. It's the demure plumage of a mountain thornbill and the extravagant tail feathers of an Indian paradise flycatcher, the solo song of a superb lyrebird and the perfectly timed duets of canebrake wrens, an osprey's hurtling dive toward the sea, and a long-legged heron's still, patient eyeing of the dark water.

There is no single bird way of being.

Drawing on personal observations, the latest science, and her bird-related travel around the world, Jennifer Ackerman playfully explores our dramatically shifting understanding of these magnificent animals.

'Jennifer Ackerman knows what she's talking about...Her knack for catching the personalities of different species in gorgeous, playful prose further collapses comfortable barriers between the human and the birdlike' Daily Telegraph

'The real joy of [this] book is its close attention to some of the specialists of the region... Ackerman is alive to the humour at play in field research ' Mark Cocker, Spectator

About the Author
JENNIFER ACKERMAN has been writing about science, nature, and human biology for almost three decades. A contributor to Scientific American, National Geographic, The New York Times, and many other publications, Ackerman is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship in Nonfiction, a Bunting Fellowship, and a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Reviews
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 *



Book Information
ISBN 9781472152923
Author Jennifer Ackerman
Format Paperback
Page Count 368
Imprint Corsair
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 280g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 126mm * 32mm