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2 Beaverton Nature Studies- Ornithology

Providence of a Sparrow: Lessons from a Life Gone to the Birds

by Chris Chester

Providence of a Sparrow: Lessons from a Life Gone to the Birds Cover

ISBN13: 9781400033850
ISBN10: 1400033853
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

"There's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow." — William Shakespeare, Hamlet

B fell twenty-five feet from his nest into the life of Chris Chester. The encounter was providential for both of them.

B and Chester spent hours together playing games like bottle-cap fetch or hide-and-seek. They learned "words" in each other's vocabularies. B developed a fetish for nostrils and a dislike of the color yellow. He grew anxious if Chester came home late from work. At bedtime he would rub his sleepy eyes on Chester's thumb and settle to sleep in his palm. Chester ended up turning part of his house into an aviary and adjusting his social life to meet B's demands. This was a small price to pay, though, for the trust and comfort of a twenty-five-gram friend who brought joy and wonder back into his life.

Review:

"A wonderfully literate, oddball meditation on life and the power of rich friendships with small birds." Los Angeles Times

Review:

"A story charmingly told, sprinkled with scientific information on birds, philosophical meanderings, the friendship that forms between human and avian...as mesmerizing as a bunch of feathers and dark eyes alighting in your hand." The Sunday Oregonian

Review:

"Highly astute and humorous....Filled with literary, historical, and scientific allusions, each so well-placed and -timed that one wonders at the author's encyclopedic mind." Missoula Independent

Review:

"Heartfelt, warm, and entertaining....Highly literate and filled with personal ruminations, avian research, and literary allusions, Chester's writing style sets this book apart from other animal memoirs." Library Journal

Synopsis:

In the years since Chris Chester and his wife Rebecca rescued "B," a featherless baby bird — a creature with all the initial appeal of "a testicle with a beak" — they've had plenty of time to consider and reconsider their eccentric lifestyle. The upstairs floor of their home in Portland has become an indoor aviary. There is B's room, which he shares with a varying number of finches; the canary room; and the room housing the three subsequent foundling sparrows they've adopted: Baby, Pee Wee, and Seven. There are screen doors mounted in the doorways, congruent with "the Appalachian-themed decor." They've learned sparrow games like "War Bird," "Love Bird," and "Hit the Cap." The birds' bedtime rituals alone take an hour or more each night and cleaning the house for company means, essentially, cleaning room-sized cages. Not surprisingly the couple's social life has suffered a decline.

About the Author

Chris Chester lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, cats and birds. Providence of a Sparrow is his first book.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
freddy jane, March 23, 2008 (view all comments by freddy jane)
I have given away three copies of this book. To me, Chris Chester's memoir sings of all that is special about Portland, Oregon. His kindness to a small bird resulted in a work of great beauty.
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(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
jar8425, May 11, 2007 (view all comments by jar8425)
I don't know how to say these words. I feel like the person who attends the death of a saint.

Chris Chester, the author of this fine and moving book, died unexpectedly on April 19, 2007.

He was a man of great humor and insight. His passing was sudden and saddened greatly all who knew him.

I don't believe in reincarnation, but if I did, I'd hope he and B get a chance to fly together next time around.
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(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781400033850
Subtitle:
Lessons from a Life Gone to the Birds
Author:
Chester, Chris
Publisher:
Anchor Books
Location:
New York
Subject:
General
Subject:
English sparrow.
Subject:
Environmental Conservation & Protection - General
Subject:
Essays
Copyright:
Edition Description:
Anchor Books
Series Volume:
no. 03-07
Publication Date:
April 2004
Binding:
Paperback
Language:
English
Pages:
304
Dimensions:
8.10x5.26x.66 in. .49 lbs.

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