"In this uplifting memoir, a professor and activist shares what birds can teach us about life, social change, and protecting the environment"-- In this affecting memoir, O'Kane (Guatemala in Focus), a natural sciences lecturer at the University of Vermont, elegantly weaves personal and natural history as she details how her fascination with birds compelled her to quit her journalism career, return to school at age 45 to get a PhD in environmental studies, and become an ardent conservationist. Interspersed with O'Kane's account of deciding to go back to school after observing the resilience of New Orleans sparrows in the wake of Hurricane Katrina are riveting details about how the birds likely followed humans out of Africa and were alternately treated with admiration (the first sparrows were brought to the U.S. in 1850 because "European immigrants simply missed" them) and contempt (extermination campaigns from the 1700s through the 1930s collectively killed hundreds of millions). Provided by publisher.

Strange teachers -- C'est levee -- Song of the house sparrow -- Our lady of the applesauce -- The quiet broken ones -- A category five plan -- Hail to the thunder-pumper -- Roll that teacher down the hill -- The great geese wars -- The birder's gaze -- In the kingdom of Dumetella -- An elephant, a magnificent jellyfish, and an American woodcock walk into a bar.