Flock Together

Named by Forbes as one of the 12 Best Books About Birds and Birding in 2017 After stumbling upon a book of photographs depicting extinct animals, B.J. Hollars became fascinated by creatures that are no longer with us: specifically, extinct North American birds. How, he wondered, could we preserve so beautifully on film what weve failed to preserve in life? And so begins his yearlong journey to find out, one that leads him from bogs to art museums, from archives to Christmas Bird Counts, until he at last comes as close to extinct birds as he ever will during a behind-the-scenes visit at the Chicago Field Museum. Heartbroken by the birds weve lost, Hollars takes refuge in those that remain. Armed with binoculars, a field guide, and knowledgeable friends, he begins his transition from budding birder to environmentally conscious citizen, a first step on a longer journey toward understanding the true tragedy of a birds song silenced forever. Told with charm and wit, Flock Together is a remarkable memoir that shows how knowing the natural worldeven just a small partilluminates what it means to be a global citizen and how only by embracing our ecological responsibilities do we ever become fully human. A moving elegy to birds weve lost, Hollarss exploration of what we can learn from extinct species will resonate in the minds of readers long beyond the final page.