Tweet tweet, Bookworms!
It feels like there’s something missing in my life, and that something is a nonsensical book list. In the spirit of doing things just for the heck of it, I’ve compiled a list of books for y’all today that include birds in the title. Because why the heck not?
1. The Sparrow
by Mary Doria Russell (review 1, review 2)- Fake Spoiler Alert: It’s not about a bird. Well, not a literal bird anyway. It’s about Jesuits in space. And aliens. It’s awesome.
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee- Fake Spoiler Alert: It’s not about killing mockingbirds, much to the chagrin of every cat meme on the internet. It’s actually about civil rights and non scummy lawyers and neighborhood weirdos.
3. The Goldfinch
by Donna Tartt (review)- Okay, you guys, this book ACTUALLY has a bird in it. Ha! I’m lying again. It does have a portrait of a bird, though, and the greatest ne’er-do-well to grace the pages of modern literature. BORIS, I love you.
4. Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls
by David Sedaris (review)- Man, I am good at picking books with birds in the title that have very little to do with birds, aren’t I? The only owl to appear in this book is taxidermy, but you guys, it’s a DAVID SEDARIS book and therefore hilarious and wonderful.
5. A Feast for Crows
by George RR Martin- Dark wings, dark words, kids. Ravens are the cool birds in Westeros, what with their message carrying and all, but crows like to hang out and pick at carrion, too. And, let’s face it, there’s a lot of carrion to be picking at in Westeros by book 4, you know what I’m saying?
6. Mr. Popper’s Penguins
by Richard and Florence Atwater (review)- You didn’t really think I was going to make a list dedicated to birds and not list a book about penguins did you? Silly, silly bookworms! This is among my all time favorite whimsical children’s books. I sent my “nephew” a copy. When he was 3. And unable to read. I just get REALLY EXCITED about books.
7. A Redbird Christmas
by Fannie Flagg (review)- I love Fannie Flagg, some books more than others. This wasn’t my favorite of hers, but you know. I like Christmas. I like books with birds in the title.
8. Leonardo’s Swans
by Karen Essex- I love me some hist-ART-ical fiction, and this book went back to the Italian Renaissance to get inside the lives of some of DaVinci’s subjects.
9. Wild Swans
by Jung Chang- Swans again? Heck yes! This book is AMAZING and it’s about the lives and journeys of three women in China. It’s intense and true and you should read it and learn things. It’s non-fiction and worth all the brain power.
10. Oryx and Crake
by Margaret Atwood- A crake is a bird, y’all. A dude who calls himself “Crake” after an extinct bird in the future and goes on to mastermind a new race of sentient beings while bringing about the destruction of humanity is a mad scientist. Subtle distinction.
I’m sure I’ve missed many a bird. What are your favorite books with birds in the title, Bookworms?
*If you make a purchase through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission. I’ll use it to feed the birds. Tuppence a bag, you say?*
Sorry, I had to.
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Barbie
Would you buy The Pinhoe Egg by Dianna Wunne Jones? Mary Stewart wrote The Stormy Petrel, and Dorothy Dunnett, the great writer of historical fiction, also wrote some frivolous mysteries, called in the American editions, “Dolly and the…” Her bird on was Dolly and the Bird of Paradise. A freebie I downloaded from Smashwords is called Temple of the Dove, but with grammatical errors in the prologue, it is probably soon for the ash heap. Joann Bertin’s Dragon and Phoenix. Octavia E. Butler wrote Fledgling. Summer and Bird, a children’s book fromDutton by Katherine Catmull. But I will stop now. It’s early in the morning in Vermont and I have not yet been to bed. The cats want their breakfast.
Words For Worms
Oooh excellent suggestions!
Sarah Says Read
It has never occurred to me just how many books there are with birds in the title! Ummmm does a Mockingjay count? LOL. That’s the best I can do, a fictional bird.
Words For Worms
Fictional birds count! I almost included that one, actually, but since I already had 10 with real birds, I let it slide.
Charleen
Still Life with Crows
Also, if mythical birds count, HP and the Order of the Phoenix.
Words For Worms
Yes to mythical birds! Fawkes is the best!
Sarah @ Sarah's Book Shelves
Ha! I love this list! Loved The Goldfinch and especially Boris…you’re categorization of him as “greatest ne’er-do-well to grace the pages of modern literature” is absolutely spot on!
And – I don’t think I’ve even read this book, but what about I know Why the Caged Bird Sings?
Words For Worms
Way to bring in the Angelou! (And thanks for the Boris love. Man, I love that guy. He’s such a scumbag, but I adore him!)
Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader
Love this list 😀 How about The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen? I didn’t realize there were so many bird books out there!
Thanks for sharing that gif. Now that song will be in my head for the rest of the morning. SUPER 😉
Words For Worms
Haaaaa! I couldn’t not include the gif. It’s the song that inspired the post, actually. Hubs is rather fond of Family Guy.
Parastou
Loved this post!
How about Bird Box, by Josh Malerman. A box of birds does feature briefly, but it will mostly just scare the feathers off you (sorry – had to be done!).
Words For Worms
Haaaaaaaa!!!!! 1,000 brownie points for the terrible pun!
Megan M.
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling!
I guess birds just lend themselves well to symbolism.
Words For Worms
I finally read this one! Or, well, listened to it, at any rate. I keep pushing the review because of scheduling, but it was good times.
Megan M.
Ooh, exciting! I’m really enjoying the series so far.
A Cocoon of Books
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. The peregrine in question is an actual bird… sometimes.
Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline. The bird is definitely metaphorical in this case.
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight, which is the odd one out here as a non-fiction book about reading the Bible. But it’s really good!
I love the idea of making a list on a fun theme like this!
Words For Worms
Doh! I forgot about Miss Peregrine! Silly me! I’ve been meaning to read more Christina Baker Kline too, I appreciate the reminder 🙂
A Cocoon of Books
Also thought of some classics…
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
and of course…
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Words For Worms
Brilliant!
Lost in Literature 108
Trumpet of the Swans, The Story About Ping, Make Way for Ducklings, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Thanks for high-jacking my brain. Probably for the whole weekend!
Amy @ Read a Latte
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is another one, and Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets! I never would have thought there were so many bird titles !
Words For Worms
Excellent choices!
Andi (@estellasrevenge)
Put a bird on it! That’s one sure fire way to make sure I’ll want to read it since I’ve read or want to read darn near all of these. And that Family Guy GIF made for a total earworm. I’ll never get it out now that I’m remembering that episode.
Words For Worms
In the original draft of this post, “Put a Bird on It” was the title. You know me too well, Andi, darling.
Jenny @ Reading the End
Oo, Jonathan Livingston Seagull! I guess just the word “bird” doesn’t count, like I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and The Thorn Birds and like that? Wings of the Dove! Still Life with Woodpecker, Black Swan Green.
Words For Worms
Holy crap, I have been meaning to read The Thorn Birds FOREVER. I hear there’s a scandalous affair with a priest, so OBVIOUSLY it’s my kind of book.
Monika @ Lovely Bookshelf
Wow, I didn’t realize how popular bird book titles are! Cool list, as always! 🙂
Words For Worms
If by “cool” you mean “random and ridiculous” then I concur :).
Leah @ Books Speak Volumes
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle!
Words For Worms
I wonder how much longer I’ll be able to avoid Murakami…