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Pickles The Parrot: A Humorous Look at Life With an African Grey

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You can find the Ebook at smashwords.com/books/view/31179

Everyday life with an African Grey Parrot seen through the humorous and often twisted mind of his owner, Georgi. Her interesting perspectives on animal intellect and unique insights into nature take the reader on a thought provoking, entertaining and often hilarious ride. The star of the book, Pickles, takes his adventures in stride with wit and charm. Pickles is an intelligent parrot who constantly challenges Georgi to keep up with him, both physically and intellectually. His demanding, outspoken yet fun loving attitude places both himself and his owner in some very amusing, and sometimes embarassing, situations. Georgi touches a bit on nature, as it pertains to Pickles when he is outside in his aviary - their beautiful yard, trout pond and wild birdlife. She speaks of the trials and tribulations of owning a parrot - diet, behaviour and bird intellegence - but for the most part, this book is about the antics of a parrot who thrives on attention and mischief.

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148 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2010

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About the author

Georgi Abbott

6 books6 followers
Georgi Abbott was born in Vancouver, BC but has resided in the small town of Logan Lake, in the BC Interior, since 1996. Georgi enjoys a quaint and quiet life with her husband, Neil, their Min Pin dog, Neeka and, of course, their mischievous African Grey Parrot, Pickles. She has written 4 humorous books about Pickles, his adventures, and what it's like to live with such an intelligent little creature.

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5 stars
38 (49%)
4 stars
25 (32%)
3 stars
11 (14%)
2 stars
3 (3%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for John Zunski.
Author 3 books96 followers
January 2, 2013
A flippin' fun read about a lippy bird and the humans he torments. I would recommend this book for anyone who has or loves pets. Pickles had me laughing out loud a time or two. A tip of my hat to Ms. Abbott for not only putting up with Pickles, but having the patience to journal his exploits - probably while being heckled.
Profile Image for Albert.
207 reviews32 followers
September 8, 2012
This book is so laugh out loud funny you will need to blink through the tears in your eyes to read it. The fishing tips will actually help and the story will give you some alone time with your feathered friends. I recommend you buy and recommend that you read it aloud to any pet bird you have.
Profile Image for Tracy.
28 reviews2 followers
June 12, 2013
Such a good read. I could barely put it down. It's a one for those who have parrots. You will understand where the author is coming from. Informative and humours at the same time. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the pickles series
541 reviews2 followers
October 1, 2019
Although there were several typos which the editor should have caught and corrected, those errors did not make the book difficult to read.
The author loves birds, fishing, and apparently she loves writing, too. She gave her readers many humorous stories about Pickles the parrot who rules the roost at the home she and her husband provide for him.
Those of us who love to write sometimes find that writing helps us cope with our problems, especially when we can find humor in situations that otherwise would be frustrating enough to warrant a primal scream.
This is a short book, but I still had my doubts that I could stay interested long enough to finish a book about a parrot. However, the author's writing skills did keep my interest throughout the book, while she related various incidents of Pickles and his antics.
85 reviews
October 10, 2019
Pickles

I enjoyed reading about Pickles life and adventures. Every person who thinking about getting an African gray parrot should read this book to see how this is going to change their life. Pickles has a great personality and can be very amusing but watch out for him if he's in a grumpy or mischievous mood. It was fun to read about his life with his doting and sometimes harassed owners. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a laugh and information on living with a parrot.
136 reviews
May 17, 2025
I read this book because a friend has an African Grey Parrot and wanted to know about them. Believe me this book gives a lot of information about them. It is a funny book, but towards the end I got really bored and was looking for it to end. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a few laughs. Pickles is an interesting bird and is highly intelligent, but oh so much work. It seems to be a case of the bird owning the people, as opposed to the people owning the bird. This book is definitely worth reading.
57 reviews2 followers
November 7, 2019
A Good read for bird lovers.

I knew an African Grey Parrot when I was growing up. What Georgi Abbott writes about Pickles was true of my bird friend. In choosing to own one, you choose to get up close and personal with a unique species of high intelligence. It means taking up flock duties with royalty.
It was a privilege to read of a couple giving such great care to their treasured bird. Funny stories. Good advice.
Profile Image for sara.
360 reviews2 followers
December 25, 2019
I really enjoyed reading these stories about Pickles the African grey. I had some good laughs reading this!

I removed two stars because the author used “The R Word, and it was published 6 years ago. I almost stopped reading at that point and decided I would abandon it if she used the word again.

A small part of the loss of two stars was because there was a small section in the book where the author repeatedly referred to her dog and his dick. It was strange.
Profile Image for Martha Cardassi.
133 reviews
November 21, 2019
well,lots of errors that show not reviewed by an editor.but having had an amazing grey,true to life.
20 reviews
June 26, 2020
pickles

this book hooked me from the first page. I felt as though I was there. it left me wanting more.


15 reviews
April 12, 2022
Informative and interesting

I enjoyed the book and utilized it for educational purpose. I have been wanting another bird and researching different species.
453 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2019
Enjoyed reading about the parrot. I could relate with the author due to the fact that I own an Amazon parrot. Interesting read.
4,022 reviews21 followers
July 1, 2022
Having read a novel about an African Grey Parrot, I was curious to learn more about the bird. This book hit the spot. Taking on a parrot is a life-altering experience. Plus, one must commit to keeping one of these birds; they do not like change. One thing that surprised me was the extensive vocabulary of Pickles. So, I googled the subject and found that these parrots live 20 - 35 years as pets and about 23 years as wildlife animals. Wow. That is quite a time commitment to keep a bird.

Writing a whole book about a parrot seemed a stretch. However, the author moved around and added dog pets. Anyone considering getting an African Gray Parrot should read this book; it tells a cautionary tale about a complicated bird. Because of the bird's long life, owners must prepare for the care of the bird after their deaths. The author admits they haven't found an appropriate solution yet. In the end, several photos showed the couple with Pickles and their outdoor aviary.
Profile Image for Joanna Larum.
Author 14 books8 followers
March 1, 2015
Even though I don't have any birds, Pickles had me in stitches all the way through. Georgi's style is unique and easy to read and I love her sense of humour. As someone who has lived in England all her life, it also gave me an insight into Canada and Canadian life which I thoroughly enjoyed. Put me down for the rest of her books! I would recommend to all, even if you don't have any birds!
Profile Image for Ginger.
104 reviews6 followers
January 23, 2016
I just got an african grey so reading about pickles is really exciting me for what Eli could be like. There are lots of grammar and spelling errors in this book, and sometimes the author could use more transitions between subjects.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
6 reviews
May 30, 2013
I LOVE all four books written by Georgie Abbott describe the life of Pickles The Parrot, African Gray.
Profile Image for Linda.
483 reviews
Read
December 9, 2017
Read for book club. Not especially well written. Really a book only for domesticated bird lovers.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews