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Why Do Birds
It’s the early 21st century. Ed Stone says he’s been in suspended animation since the 1930s. He says he was kidnapped by aliens. He says they sent him on a mission: to convince the nations of the world to build a massive vault, a mile on each side, in which humanity’s billions will lie in suspension and survive the impending destruction of Earth.
Ed Stone says all these things, and the strangest part is that people believe him—ordinary people and powerful people alike.
Ed Stone says all these things, and the strangest part is that people believe him—ordinary people and powerful people alike.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
5 people are currently reading
324 people want to read
About the author
Damon Knight
580 books97 followersDamon Francis Knight was an American science fiction author, editor, and critic.
Knight's first professional sale was a cartoon drawing to a science-fiction magazine, Amazing Stories. His first story, "Resilience", was published in 1941. He is best known as the author of "To Serve Man", which was adapted for The Twilight Zone. He was a recipient of the Hugo Award, founder of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), cofounder of the National Fantasy Fan Federation, cofounder of the Milford Writer's Workshop, and cofounder of the Clarion Writers Workshop. Knight lived in Eugene, Oregon, with his wife Kate Wilhelm.
Knight's first professional sale was a cartoon drawing to a science-fiction magazine, Amazing Stories. His first story, "Resilience", was published in 1941. He is best known as the author of "To Serve Man", which was adapted for The Twilight Zone. He was a recipient of the Hugo Award, founder of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), cofounder of the National Fantasy Fan Federation, cofounder of the Milford Writer's Workshop, and cofounder of the Clarion Writers Workshop. Knight lived in Eugene, Oregon, with his wife Kate Wilhelm.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 11, 2012
Ed Stone claims to be from the past. As he says in the second sentence of the novel, "I think I was kidnapped from nineteen thirty-one and brought here [2002], and I think the aliens sent me back to put the whole human race in a box." He is willing to accept that he may be crazy, but his clothing and fillings are period-appropriate, and he carries with him a seemingly-brand-new copy of Astounding Stories from 1931 (which has an odd role to play in the story as meta-commentary). He also wears a ring that he claims was given to him by the aliens, which causes anybody who comes in contact with it to acquiesce to his wishes: it seems the aliens (if they existed) were not unaware that his request might be met with skepticism. The ring works. All of this is provided to the reader in the first two chapters.
This novel seems to have time traveled from an earlier age, much like its protagonist. It is almost as if Knight set himself the task of writing a Golden Age novel in the nineties. And yes, I realize that 1931 was pre-Golden Age. It may in fact want to be a pulp story like the one in Stone's copy of Astounding, but the pace is slower and the themes more complex. Still, all of the characters speak like they've stepped out of an earlier age. There's only one female character, and while her role is a large and participatory one, we aren't given a lot of insight into her driving forces. Then again, we don't see the driving forces behind many of the characters at all; even Stone is a cipher. The thing that most gives it its archaic feel is the technology. For a nineties projection of the early twenty first century there are some odd gaps in technology. At one point in the story DNA testing would have been mighty useful. I would rather have seen some line about how it had been outlawed instead of having it ignored. Minor complaint.
The tone of the book is about what you would expect from something that is subtitled "a comic novel of the destruction of the human race," and which is prefaced by quotes from both the Koran and the Marx Brothers. There's something pretty hilarious about Stone's forthrightness, and about the ways that people set about putting his plans in action. I think my favorite chapters involve a bunch of random talking head characters sitting around and debating logistics and marketing to get people into the Cube. It drags a bit in the final acts, and doesn't quite answer every question it puts forward, but I found it pretty satisfying. Ed Stone is a strange messiah, but these are strange times. If he's right we have about two more years. Will you stay behind or choose the Cube?
This novel seems to have time traveled from an earlier age, much like its protagonist. It is almost as if Knight set himself the task of writing a Golden Age novel in the nineties. And yes, I realize that 1931 was pre-Golden Age. It may in fact want to be a pulp story like the one in Stone's copy of Astounding, but the pace is slower and the themes more complex. Still, all of the characters speak like they've stepped out of an earlier age. There's only one female character, and while her role is a large and participatory one, we aren't given a lot of insight into her driving forces. Then again, we don't see the driving forces behind many of the characters at all; even Stone is a cipher. The thing that most gives it its archaic feel is the technology. For a nineties projection of the early twenty first century there are some odd gaps in technology. At one point in the story DNA testing would have been mighty useful. I would rather have seen some line about how it had been outlawed instead of having it ignored. Minor complaint.
The tone of the book is about what you would expect from something that is subtitled "a comic novel of the destruction of the human race," and which is prefaced by quotes from both the Koran and the Marx Brothers. There's something pretty hilarious about Stone's forthrightness, and about the ways that people set about putting his plans in action. I think my favorite chapters involve a bunch of random talking head characters sitting around and debating logistics and marketing to get people into the Cube. It drags a bit in the final acts, and doesn't quite answer every question it puts forward, but I found it pretty satisfying. Ed Stone is a strange messiah, but these are strange times. If he's right we have about two more years. Will you stay behind or choose the Cube?
October 1, 2010
70 out of 100 for 2010
Damon Knight was one of the true grand masters of science fiction; unlike many other writers, much of his writing is pessimistic and has a dark side, and yet it manifests iteself in a dark, quirkly sense of humor. This novel is subtitled "The Comic Novel of the Destruction of the Human Race." It's a good indicator of what the book is about.
Ed Stone was kidnapped in 1931 by aliens, and, the next thing he knows, he's back on Earth in 2002. He has been told that the Earth would be destroyed in about twelve years, and it is his duty to persuade the governments of the world to build a big box and to put everyone in the planet in the box. He succeeds, not because he's so persuasive, but partially because he freely admits that he might be crazy and is unsure if he is right. He has been given a special ring, though, so that anyone he actually has contact personal with believes him . . . for a while.
Predictably, forces also line up against him and denounce him as a fraud. And, although Ed is likable, you're not sure if you want him to succeed, or if he's a vilalin or not. And it'd a Damon Knight ending; I didn't really beleive the world was going to come to an end until it did. He also kills Ed off . . .but he is vindicated because aliens really do come and take the big box, which contains most of humanity, off the planet prior to its destruction.
If you like Knight, it's a great read. If you're not a big fan of old school SF, it might be an acquired taste.
Damon Knight was one of the true grand masters of science fiction; unlike many other writers, much of his writing is pessimistic and has a dark side, and yet it manifests iteself in a dark, quirkly sense of humor. This novel is subtitled "The Comic Novel of the Destruction of the Human Race." It's a good indicator of what the book is about.
Ed Stone was kidnapped in 1931 by aliens, and, the next thing he knows, he's back on Earth in 2002. He has been told that the Earth would be destroyed in about twelve years, and it is his duty to persuade the governments of the world to build a big box and to put everyone in the planet in the box. He succeeds, not because he's so persuasive, but partially because he freely admits that he might be crazy and is unsure if he is right. He has been given a special ring, though, so that anyone he actually has contact personal with believes him . . . for a while.
Predictably, forces also line up against him and denounce him as a fraud. And, although Ed is likable, you're not sure if you want him to succeed, or if he's a vilalin or not. And it'd a Damon Knight ending; I didn't really beleive the world was going to come to an end until it did. He also kills Ed off . . .but he is vindicated because aliens really do come and take the big box, which contains most of humanity, off the planet prior to its destruction.
If you like Knight, it's a great read. If you're not a big fan of old school SF, it might be an acquired taste.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2019
A brilliantly thought provoking story.
October 19, 2008
This book was a profound pleasure. I've been reading heaps of contemporary stuff that blather on and on filling page after page with fatty vacuous prose.
The writing here is so crisp and subtle. Very easy to read-- most of it is dialogue. And what an ear for dialogue Knight has-- the characterization and dramatic tension that he accomplishes with simple conversations is marvelous.
The plot is a page turner until the very end. maybe the end isn't what you wanted to have happen, maybe it's abrupt, but brilliantly awesome endings are few are far between and while I would like there to be enough perfect endings out there to make it a criteria for five stars, sadly it is not the case.
A book that is incredibly compelling until the final sentence, like this one, will have to suffice. Whether you like that final sentence or not.
The writing here is so crisp and subtle. Very easy to read-- most of it is dialogue. And what an ear for dialogue Knight has-- the characterization and dramatic tension that he accomplishes with simple conversations is marvelous.
The plot is a page turner until the very end. maybe the end isn't what you wanted to have happen, maybe it's abrupt, but brilliantly awesome endings are few are far between and while I would like there to be enough perfect endings out there to make it a criteria for five stars, sadly it is not the case.
A book that is incredibly compelling until the final sentence, like this one, will have to suffice. Whether you like that final sentence or not.
July 24, 2008
What I most enjoyed in this book was the sheer chutzpah of the main character, who with the help of an alien artifact sets out to build a cube big enough to hold the entire human race, and then convince everyone to get into it.
Damon Knight spends just the right amount of time considering the engineering and logistical challenges of such an undertaking. It's something of an enjoyable challenge to imagine how one would go about it.
His characters are entertaining and believable, but the plot seems a bit unfocused -- the resolution of the storyline didn't feel like it rose organically from the characterization.
Damon Knight spends just the right amount of time considering the engineering and logistical challenges of such an undertaking. It's something of an enjoyable challenge to imagine how one would go about it.
His characters are entertaining and believable, but the plot seems a bit unfocused -- the resolution of the storyline didn't feel like it rose organically from the characterization.
March 17, 2021
Received an interesting, positive review in (I think) Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (review by Baird Searles, July 1993) and not too long after I read the library's copy. Enjoyed it while finding it, as predicted, one to think on, not one with all the ends wrapped up tight (if I recall correctly.)
Date started and finished - guesswork. Edit: It was first published in 1994, so I'm guessing that despite the 1993 review, I read it closer to 1995 or so. again, guesswork...
Date started and finished - guesswork. Edit: It was first published in 1994, so I'm guessing that despite the 1993 review, I read it closer to 1995 or so. again, guesswork...
April 2, 2021
This novel is old-school, but in a bad way, not a good way. A "Lemme tell you 'bout this story..." kind of book. Nearly 300 pages of that.
The author posits an Earth near-Future from his reference point of 1992 that so misses its mark you have to tell yourself this is an "alternate-timeline Earth" in order to suspend your disbelief.
Life is just too short to get trapped reading such books.
The author posits an Earth near-Future from his reference point of 1992 that so misses its mark you have to tell yourself this is an "alternate-timeline Earth" in order to suspend your disbelief.
Life is just too short to get trapped reading such books.
November 27, 2011
??? WTF?
July 2, 2021
What a crazy book. It has stuck with me long after finishing it. I appreciate that the majority of the book deals with the logistics of the task. Some nice social insight in there.
May 31, 2025
Ed Stone, a man from the 1930s to the 21st century. According to him, he was kidnapped by aliens. After this event, which admittedly doesn't happen every day, Stone wants to build a giant box with the aim of putting all of humanity inside. No less! Because the Earth is going to be destroyed. By whom? A meteorite? A nuclear war? The aliens themselves? Everyone thinks Stone is crazy, including himself. But, as an African proverb says: "If you want to know the truth, listen to the madmen."
The novel is a quick read, as the chapters are short and there is a lot of dialogue. However, the ending (i.e., the last chapter) is rushed.
The novel is a quick read, as the chapters are short and there is a lot of dialogue. However, the ending (i.e., the last chapter) is rushed.
June 7, 2022
This is an old book (1992), written by an author born in the 1920s. A musty air permeates the book: dialogues sound antiquated, the structure is linear, we learn nothing about any character. We also learn very little about the world of 2005.
Suspicion and belittling of anything non-american, non-male feels like not only the protagonist is from the 1930s.
Knight was known for short stories, and the book has a few good moments. The opening is great, the idea is outrageously funny. There are a few well-placed social criticisms. But all of that is lost in bad prose and unnecessary details.
Suspicion and belittling of anything non-american, non-male feels like not only the protagonist is from the 1930s.
Knight was known for short stories, and the book has a few good moments. The opening is great, the idea is outrageously funny. There are a few well-placed social criticisms. But all of that is lost in bad prose and unnecessary details.
September 26, 2025
This is a very original story! It made me think about how society chooses who to believe. I feel like I need to reread this to understand exactly what all happened. It seems like a simple book but the more I think about it , the more questions I have. I do enjoy a book that makes you really think!
July 12, 2017
weird but interesting thought experiment. I would have liked to see more depth in the characters, I couldn't really relate to them much.
January 9, 2019
Not bad. The book is well written but the characters, particularly the protagonist, seem flat. I particularly enjoyed the handling of the premise.
January 26, 2019
Interessante, ma l'intero libro è permeato da una ingenuità disarmante, sia dal personaggio principale che dal resto dell'umanità (già, proprio tutta l'umanità!).
July 28, 2020
Really strong opening, absurdist humor ala hitchhiker's guide but couldn't keep it going throughout.
January 22, 2021
Lots of fun. A bit like the comic stories of Fredric Brown and William Tenn.
March 2, 2022
So hard to say why I liked this book. It is a lot about style, which is minimalistic, but entertaining. I just.
Read
August 26, 2022DNF (for now)
September 10, 2024
This lost a lot of steam in the second half. bit of a let down really.
January 22, 2014
I was looking for this book since it was published, but I had no Internet then (circa 1993) and if I wanted to read it I would have to import it. (An acquaintance of mine had done it, and he wouldn't borrow the book.) It just went digital a while ago; I bought it now - and I'm not disappointed.
Damon Knight was a master of the trade. He could not only write good science fiction; he could write good fiction, period. He could also make you laugh. He could create the most implausible situations and kick suspension of disbelief in the butt.
That's exactly what he does in Why Do Birds: he creates a situation so implausible an SF writer of my generation (and, come to think of it, of his generation too) would never risk her neck trying to - too damn unbelievable, we would say. He knew that, of course! And he pulled that one all the same!
I read this novel in one sitting, even though I pretty much knew the story already (don't worry - no spoilers here). I loved the old-fashioned tone of the dialogues and most of the characters - the novel reads as something out of the 1950s or the 1960s, but who cares? The premise would be damn hard no matter the decade! So I liked Knight even more for his gall.
I only wish he could have written a sequel called SUDDENLY APPEAR - but the pun would have been too much.
Damon Knight was a master of the trade. He could not only write good science fiction; he could write good fiction, period. He could also make you laugh. He could create the most implausible situations and kick suspension of disbelief in the butt.
That's exactly what he does in Why Do Birds: he creates a situation so implausible an SF writer of my generation (and, come to think of it, of his generation too) would never risk her neck trying to - too damn unbelievable, we would say. He knew that, of course! And he pulled that one all the same!
I read this novel in one sitting, even though I pretty much knew the story already (don't worry - no spoilers here). I loved the old-fashioned tone of the dialogues and most of the characters - the novel reads as something out of the 1950s or the 1960s, but who cares? The premise would be damn hard no matter the decade! So I liked Knight even more for his gall.
I only wish he could have written a sequel called SUDDENLY APPEAR - but the pun would have been too much.
October 6, 2014
I probably would have given it 3.5 stars if I could. It was entertaining, and the ending isn't "typical", but as another reviewer mentioned, it seems like it should have been quite a bit longer. I never got the chance to connect with any of the characters, which is a big minus.
October 18, 2011
I liked it, especially the end, which was uncompromising.
May 30, 2013
An interesting premise, but it feels like this book should be twice as long - so much is left unsaid and unresolved.
August 11, 2015
Nice, easy vacation read. Amusing.
January 6, 2023
Not particularly enticing. In fact, absolutely crazy.
January 1, 2016
hmm. my first old school sci-fi. sort of feels like a hybrid of sci-fi and noir. quirky, easy.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews