Feathers of Hope: Pete Dubacher, The Berkshire Bird Paradise, and the Human Connection With Birds

by Barbara Chepaitis

A joyful journey through Pete Dubacher’s Berkshire Bird Paradise, and a thoughtful contemplation of our relationship to birds and nature.

Genres: Birds

170 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2010

About the author

I once asked a college class I was teaching to give me their biographies using one piece of paper, any way they wanted. I got back origami, paper airplanes, essays, crayola drawings and more - which made for some fun, instead of reading insipid, uninspired lists of facts.
My biography, using one piece of paper, would be a drawing of a tree, with roots reaching down through the darkest part of the earth toward its molten core, and branches straining toward the stars.
Birds, a few monkeys, a jaguar, and a million fireflies would populate the branches hung with all kinds of fruit and flowers. And it would be a big tree. Very big indeed.
Big as a soul.

Reviews

[Sherry Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is my friend’s sister. My friend let me borrow her book. I loved it so much that I’ve added it to my list of books I want to own. I love that it is about a local bird sanctuary. I love how the author relates us to the birds, Pete to the birds. I teared up numerous times while reading, I felt some of her words deep in my soul. I thank the author for writing this book; for allowing us a peek into Pete’s life, into his “Paradise”. This was a read that makes me yearn for more, that warms my heart, that allows me to escape the corporate world (as she says) and dip a toe into the world of nature. I for one, truly believe that nature is where I find my “paradise”.

[Koz]

Like Hitchcock's "The Birds," only instead of a terrifying story of a bunch birds killing people and eating their eyeballs, it's an inspirational story of one man saving the lives of a bunch of birds, presumably so they don't rise up against humanity and peck out all of our eyeballs. Or maybe not, the book probably has some sort of explanation, I imagine.

For one example of the work he does and the uphill battle he (and his friends, and apparently even the NAVY SEALS, face), read this:

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/...

I, for one, am glad I wear glasses during these trying times.

[Golda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book, but did not appreciate John Pipkin's comment that nature and wildlife reminds him of a vast holocaust. The food chain is not a vast holocaust. Get real. The author should have known better.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent work!