wonderfully written overview of 10 seabird species

loved it, especially how the science is done. A little less interested in the tales of cloth brutality

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Everyone should Listen to this Book

I thought it was wonderful but sad to know some of our Sea Birds are struggling to find food
Plastic pollution warming seas killing our Sea Birds
Long line Fishing nets DEATH TRAPS

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Enchanting, a reverie of Seabirds. Haunting.

A beautiful book, and I felt the narration fitted the text well. I could hardly stop listening, even during some of the less humane research and sad tales of human exploitation and destruction of seabirds caused discomfort. Author's passion for and intense appreciation was clear and infectious.

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Great insight into seabird life

Excellent, thorough insight into the 10 seabirds in this book. Harrowing at times, hopeful at times.

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Beautifully read book

Would highly recommend this book - lots of interesting facts; I learnt loads; and the audio is lovely

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As rare and precious as Great Orc's egg

Would you consider the audio edition of The Seabird's Cry to be better than the print version?

I am not sure if the print version contained any pictures? I did find myself having to google some of the birds to see what they looked like. I didn't mind that in the slightest though and preferred having this amazing book to listen to while I was out and about running from various places in London at the weekend.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Oh goodness it is so hard to choose! I will say the Great Orc, I hadn't known anything about Great Orcs before this let alone the fact they are now extinct. I do also have a bit of a soft spot for puffins too and was very fun finding out more about them.

Have you listened to any of Dugald Bruce-Lockhart’s other performances? How does this one compare?

At first I felt the narrator sounded a bit like someone giving a sermon but after a little while I didn't mind it so much. Nice clear narration throughout and I felt his voice fitted very well with the text too.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The Nazca boobies, that part was horrible - I don't think I ever realised animals could be so cruel to each other.

Any additional comments?

Nicolson takes 10 different seabirds and writes a chapter on each. This has the potential to be incredibly boring, seagulls aren’t exactly sexy. However, Nicolson makes his book incredibly fascinating. It is part zoology, part mythology, part sociology with a little bit of philosophy and personal memories thrown in for good measure. What this creates is a fascinating profile into each specific bird and leaves the reader with a deep appreciation for the seabirds. We meet the Fulmars, Razorbills, Puffins, and the now extinct Great Orc among many other, animals that inhabit a part of our world but also live in their own unique spheres of existence. There are some fascinating things in this book, the way that birds navigate the ocean through smell was fascinating to me. I winced at the explanation of what Nazca boobies do to their babies, and also the horrendous cruelty humans have inflicted on seabirds to make a nice hat among other things. It has left me with fresh eyes and I will never again see a seabird as just as seabird, they are so much more! This book is an absolute delight, I am certain anyone reading it won't be disappointed, it is so rich and engaging. I loved it!

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2 people found this helpful

informative and poignant

Would you consider the audio edition of The Seabird's Cry to be better than the print version?

In some ways I'd have preferred to read it in print so I could enjoy the illustrations and because I found Bruce -Lockart's voice too uniform. However, I think I will now buy a copy of the book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Puffins! but as puffins are so easy to like I also was amazed by shearwaters.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Varied his voice more and not kept going up and down in tone in the same way so he voice almost disappeared repeatedly

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

It would be a nature documentary with Chris Packham or the author I guess, not sure about tag lines

Any additional comments?

Heartbreaking in places, amazing facts and beautifully written. But also horrifying in places to hear about the ways researchers have found out what they know about the birds in the past (techniques are not so cruel these days). It's a siren call for the protection of our oceans.

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This is proof of the pudding why a book club is such a good idea.

I set a book club nearly 10 years ago as I wanted to read things I wouldn’t normally read . This book is one of those . I totally love it . Beautifully written,fascinating and insightful; and I love the humour that comes through and the comparison to our own human behaviours . I shall look at seabirds in a new light from now on ; the fact that they are the only animals that master the sea, land and sky . RESPECT! Lovely illustrations too

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Adam’s Nicolson’s Serenade

I read this in 2018. As then, quite unnerving.... stats wrapped in wonderful prose. No pointers as to how we get our appalling behaviours and lethal energy systems to emulated the efficiency of the albatross in flight ?

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Beautifully written

Inspires you to save the seas - evokes the world through the eyes of a seabird. Awe-inspiring stuff. Who’d a thought a seagull could be so full of soul?

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