The Backyard Bird Chronicles

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan is an absolutely beautiful book and made the perfect Christmas gift for my 75-year-old mom during her visit. She loves birds, nature, and thoughtful storytelling, and this book delighted her immediately. The spiral-bound format is especially nice—it lays flat and is easy to handle, making it comfortable to read and enjoy at any pace. Amy Tan’s reflections, sketches, and observations are charming, calming, and deeply engaging, turning everyday birdwatching into something meaningful and joyful. If you’re looking for a special, thoughtful gift for a bird lover or someone who enjoys nature and quiet reflection, this book is a wonderful choice. It was very well received and truly treasured.

The past few years I have become an avid bird lover. I loved reading someone else’s journey into discovering birds in her backyard and journaling it. The drawings were gorgeous and an added bonus. It makes me want to start my own bird journal (if only I could draw). The Backyard d Chronicles is definitely one of my favorite books on my bookshelf.

I always enjoy Amy Tan's writing and I really love birds, bird watching, birding... So this book was a natural choice! I love the illustrations, so whimsical, beautiful, and in some cases more helpful than actual bird books. I mostly enjoyed the text, her interactions, interesting observations, investments-emotional, financial, time, etc. A wonderful book for any birder, backyard or otherwise.

This is a gorgeous book! I gave it as a gift, and I (and the recipient) liked it so much I had to order one for me too! I love the story about how Amy Tan, a well-known fiction author, goot through the pandemic with two new hobbies: birds and art. She has learned to become a fantastic illustrator and nature jourtnalist, and her love and compassion for birds and other wildlife is heartwarming. She has given me hope as these are some of my budding hobbies as well. I don't recomend the audiobook as you're going to want to see the pictures. The flexibound cover is between a hard and soft cover book. I found it nice and it does include a dust jacket.

A terrific coffee table or bedside read. Tan’s notes are humorous as well as eduational. Impressive sketches.

Clare Walker Leslie, John Muir Laws, David Allen Sibley, Annie Dillard, Jo Northrop, & Bill Bryson decide to collab on a book— well, no need, Amy Tan has taken care of it! Ms. Tan has produced a birder/naturalist’s dream in these pages. At first glance it brought back wonderful 1990’s memories of discovering Clare Walker Leslie’s work. Always one with the need to know what’s under the dust jacket, I was delighted to find the little hummer treasure with the initial “A.T.” (Photo #1) With the jacket off, it feels like an over-sized field guide one may carry about and enjoy out of doors. Even the end papers are a visual feast (Photo #2). Ms. Tan’s keen observations noted as journal entries, read much like the lovely 1980-90’s essays of Jo Northrup, but with an ornithological focus. The generous illustrations are both informative and humourous. This book fills a genre long vacant… a book one can simply enjoy as a relaxing good read, whilst still expanding one’s birding knowledge, as well as a study in illustrative technique. I’m thoroughly enjoying this literary treat! Thank you, Ms. Tan. Highly recommended! Thanks for reading, - CC, Amazon Prime Member-Reviewer

Very sweet book by this author. It lacks a lot of substance, but the illustrations make it a pleasure to look at. It’s very nice to see the diversity of her art forms.

Great gift for my boyfriend who loves birding

This beautiful book never reached my friend. Amazon said it was delivered but she did not get it and I have not been able to get a refund and resend the gift to her.

Beautiful book, and a perfect gift for the bird nerd in your life.

Great story and pictures. A fun read loaded with information.

The illustrations are spectacular.

We all know what a great writer Amy Tan is but I didn't know that she is an excellent artist who has been drawing sketches and paintings of birds since she was a child. This is my favorite book of hers to date. She encourages us all to look closer, move slower, just observe and then sketch! I love her.