This is a series of essays, stories really, which add up to the biography of a man who is a professor at Clemson University, and an avid birder. It was because of his interest in birding that I "met" him over the internet. He has been very gracious to me. So I decided to read his book.
First I noticed the kind face on the book jacket.
For the rest, it is a book that evokes interaction. I felt no passive observation from afar. So I interact with it.
Now I am a fairly fast reader, but I don't speed-read because then I would miss a great many things. But when I started the first essay in the book, I had to say, Whoa! Slow down! This is sheer POETRY in prose! He weaves gossamer tapestries with words! I wanted to savor all of it. And in this essay and throughout the book, there were many wonderful metaphors (and I just love unexpected metaphors) and many chuckles also pop out here and there. Laughter is good for the soul.
It is clear from the outset that this book will talk much about the beauty of nature. The fact that God designed such a gorgeous universe for us (even with its sin corruption) and gave us the ability to appreciate this beauty shows how much He loves us. That is from my perspective. His book serves as a reminder of the details of God's tapestry.
The next essay begins the biographical account in earnest, and the book was now characterized by very specific points of description of the environment in which he grew up, and the people who were a significant part of his life. I stopped and envisioned each tree, plant, animal, or bird, so I had a clear picture in my mind of what he was describing, as if I were there. It is rare to run into such precise descriptive prose, yet very readable and thoroughly enjoyable. I felt almost as if I had lived there. And in the buildings he described. Reading about his grandmother and other people, I felt almost as if I knew them, drawn into their personalities and the things they did. It is all the more genuine because he didn't gloss over people's quirks and misdeeds, including his own. And I could almost taste the food he describes he ate.
In another essay he talks about his siblings, and chooses a specific bird for each. His characterizations match his description of them very well. But I don't see the bird he chose for himself. I think he is a Northern Pintail: elegant and serene. The tail is like his mind: sharp and to the point.
Occasionally he touches on the difficulties people with dark skin faced in the everyday world, but he doesn't obsess on it. It is matter of fact. People with African ancestors were not allowed to fight in America's wars on the same level as people with light colored skin. But they served honorably wherever they did fight. With some knowledge of various wars and other details, this had meaning for me. In a later essay, he talks about the fear he experienced when he was birding on the "wrong side" of town. I understand those fears because I have experienced them for myself. Not because of the color of my skin, but for other reasons. Oh wait! I HAVE experienced rude comments because of the color of my skin. He describes those fears very well, analytical on every level. There is a call to real empathy there. I would love to go birding with him. And if he gets any flack, I would stand by him.
In another essay, Lanham talks about his early experience going to church. He complains about how they treated people who had questions or intelligence. In reality, the response to people with questions and intelligence in the church has been largely abysmal. My husband and I had a similar experience, which caused a significant problem for us. Christians tend to forget that Jesus honored the request of the person who was struggling with unbelief, and Paul commended the Bereans for checking what he said against Scripture. And we dare to wonder why so many of our leaders are corrupt. The further I read, the greater the connection I felt with the author and his book.
An essay on hunting makes the distinction between being an environmentalist and a conservationist very clear. Environmentalists, in my opinion, live in a dream world where no animal ever tortures another for sport (tell that to the Loggerhead Shrikes!) and they sit in a cozy room in the middle of the city, issuing orders from afar to people about what they must do with their own property. My husband calls this the "Bambi syndrome." A conservationist, on the other hand, is someone who understands that there is a need for balance in nature, and that we are part of it. Our management is necessary to prevent much suffering among sentient animals. We both side with the conservationists.
The final couple of essays deal with Lanham seeking his roots. This is not a topic that particularly interests me with respect to mine, but I found his search to be interesting and I understand the need. Our two adopted children may never find any real information, nor will children torn from their parents in war. For some of us, our identity as a child of God is the thing. But these illustrate vividly some of the hidden consequences of slavery, and evoke empathy, for which I thank him. If we are to overcome racism, this level of understanding is a must.
One sour note in this symphony of prose was an early mention of evolution. When I look at a bird, watch its behavior, watch it fly, or hear it sing, I see an exquisite piece of art by the consummate artist, God. And by the power of the word of His mouth, created fully designed, in a single earth rotation day. These were not the result of random chance like a splotch of paint thrown on a canvas and called art. The longer I study birds as a scientist, the more I learn about the sheer complexity of a thing even an intelligent actor like a human being can come nowhere close to designing, and without any preconceived notions, just the imagination. So this was a jarring note for me.
But other than that, I cannot say enough good things about this book, and if you like to read about interesting people and their lives, this book should be high on your list. All the accolades in front were well earned. I hope someday to be able to bird with him. It would be an honor.
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