Featherhood

A Memoir of Two Fathers and a Magpie

By: Charlie Gilmour

Narrated by: Charlie Gilmour

In this “vivid…lovely and inviting” (The New York Times) coming-of-age memoir—the “best piece of nature writing since H Is for Hawk” (Neil Gaiman)—a young man saves a baby magpie as his estranged father is dying, only to find that caring for the bird saves him.

This is a story of two men who could talk to birds—but were completely incapable of talking to each other.

A father who fled from his family in the dead of night, and the jackdaw he raised like a child.

A son obsessed with his absence—and the young magpie that fell into his path and refused to fly away.

This is a story about the crow family and human family; about repetition across generations and birds that run in the blood; about a terror of repeating the sins of the father and a desire to build a nest of one’s own.

Critic reviews

"With his English accent and languid yet expressive voice, author/narrator Charlie Gilmour is charming company. His deep, abiding love for his family is obvious. He adores his wife, Yana—he sounds almost amazed by her—and he finds purpose and healing in caring for their accidental pet, a magpie they name Benzene (for the industrial site where they found the little chick). Although Gilmour describes his childhood as loving and safe, he carries emotional scars from his father, Heathcote Williams, having abandoned him as a baby and having rebuffed Gilmour's periodic efforts to build a relationship. Gilmour dives deep into Heathcote's childhood and failed marriages to face his own mental health challenges. In an odd synchronicity, Heathcote once adopted a jackdaw. In both word and performance, FEATHERHOOD is reflective, poetic, and full of wry bird moments."

Great Story, Great Listen

The thing I really loved about this read/listen was the way that the several "threads" were elegantly braided together. Using the relationship with the bird as a metaphor throughout was fascinating and engaging. Well done!
I have already sent it as a gift to two of my children and a friend -- which I have never done before.

Don’t bother

I was looking forward to reading this book as I do love birds and animals in general. About halfway through the book I realized it was one of the most boring books I’ve ever listen to. I didn’t like the narration either. The author clearly has daddy issues. When he brought in politics and started trying to teach the bird to say fuck Trump was when I was completely done with this book. Refund requested