Better Living Through Birding

Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World

By: Christian Cooper

Narrated by: Christian Cooper

Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Central Park birder Christian Cooper takes us beyond the viral video that shocked a nation and into a world of avian adventures, global excursions, and the unexpected lessons you can learn from a life spent looking up.

"Wondrous . . . captivating.”—Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of An Immense World

Christian Cooper is a self-described “Blerd” (Black nerd), an avid comics fan and expert birder who devotes every spring to gazing upon the migratory birds that stop to rest in Central Park, just a subway ride away from where he lives in New York City. While in the park one morning in May 2020, Cooper was engaged in the birdwatching ritual that had been a part of his life since he was ten years old when what might have been a routine encounter with a dog walker exploded age-oldracial tensions. Cooper’s viral video of the incident would send shock waves through the nation.

In Better Living Through Birding, Cooper tells the story of his extraordinary life leading up to the now-infamous incident in Central Park and shows how a life spent looking up at the birds prepared him, in the most uncanny of ways, to be a gay, Black man in America today. From sharpened senses that work just as well at a protest as in a park to what a bird like the Common Grackle can teach us about self-acceptance, Better Living Through Birding exults in the pleasures of a life lived in pursuit of the natural world and invites you to discover them yourself.

Equal parts memoir, travelogue, and primer on the art of birding, this is Cooper’s story of learning to claim and defend space for himself and others like him, from his days at Marvel Comics introducing the first gay storylines to vivid and life-changing birding expeditions through Africa, Australia, the Americas, and the Himalayas. Better Living Through Birding recounts Cooper’s journey through the wonderful world of birds and what they can teach us about life, if only we would look and listen.

Bird audio provided by Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Cover images: Christian Cooper by Brittainy Newman / The New York Times / Redux, bird and sky / Getty Images

©2023 Christian Cooper (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Christian Cooper’s book is every bit as wondrous and captivating as the birds he so adores—a joyous tour across subcultures and continents, and a masterful account of a life full of song, full of heart, and fully lived.” (Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of An Immense World)

“An uplifting and inspiring read. Christian Cooper is a national treasure.” (Van Jones, New York Times bestselling author and host of The Van Jones Show)

“Utterly captivating, a marvel of storytelling . . . Christian Cooper’s memoir is tender, honest, funny, wise, poignant, piercing, and infused with brilliant observations on the nature of birds, humans, and his own extraordinary personal journey.” (Jennifer Ackerman, New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds)

Great Intro to Birding and Bias

Very enjoyable and enlightening. I learned SO much about birds, birding, Central Park, racism, LGBTQIA+ and myself.

Seamless blend of birding, growing up black and gay, with his moment of fame

This would have been a rewarding, instructive book if the Central Park incident had never happened. A great blend of personal history and family history in the context of our shared American history. At first his voice grated, but It grew on me and made the book more authentic

Beautiful must read

Beautiful memoir with lessons for all of us in birding but mostly in life. Appreciate sharing your very personal experiences. Lovely writing. Hope you write more!!

Better Living Through Birding

I throughly enjoyed Christian Campbell’s book. His family, his transition coming out, his life as an avid birder.

powerful, exquisite, transformative writing. a life story, a gift, a privilege to be invited to share with the author.

loved the writing which drew me in from the beginning. how generous the invitation to bear witness to the love of birding, and the truth shared from so many life experiences.

Awesome

This book has everything- Cooper’s reflections on growing up in the 60s & 70’s, loving birds, nature, and books, graduating from Harvard, and developing an amazing amount of courage to stand against prejudice and injustice with a clear moral compass. Cooper’s wonderful story cheers all of us on to persevere in finding joy in the beauty of life.

More than just birds

I loved how Cooper weaves his love for birding into his life story. His dad and mine shared similar qualities and similar ends. It’s a great listen on forgiveness, moving forward, and uncompromising passions.

If you’re not a birder yet, you soon will be.

Excellent story and narration! I finished listening to the book and immediately ordered binoculars and a sun hat. I want to be a birder NOW! Thank you Christian for sharing your story, your passion, and for being you!

Just Lovely

I could listen to Christian Cooper's stories all day. I wish he hadn't needed such a disturbing experience with Amy Cooper to reveal him to more of the world. The book is well-written, thoughtful, straightforward, and of course, a delight for this fellow birder. Encore, encore!

So interesting! Loved it! Of course, birder here.

I loved this book. It was a total surprise in its content. I think it is a must read! So much more to Christian Cooper than an encounter in Central Park. I loved his insight into religious experiences, people’s individual bigotry, being a gay person, his attitude about the person who wronged him, and all his experiences with birds. Being a birder myself (though to a lesser degree) I totally related to his birding adventures. Yes, I do remember where and when I see certain birds. Yes, my binoculars go everywhere with me! The birding aspect brought me in but it was so much more than that. Thank you Mr. Cooper for sharing yourself with us.