From Library Journal
In this heartfelt, warm, and entertaining memoir, Chester describes in minute detail the changes that a tiny English sparrow has imposed on his living quarters, his daily routine, and, most significantly, his emotional life. Found as a featherless baby that looked like "a testicle with a beak attached," the sparrow is named "B." Quickly, the daily routines of Chester and his wife come to revolve around their new roommate and two subsequent boarders, bonded male finches. Their upstairs floor is turned into an aviary, and the couple often plays sparrow games. Chester's turns of phrase are colorful, humorous, and memorable, as when he describes the relationship of the sparrows as an example of "homofinchiality." Highly literate and filled with personal ruminations, avian research, and literary allusions, Chester's writing style sets this book apart from other animal memoirs and recommends it for an audience with above average reading skills. Suitable for large public libraries and academic libraries with natural history or animal behavior collections.
Cleo Pappas, La Grange Memorial Hosp. Lib., IL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Cleo Pappas, La Grange Memorial Hosp. Lib., IL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
The Salt Lake Tribune, September 15, 2002
"Providence of a Sparrow is literate, eclectic, mildly eccentric, witty, and marvelous."
