Birding to Change the World
A Memoir
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo first 3 months
Buy Now for $32.62
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Cheryl Smith
-
Written by:
-
Trish O'Kane
About this listen
In this uplifting memoir, a professor and activist shares what birds can teach us about life, social change, and protecting the environment.
Trish O’Kane is an accidental ornithologist. In her nearly two decades writing about justice as an investigative journalist, she'd never paid attention to nature. But then Hurricane Katrina destroyed her New Orleans home, sending her into an emotional tailspin.
Enter a scrappy cast of feathered characters—first a cardinal, urban parrots, and sparrows, then a catbird, owls, a bittern, and a woodcock—that cheered her up and showed her a new path. Inspired, O'Kane moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to pursue an environmental studies PhD. There she became a full-on bird obsessive—logging hours in a stunningly biodiverse urban park, filling field notebooks with bird doings and dramas, and teaching ornithology to college students and middle-school kids.
When Warner Park—her daily birdwatching haven—was threatened with development, O’Kane and her neighbors mustered a mighty murmuration of nature lovers, young and old, to save the birds' homes. Through their efforts, she learned that once you get outside and look around, you're likely to fall in love with a furred or feathered creature—and find a flock of your own.
In Birding to Change the World, O'Kane details the astonishing science of bird life, from migration and parenting to the territorial defense strategies that influenced her own activism. A warm and compelling weave of science and social engagement, this is the story of an improbably band of bird lovers who saved their park. And it is a blueprint for muscular citizenship, powered by joy.
©2023 Trish O'Kane (P)2023 HarperCollins PublishersYou may also enjoy...
-
Alfie and Me
- What Owls Know, What Humans Believe
- Written by: Carl Safina
- Narrated by: Carl Safina
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, took in a near-death baby owl, they expected that, like other wild orphans they'd rescued, she'd be a temporary presence. But Alfie's feathers were not growing correctly, requiring prolonged care. As Alfie grew and gained strength, she became a part of the family, joining a menagerie of dogs and chickens and making a home for herself in the backyard.
-
-
C'est une bonne histoire
- By Amazon Customer on 2024-06-23
Written by: Carl Safina
-
Briefly Perfectly Human
- Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End
- Written by: Alua Arthur
- Narrated by: Alua Arthur
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For her clients and everyone who has been inspired by her humanity, Alua Arthur is a friend at the end of the world. As our country’s leading death doula, she’s spreading a transformative message: thinking about your death—whether imminent or not—will breathe wild, new potential into your life.
-
-
Great reminder to live!!
- By Minnelle on 2024-08-08
Written by: Alua Arthur
-
Unbought and Unbossed
- Written by: Shirley Chisholm
- Narrated by: Marcella Cox
- Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this classic work—a blend of memoir, social criticism, and political analysis that remains relevant today—the first Black Congresswoman to serve in American history, New York’s dynamic representative Shirley Chisholm, traces her extensive political struggle and examines the problems that have long plagued the American system of government.
Written by: Shirley Chisholm
-
Dream
- The Art and Science of Slumber
- Written by: Scott Carney
- Narrated by: Scott Carney
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do so many of us have trouble falling asleep? Why do our thoughts spin in wild directions after dark? More important: why do we dream? In this groundbreaking new book, investigative journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney sets out to discover how the sleeping world reverberates in the waking one. Unlock the power of the immune system at the same time you dig deeply into the source of creativity. Discover the evolutionary process that forges both memory and emotions.
-
-
What an eye opener!
- By Chariotmaker on 2024-08-08
Written by: Scott Carney
-
The Great River
- The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi
- Written by: Boyce Upholt
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over thousands of years, the Mississippi watershed was home to millions of Indigenous people who regarded "the great river" with awe and respect, adorning its banks with astonishing spiritual earthworks. But European settlers and American pioneers had a different vision: the river was a foe to conquer. In this landmark work of natural history, Boyce Upholt tells the epic story of human attempts to own and contain the Mississippi River, from Thomas Jefferson's expansionist land hunger through today's era of environmental concern
Written by: Boyce Upholt
-
Divine Might
- Goddesses in Greek Myth
- Written by: Natalie Haynes
- Narrated by: Natalie Haynes
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Few writers today have reshaped our view of the ancient Greek myths more than revered bestselling author Natalie Haynes. Divine Might is a female-centered look at Olympus and the Furies, focusing on the goddesses whose prowess, passions, jealousies, and desires rival those of their male kin.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Kirsty Phillips on 2024-01-18
Written by: Natalie Haynes
-
Alfie and Me
- What Owls Know, What Humans Believe
- Written by: Carl Safina
- Narrated by: Carl Safina
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, took in a near-death baby owl, they expected that, like other wild orphans they'd rescued, she'd be a temporary presence. But Alfie's feathers were not growing correctly, requiring prolonged care. As Alfie grew and gained strength, she became a part of the family, joining a menagerie of dogs and chickens and making a home for herself in the backyard.
-
-
C'est une bonne histoire
- By Amazon Customer on 2024-06-23
Written by: Carl Safina
-
Briefly Perfectly Human
- Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End
- Written by: Alua Arthur
- Narrated by: Alua Arthur
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For her clients and everyone who has been inspired by her humanity, Alua Arthur is a friend at the end of the world. As our country’s leading death doula, she’s spreading a transformative message: thinking about your death—whether imminent or not—will breathe wild, new potential into your life.
-
-
Great reminder to live!!
- By Minnelle on 2024-08-08
Written by: Alua Arthur
-
Unbought and Unbossed
- Written by: Shirley Chisholm
- Narrated by: Marcella Cox
- Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this classic work—a blend of memoir, social criticism, and political analysis that remains relevant today—the first Black Congresswoman to serve in American history, New York’s dynamic representative Shirley Chisholm, traces her extensive political struggle and examines the problems that have long plagued the American system of government.
Written by: Shirley Chisholm
-
Dream
- The Art and Science of Slumber
- Written by: Scott Carney
- Narrated by: Scott Carney
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do so many of us have trouble falling asleep? Why do our thoughts spin in wild directions after dark? More important: why do we dream? In this groundbreaking new book, investigative journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney sets out to discover how the sleeping world reverberates in the waking one. Unlock the power of the immune system at the same time you dig deeply into the source of creativity. Discover the evolutionary process that forges both memory and emotions.
-
-
What an eye opener!
- By Chariotmaker on 2024-08-08
Written by: Scott Carney
-
The Great River
- The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi
- Written by: Boyce Upholt
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over thousands of years, the Mississippi watershed was home to millions of Indigenous people who regarded "the great river" with awe and respect, adorning its banks with astonishing spiritual earthworks. But European settlers and American pioneers had a different vision: the river was a foe to conquer. In this landmark work of natural history, Boyce Upholt tells the epic story of human attempts to own and contain the Mississippi River, from Thomas Jefferson's expansionist land hunger through today's era of environmental concern
Written by: Boyce Upholt
-
Divine Might
- Goddesses in Greek Myth
- Written by: Natalie Haynes
- Narrated by: Natalie Haynes
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Few writers today have reshaped our view of the ancient Greek myths more than revered bestselling author Natalie Haynes. Divine Might is a female-centered look at Olympus and the Furies, focusing on the goddesses whose prowess, passions, jealousies, and desires rival those of their male kin.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Kirsty Phillips on 2024-01-18
Written by: Natalie Haynes
-
The Light Eaters
- How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth
- Written by: Zoë Schlanger
- Narrated by: Zoë Schlanger
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Light Eaters is a deep immersion into the drama of green life and the complexity of this wild and awe-inspiring world that challenges our very understanding of agency, consciousness, and intelligence. In looking closely, we see that plants, rather than imitate human intelligence, have perhaps formed a parallel system.
-
-
so fascinating
- By Brittany on 2024-07-31
Written by: Zoë Schlanger
-
Song of the Sparrow
- A Memoir
- Written by: Tara MacLean
- Narrated by: Tara MacLean
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Singer/songwriter Tara MacLean has had an extraordinary musical career. From being discovered singing on a BC ferry to touring with Dido, Tom Cochrane and Lilith Fair, her solo albums and those with the band Shaye have touched legions of fans. But she hasn’t, until now, disclosed the details of how the power of song saved her from a childhood filled with danger.
-
-
A MUST read (listen!)
- By Yougotsarah on 2023-06-27
Written by: Tara MacLean
-
The Asteroid Hunter
- A Scientist's Journey to the Dawn of Our Solar System
- Written by: Dante Lauretta
- Narrated by: Dante Lauretta, Sir Brian May
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On September 11, 1999, humanity made a monumental discovery in the vastness of space. Scientists uncovered an asteroid of immense scientific importance—a colossal celestial entity. As massive as an aircraft carrier and towering as high as the iconic Empire State Building, this cosmic titan was later named Bennu. Remarkable for much more than its size, Bennu belonged to a rare breed of asteroids capable of revealing the essence of life itself. But just as Bennu became a beacon of promise, researchers identified a grave danger.
Written by: Dante Lauretta
-
Tripping on Utopia
- Margaret Mead, the Cold War, and the Troubled Birth of Psychedelic Science
- Written by: Benjamin Breen
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A bold and brilliant revisionist take on the history of psychedelics in the twentieth century, illuminating how a culture of experimental drugs shaped the Cold War and the birth of Silicon Valley....
Written by: Benjamin Breen
-
Cold Kitchen
- A Year of Culinary Journeys
- Written by: Caroline Eden
- Narrated by: Caroline Eden
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A welcoming refuge with its tempting pantry, shelves of books and inquisitive dog, Caroline Eden finds comfort away from the road in her basement Edinburgh kitchen. Join her as she cooks recipes from her travels, reflects on past adventures and contemplates the kitchen’s unique ability to tell human stories. This is a hauntingly honest, and at times heartbreaking, memoir with the smell, taste and preparation of food at its heart.
Written by: Caroline Eden
-
George Harrison
- The Reluctant Beatle
- Written by: Philip Norman
- Narrated by: David Holt
- Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Despite being hailed as one of the best guitarists of his era, George Harrison, particularly in his early decades, battled feelings of inferiority. He was often the butt of jokes from his bandmates owing to his lower-class background and, typically, was allowed to contribute only one or two songs per Beatles album out of the dozens he wrote.
-
-
Nothing new or worthwhile here, move along please.
- By David Finestone on 2024-07-20
Written by: Philip Norman
-
The Memory of Lavender and Sage
- Written by: Aimie K. Runyan
- Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Food critic Tempèsta Luddington has always felt like the odd person out in her family, ever since she lost her beloved mother at the tender age of thirteen. When her workaholic father passes fifteen years later, Tempèsta is not surprised that the majority of the considerable family money will pass to her dutiful younger brother, Wal. Still, she is left a modest remembrance from her mother, and for the first time Tempèsta has a world of choices before her.
-
-
Lovely, warm, comforting, hopeful
- By Georgina on 2024-08-20
Written by: Aimie K. Runyan
-
The Bird Hotel
- A Novel
- Written by: Joyce Maynard
- Narrated by: Joyce Maynard
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a childhood filled with heartbreak, Irene, a talented artist, finds herself in a small Central American village where she checks into a beautiful but decaying lakefront hotel called La Llorona at the base of a volcano.
-
-
Interesting Story
- By Adrienne B. on 2024-07-09
Written by: Joyce Maynard
-
What Happened to Nina?
- A Novel
- Written by: Dervla McTiernan
- Narrated by: Kristen Sieh, Stacey Glemboski, Lisa Flanagan, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nina and Simon are the perfect couple. Young, fun and deeply in love. Until they leave for a weekend at his family’s cabin in Vermont, and only Simon comes home.
-
-
Riveting
- By Kathy on 2024-05-19
Written by: Dervla McTiernan
-
Someone You Know
- An Unforgettable Collection of Canadian True Crime Stories
- Written by: Catherine Fogarty
- Narrated by: Jennifer Blom
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Someone You Know is an anthology of twelve unforgettable Canadian true-crime stories by Story Hunter podcast producer, host and writer Catherine Fogarty. Each story reveals the haunting truth and statistical reality that a person is more likely to be murdered by someone they know than by a stranger. And while “stranger danger” is often the stuff of our nightmares and Hollywood horror films, sometimes those who are closest to us are even more dangerous than strangers.
-
-
Heart-wrenching true crime stories
- By Arshdeep Arora on 2024-12-14
Written by: Catherine Fogarty
-
A Killing on the Hill
- A Thriller
- Written by: Robert Dugoni
- Narrated by: Robert Dugoni
- Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seattle, 1933. The city is in the grips of the Great Depression, Prohibition, and vice. Cutting his teeth on a small-time beat, hungry and ambitious young reporter William “Shoe” Shumacher gets a tip that could change his career. There’s been a murder at a social club on Profanity Hill—an underworld magnet for vice crimes only a privileged few can afford. The story is going to be front-page news, and Shoe is the first reporter on the scene.
-
-
A really great story based on true events
- By Veronika on 2024-08-07
Written by: Robert Dugoni
-
When Harry Met Pablo
- Truman, Picasso, and the Cold War Politics of Modern Art
- Written by: Matthew Algeo
- Narrated by: Pat Grimes
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Harry Truman and Pablo Picasso were contemporaries and were both shaped by and shapers of the great events of the twentieth century—the man who painted Guernica and the man who authorized the use of atomic bombs against civilians. But in most ways, they couldn’t have been more different. Picasso was a communist, and probably the only thing Truman hated more than communists was modern art. Picasso was an indifferent father, a womanizer, and a millionaire. Truman was utterly devoted to his family. How did they come to be shaking hands in front of Picasso’s studio in the south of France?
-
-
Really rather good
- By Roberta W on 2024-06-24
Written by: Matthew Algeo
What listeners say about Birding to Change the World
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lucy Neatby
- 2024-07-22
Interesting and engaging
A very interesting story with many aspects. Kept me engaged from start to finish. Always fascinating how life’s crunch points lead to new avenues.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!