Harare Review of Books

384 pages. First published May 7, 2024 (Avid Reader Press). Non-fiction.

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A delight to immerse myself into what turned out to be a biography of John James Audubon, which I requested because I’m a fan of birds and the occasional birder. The author was after working out, as the title says, why Audubon missed identifying so many birds that he likely encountered that were unknown to Western science (but were, of course, known to Indigenous Americans for possibly centuries). Not only that, but it turns out, as I learnt from this book, Audubon also invented at least one bird, the Washington Eagle or Bird of Washington, and also misidentified many, many others in the course of his explorations. So, this is a portrayal of a man who did great work on the North American continent, but who turned out to be, as we all are in the end, flawed: frequently dishonest in his competitiveness (particularly versus that other great ornithologist, Alexander Wilson), and egotistical and greedy for fame, leading to his not always making the best professional decisions. But Audubon was nothing if not immensely interesting, and that makes for an entertaining read.

There are black-and-white illustrations throughout the digital ARC I read—which is a pity, as I think colour would have added something really special. The author, an artist, tells of his initial pursuit, eventually given up, of imitating Audubon’s style—an interesting subplot. We learn how Audubon achieved his illustrative style and what was so special about it for science, as well as about those who assisted him in producing the illustrations. There is an excellent exploration of the milieu Audubon worked in: all of the ornithological rivalry; the structure and functioning of (white) North American society and relations across “the pond”; and of course the birds themselves—huge flocks, now not so commonly seen; great variety; and some species now extinct.

It is all very fascinating, and well worth your time, even if you’re not a fan of birds or occasional birder; this is excellent history, and a great biography of Audubon. Many thanks to Avid Reader Press and to NetGalley for access to the DRC.

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