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  • Published: 7 November 2019
  • ISBN: 9780753554159
  • Imprint: Virgin Digital
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 176

A Short Philosophy of Birds




Twenty-two life lessons inspired by watching birds, written by a French philosopher and ornithologist duo

The greatest wisdom comes from the smallest creatures

There is so much we can learn from birds. Through twenty-two little lessons of wisdom inspired by how birds live, this charming french book will help you spread your wings and soar.

We often need the help from those smaller than us. Having spent a lifetime watching birds, Philippe and Élise – a French ornithologist and a philosopher – draw out the secret lessons that birds can teach us about how to live, and the wisdom of the natural world. Along the way you’ll discover why the robin is braver than the eagle, what the arctic tern can teach us about the joy of travel, and whether the head or the heart is the best route to love (as shown by the mallard and the penguin). By the end you will feel more in touch with the rhythms of nature and have a fresh perspective on how to live the fullest life you can.

  • Published: 7 November 2019
  • ISBN: 9780753554159
  • Imprint: Virgin Digital
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 176

About the authors

Philippe J. Dubois

Philippe J. Dubois is an ornithologist and writer. He has been passionate about birds since he was a boy, and has travelled the world birdwatching. He is the author of a number of works on climate change and biodiversity and was the head of Delachaux and Niestlé, the oldest nature books publishing house in France.

Elise Rousseau

Élise Rousseau has degrees in Literature and Philosophy, and is a journalist and author of several works on nature and animals. She has spent several years working to protect animals.

Praise for A Short Philosophy of Birds

A charming, witty and thought-provoking look at the way bird behaviour can both reflect and influence the way we live our lives

Stephen Moss (Naturalist and author)

Brilliant, magical and engrossing – I will never see birds the same way again

Peter Wohlleben, bestselling author of THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES

A little gem. So much wisdom to be drawn from the feathered world of birds

Raynor Winn, bestselling author of THE SALT PATH

This little book does a beautiful job of inspiring awe for the capacities of birds and applying lessons from their lives to the struggles of humanity

Wall Street Journal