Bird Stories from Burroughs cover

Bird Stories from Burroughs

Rating 3.4
Word count
199K words
Chapters
20

Tags

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Bird Stories from Burroughs by John BurroughsAuthor: Burroughs, John, 1837-1921,Language: English, Class: QL: Science: Zoology, Release Date: Jul 12, 2008

Editor's review

Bird Stories from Burroughs is a selection of essays on birds by John Burroughs, a pioneer of American nature writing, released as a public-domain ebook. Burroughs is known for meticulous field observation; he is not content to record bird forms and species lists but weaves birdsong, nest-building, migration, and the turning seasons into highly readable narrative. The English original is published by Project Gutenberg under Zoology (QL) and serves as an accessible introduction to nature writing and natural history. Its value lies not in systematic bird identification but in cultivating patience and sensitivity toward the birds around us: writing as a walker, the author turns a chance woodland encounter into a short piece that combines scientific observation with literary pleasure. Read it as a bedside or morning book, one or two pieces a day, paired with outdoor birdwatching for best effect. For Chinese readers, the English original is short and plainly written, making it suitable as nature-themed extensive reading material for advanced English learners.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers who enjoy nature writing and natural history essays and want light reading
  • Beginners interested in birdwatching who want to build observation habits
  • Intermediate and advanced English learners seeking short English pieces for extensive reading
  • Language or science teachers needing nature-themed materials

Not a good fit for

  • Professional researchers needing systematic bird identification manuals
  • Readers who expect a Chinese translation and are uncomfortable reading the English original
  • Young readers who only want tightly plotted stories

Reading tips

  1. Read one or two pieces a day, then spend ten minutes observing birds by a window or in a park and take brief notes
  2. Skip unfamiliar bird names at first and focus on the author's angle of observation and narrative rhythm
  3. Copy out passages you like and write a short imitation piece set in your own surroundings

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20

FAQ

Is this book in Chinese or English?
This is an English public-domain ebook released by Project Gutenberg; the text is in English with no Chinese translation. The prose is generally plain and suited to readers with some English foundation.
Can it be used as a bird field guide?
No. It is a collection of nature essays under zoology, focused on observation and narrative rather than species identification. To identify birds, use a regional field guide or specialist manual alongside it.
Can I understand it without birdwatching experience?
Yes. The author writes as a walker and assumes no specialist background. Without field experience, read the text first and then compare it with images and recordings of common birds for smoother understanding.

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About the author

John Burroughs (1837-1921) was an American nature writer. A lifelong observer of rural plants, birds, and animals, he recorded the changing seasons and his experiences in the field in essays and sketches. His style is plain and delicate, combining the accuracy of natural history with literary readability. The library holds 25 of his works, including Wake-Robin, A Year in the Fields, Riverby, Ways of Nature, Fresh Fields, Birds and Bees, Sharp Eyes, and Other Papers, and Camping with President Roosevelt. These works mostly concern birds, insects, country life, and nature observation. He often begins with ordinary natural scenes and blends personal experience with reflection on nature, in language that is simple yet warm. His writing has influenced later nature essays and ecological writing. Public information on his education, posts, and specific experiences is limited, so no speculation is offered here.

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