THE WREN: A BIOGRAPHY

By Stephen Moss

Ever since I got into reading a lot of nature books a few years ago, I’ve found myself wishing for in-depth studies. I read book after book about birds, books about mammals, books about forests, but when I try to find a book about a particular bird, mammal, or tree, I usually draw a blank.

Moss’ biography series has started to fill this void in the bird world. So far, we have biographies for the robin, swallow, swan, and wren. And I think – if I remember Stephen’s Tweets correctly – we’re expecting a biography for the blackbird next.

What makes these biographies so lovely is the variety of content – natural history, recent scientific research, nature writing, anecdotes, cultural history, poetry, and delightful illustrations all make it into the handsome hardback.

They truly are a brilliant way to get to know a bird, and the wren is especially interesting. These tiny birds are so elusive that many (non-birder) people I know can’t identify one on sight, yet they’re our most common bird. This book takes you through their magical, secretive lives month by month.

I’ll be honest, much like my treasured old leather-bound nature books, this book falls into the category of books I want to read more than I do read. When I look at it, I imagine myself engrossed in the life of the wren over long afternoons in front of the Christmas tree, but when I pick it up, I usually only read a section or two at a time.

This doesn’t make me love the book any less; it’s merely a product of the type of information. The book doesn’t chart a controversial discovery, detail a hair-raising scheme, or reveal life-changing truths about the natural world, so it isn’t unputdownable. What it is is a love letter to the wren – one that you can visit time and time again to learn something new about these precious little birds.