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"George: A Magpie Memoir" by Frieda Hughes

book review by Riley Burnham 7/7/2023

thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed this one

an Englishwoman stumbles upon a magpie chick in her garden & tries to keep it alive by cleaning it of fly eggs, etc. [harrowing of course], then soon after discovers another already deceased chick then a third, protesting as she's digging near it [almost chops in half] -- the first, which was to be called George, passes as well; so the third, the protester, gets the name, & so begins the journey

we meet George, a wily & full-of-life magpie [corvid, like crows/ravens], who begins as a worm-eating [she says they distinctly fight for their life...] baby to a mischievous & somewhat infamous adult

magpies springing off people's heads when taking flight to the roof, playing w/ Frieda's dogs [hiding food from them deep in the couch w/ his beak, where the dogs' snouts are limited]

​​​​​​​really, this book is fun, interesting, & ends well -- she's built an aviary & has a much-improving life by the end 👍 solid