Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a physical arc of Frieda Hughes’ George: A Magpie Memoir.
When poet and artist Frieda Hughes found an injured magpie chick in her garden, she had no idea that he would change her life. She took him into her home and named him George, documenting his antics and recovery in her journal. She was quickly captivated by this little bird, who was full of curiosity, intelligence, and mischief.
I enjoy nature writing and anything with animals, but I was quite unprepared for the amount of delight that I would feel from George. Hughes’ writing is beautiful and compelling, as are her illustrations that are sprinkled through the book.
Inevitably, George and Hughes’ must part ways, as George is a wild animal who must be set free. This was incredibly emotionally, as Hughes’ has a dueling conflict of wanting him to stay, but knowing that he must go. She developed a deep bond with George. Her time with George also coincided with the decline of her marriage, adding to the tension.
The way Hughes interacts with George, and subsequently other animals in her care, including birds of prey, causes her to lose some friendships. Admittedly, I was quite surprised with how she casually lets the animals roam around her kitchen, especially since birds do not have the function of bladder control. It got messy! In a sense, she became the stereotype of the “crazy cat lady,” but with birds and many friends did not understand. On the flip side, as fellow animal lover, I can completely understand her devotion to those in her care and I can understand her ways of interacting with them.
George: A Magpie Memoir is lovely and a book that is sure to delight many animal lovers, especially those fond of birds. I highly recommend it! Also, in case you are wondering, Hughes’s is the daughter of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, but she makes it clear that she doesn't want her lineage to dominate the conversation. She is a very accomplished writer and artist in her own right.