January 1, 2019 / Leslie

First Book of the Year 2019

Happy New Year!

And welcome to First Book of the Year hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Join us as we kick off another year of great reading.

First Book

This year’s first book is Birds of a Feather: A True Story of Hope and the Healing Power of Animals by Lorin Lindner. Those who visit my site know it’s no surprise that I would choose a book about birds as my first book of 2019.

I needed something to kick-start me back into print reading. I’ve been having some vision problems, so reading takes more concentration than listening. My right eye has developed some very annoying floaters that are distracting and frustrating, mostly when I’m doing close work like reading or writing. The doctors says eventually I won’t see them as much, and with regular checkups my sight should be fine, but it’s irritating and annoying, and has contributed to my reading slowdown. But I really do love holding and reading a book, so I’m making an effort! Thank goodness for audiobooks! I am still able to keep up with my book club selections.

Birds of a Feather by Lorin Lindner

Animal lover though she was, Lorin Lindner was definitely not looking for a pet. She was busy training to be a psychologist. Then came Sammy – a mischievous and extremely loud bright pink Moluccan cockatoo who had been abandoned. It was love at first sight. But Sammy needed a companion. Enter Mango, lover of humans (“Hewwo”), inveterate thief of precious objects. Realizing that there were many parrots in need of new homes, Dr. Lindner eventually founded a sanctuary for them.

Meanwhile, she began to meet homeless veterans on the streets of Los Angeles. Before long she was a full time advocate for these former service members, who were often suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and finding it hard to navigate the large VA Healthcare System Ultimately, Dr. Lindner created a program for them, too.

Eventually the two parts of her life came together when she founded Serenity Park, a unique sanctuary on the grounds of the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration Healthcare Center. She had noticed that the veterans she treated as a clinical psychologist and the parrots she had taken in as a rescuer quickly formed bonds. Men and women who had been silent in therapy would share their stories and their feelings more easily with animals. Now wounded warriors and wounded parrots find a path of healing together.

First Book of the Year