Synopses & Reviews
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
A charming and eye-opening exploration of the special relationship between humans and chickens from Sy Montgomery, “one of our finest chroniclers of the natural world” (The New York Times).
For more than two decades, Sy Montgomery—whose The Soul of an Octopus was a National Book Award finalist—has kept a flock of chickens in her backyard. Each chicken has an individual personality (outgoing or shy, loud or quiet, reckless or cautious) and connects with Sy in her own way.
In this short, delightful book, Sy takes us inside the flock and reveals all the things that make chickens such remarkable creatures: only hours after leaving the egg, they are able to walk, run, and peck; relationships are important to them and the average chicken can recognize more than one hundred other chickens; they remember the past and anticipate the future; and they communicate specific information through at least twenty-four distinct calls. Visitors to her home are astonished by all this, but for Sy what’s more astonishing is how little most people know about chickens, especially considering there are about twenty percent more chickens on earth than people.
With a winning combination of personal narrative and science, What the Chicken Knows is exactly the kind of book that has made Sy Montgomery such a beloved and popular author.
Review
“Spellbinding and informative. . . seamlessly covering natural history and up-to-date science. Montgomery’s not-to-be-missed chicken chronicle is enlightening and enlivening.” —Booklist
“If you’ve never given the humble backyard bird much thought, try this short and sweet exploration that starts with the author’s own personality-filled flock. You'll never look at the country's most familiar fowl the same way again.” —People Magazine
“Montgomery’s language here is gorgeous, making her emotions palpable. Such affectionate interpretations of bird behavior are a pleasure to read.” —Boston Globe
“[Montgomery] offers insight into the animal kingdom and how wildlife, domesticated birds, and humans fit together. The book will make readers look at chickens and their relationship with humans in a new way.” —The Epoch Times
About the Author
Sy Montgomery is a naturalist, adventurer, and author of more than thirty acclaimed books of nonfiction for adults and children, including The Hummingbirds’ Gift, The Hawk’s Way, the National Book Award finalist The Soul of an Octopus, and most recently, Of Time and Turtles, which was a New York Times bestseller. The recipient of numerous honors, including lifetime achievement awards from the Humane Society and the New England Booksellers Association, she lives in New Hampshire with her husband, writer Howard Mansfield, and a border collie.