Main take-aways from this book for me are 1) starlings are not the devil. Yes invasive, but we can alter our landscapes to discourage their roosting and lessen their numbers in humane ways. 2) Pigeons, despite being introduced to America via settlers as food sources, are not considered invasive. Weird, cuz I see WAAAAY more of them then any other bird I feel. 3) Starlings are close to endangered in Europe. Go figure. Maybe we should get endangered species and introduce them into not their natural habitat and they'll thrive? Reverse psychology!

This was a great little book, which deftly wove Mozart, his life, music and starling, the history and current lives of starlings in both America and Europe and the author with her starling Carmen. The author went a bit too philosophical and "we are the world with animals" for me at times, but it wasn't a huge annoyance, just made this a great book rather than a fantastic, re-read book. Which isn't knocking the book at all, just didn't work for me as well as for others maybe. 4 solid stars. I would recommend it if you are a nature or Mozart lover.

My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

In 1784, Mozart heard a starling in a shop sing a variation on the theme from his Piano Concerto No. 17. Enchanted, he took it home. Just over a century later, New York pharmacist Eugene Schieffelin, a member of the American Acclimatization Society, imported 80 starlings from England – apparently as part of an attempt to introduce to the Americas every bird mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays – and released them in Central Park. Another century on and starling numbers have exploded in North America – there are perhaps 150 million.

Thanks to starlings being an introduced species that may out-compete native birds for nest cavities, they are probably the most hated bird species in North America today. But anybody who has ever looked at a starling close up, especially when its plumage catches the sun, will have noticed that they’re quite beautiful birds with fascinating behaviors. When naturalist and author Haupt noticed these qualities in a flock of starlings feeding in her garden, she recalled the strange little story about Mozart and, to paraphrase her description of how book projects come about, “an idea flew into her brain.”

Recounting in parallel the twin tales of Mozart’s relationship with his bird and the author’s own experience of raising a nestling starling, Mozart’s Starling is a thoughtful reflection on the relationships between humans and our wild neighbours. It is also an insightful commentary on how that relationship is complicated by perceptions of invasive species; Haupt points out the contradiction between how we judge individuals versus a whole species: “Do I want starlings gone? Erased from the face of North America? Yes, unequivocally. … And do I love them? Their bright minds, their sparkling beauty, their unique consciousness, their wild starling voices? Their feathers, brown from one angle, shining from another? Yes, yes, I do.”

For a relatively short book this has an impressive blend of genres, moving through popular science, nature writing, philosophy, a smattering of travel (as the author explores Mozart sites in Vienna and Salzburg) and an exploration of the creative process. The real star of the narrative, though, is the nestling Haupt sneakily rescued and raised – keeping a starling is illegal in Washington State, where she lives. Named Carmen, the bird becomes an essential part of the household. The many little observations about her behavior scattered through the book are quite charming but not merely included for the sake of whimsy, instead providing a fascinating glimpse into the often surprising world of wild bird behavior.

Seen close up in this way, the intelligence of birds can be misinterpreted as making them seem more human, but what the two starlings portrayed here teach us is not to see birds as pseudo-people but as more fully birds, while seeing in the possibility of relationship with them a way of becoming more fully human ourselves. Continuing a common theme that runs throughout Haupt’s work, Mozart’s Starling shows that the key to a life enriched by nature is most often found in the commonplace, often overlooked wildlife right on our doorstep. “Mozart found inspiration in the presence of a common bird. For us, too, the song of the world so often rises in places we had not thought to look.” (3.5 stars)

"A blend of natural history, biography, and memoir, Mozart's Starling is a tour de force that awakens a surprising new awareness of our place in the world." from the publisher
First I was charmed, then delighted; then I felt educated, and finally, elevated. In beautiful language and uplifting insight, Mozart's Starling is my most unexpected find of the year. I loved every page.

The book is a wonderful blend of subjects. A nature study of the starling and its ability to mimic; a memoir of life with Carmen, the starling; a consideration of the creative life and person of composer Mozart, the beauty of his music and the depth of his personal philosophy; the interrelation of all living things--Haupt takes us on a continually deeper look into the human experience.

Haupt, a naturalist and birder, was inspired to verify the story of Mozart's pet starling which reportedly sang a line of his Piano Concerto no. 17 in G major. There were so many questions. How did the starling learn the music? What was the bird's role in Mozart's personal and creative life?

In America, starlings are held in disdain. What good could be associated with this bird? Haupt questioned.

So Haupt arranged to adopt a baby starling to learn more about the species and their rare ability to mimic. Carmen is a wonderful character and helps us understand why pet birds were so popular in 18th c Europe.

We follow the author to Europe, into Mozart's home, searching for his final resting place. She upends many myths about the composer, such as the pauper's grave. Her portrait of the composer is sensitive and insightful.

This is a beautiful, uplifting book. I heartily recommend it.

enjoyed greatly! thanks for the preview. Bestseller material