We Should All Be Birds: A Memoir

Buckbee debuts with a poignant if scattered account of rescuing an injured pigeon while dealing with a mysterious illness. While traveling in Asia, Buckbee was stricken by an undiagnosed condition that causes excruciating migraines, rendering him unable to read or write. As a result, he dictated this memoir to editor Fitzgerald. The central thread is Buckbee’s bond with a baby pigeon he discovered near his home in Montana and named Two-Step, whose rescue and subsequent care offered Buckbee moments of solace amid his physical suffering and the dissolution of a long-term romantic relationship. Despite that ostensible through line, however, Buckbee’s gloomy reflections on illness and heartbreak often overshadow the avian connection. There’s some intriguing tension between Buckbee’s and Fitzgerald’s perspectives (she urges him not to put his relationship on a pedestal, suggesting readers will want to know more about its “complexity,” and Buckbee replies that he doesn’t want to make his ex’s memory “even the slightest bit profane”), but the lack of narrative momentum grows wearying. Though readers will likely sympathize with Buckbee’s struggle against illness and emotional turmoil, the book’s exploration of caregiving resonates more than its darker themes of loss. It’s a mixed bag. Agent: Farley Chase, Chase Literary. (Aug.)