Read: And No Birds Sang

Farley Mowat is one of my favorite authors. You might remember “Never Cry Wolf,” which happens to be a fantastic movie. A Whale For The Killing, People of the Deer, The Snow Walker, and thirty four other titles. Everything I’ve read, I’ve loved. “And No Birds Sang,” is no exception. This is a story of Mowat’s time in war, a time he was incredibly fortunate to survive, and a time that taught him the true meaning of death, friendship and the maddening nonsense of men who send other men off to war.

His first major battle coming at Assoro, a town I have visited and photographed. Same for Leonforte and others as the Germans retreat and the Canadian troops advance. I also found myself connecting with the author through his love of nature, birds in particular. When given brief chances, Mowat heads out not in search of what men typically search for during brief interludes of imminent death. He forgoes the “birds” in town for those afield.

Regardless of how bad the scene, Mowat uses humor as his underlying coping mechanism. His books are funny. My father had quite a few friends who experienced war. And through family and various other connections, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many folks about their wartime experiences. (WWII London bombings, Pork Chop Hill, Tet Offensive, Gulf Wars, Afghanistan, etc.) There is simply no way to know. Unless you were there. But books like this help those of us who weren’t there to at least understand one tiny bit more. One man’s love and loss. One man’s incredible luck. Get it, read it.