'He was a hectic, unprincipled bird, but it was impossible not to love him' ... a memoir of love, obsession and feathers

An Oprah Magazine Book of the Year 2023

'A magical, endearing memoir ... the literary romance of the year' Oprah

'This book pulses with a defiant wonder at the living world, as wild and unruly as our feathered hero' Polly Morland, author of A Fortunate Woman

Then, just in time, before I swung the spade again, I saw, right by the blade and camouflaged by the leaves on the ground, a magpie chick. It squatted belligerently, peering up at me with miniature magpie fury. George.

When Frieda Hughes moved to the depths of the Welsh countryside, she was expecting to take on a few projects: planting a garden, painting and writing her poetry column for the Times. But instead, she found herself rescuing a baby magpie, the sole survivor of a nest destroyed in a storm - and embarking on an obsession that would change the course of her life.

As the magpie, George, grows from a shrieking scrap of feathers and bones into an intelligent, unruly companion, Frieda finds herself captivated - and apprehensive of what will happen when the time comes to finally set him free.