Available:*
Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book | Searching... Cabell County Public Library | 616.8916 LIN | Adult | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
"This true story will twist your heart like a sponge and renew your faith in the world." -- Lee Woodruff , co-author with Bob Woodruff of the New York Times bestseller In an Instant
"A heartwarming book." -- Vicki Myron, author of New York Times #1 Bestseller Dewey
Birds of a Feather is ultimately a love story between veterans and the birds they nurse back to health and between Dr. Lindner and her husband, a veteran with PTSD, who healed at Serenity Park. Full of remarkable people and colorful birds, this book reminds us that we all have the power to make a difference.
Animal lover though she was, Lorin Lindner was definitely not looking for a pet. Then came Sammy - a mischievous and extremely loud bright pink Moluccan cockatoo who had been abandoned. It was love at first sight. But Sammy needed a companion. Enter Mango, lover of humans ("Hewwo"), inveterate thief of precious objects. Realizing that there were many parrots in need of new homes, Dr. Lindner eventually founded a sanctuary for them.
Meanwhile, she began to meet homeless veterans on the streets of Los Angeles. Before long she was a full time advocate for these former service members, who were often suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Ultimately, Dr. Lindner created a program for them, too.
Eventually the two parts of her life came together when she founded Serenity Park, a unique sanctuary on the grounds of the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration Healthcare Center. She had noticed that the veterans she treated as a clinical psychologist and the parrots she had taken in as a rescuer quickly formed bonds. Men and women who had been silent in therapy would share their stories and their feelings more easily with animals.
Author Notes
Dr. Lorin Lindner is the Clinical Psychologist for Clinica Sierra Vista Behavioral Health. She initiated the use of animals to treat trauma in Veterans at the VA Hospital in Los Angeles--the first program of its kind. She is the President of the Board of the Association for Parrot C.A.R.E. and of the Lockwood Animal Rescue Center. She and her husband live in the mountains above Los Angeles with numerous rescued wolfdogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, horses, dogs and of course parrots.
Reviews (2)
Kirkus Review
Parrots and military veterans bond and heal each other.Abused and abandoned parrots are fairly common in the United States. People purchase them for pets without understanding the challenges: They are large, noisy, need plenty of space to fly and forage, want to be with other parrots, and can live more than 50 years. When Lindner fell in love with an abused Moluccan cockatoo she named Sammy, she started on a journey that changed her life. After Sammy, she adopted Mango, another abused cockatoo. At the time, the author was working as a clinical psychologist and also began helping homeless veterans suffering from PTSD. When the veterans were introduced to the parrots and began speaking to them when no one was watching, Lindner had an epiphany. She realized the parrots had fewer emotional problems around the vets, and the men and women with PTSD were much calmer and more capable of handling their stress. So the author decided to start a parrot sanctuary where vets could work with and care for the birds. After much work and many years, Serenity Park was born, built on the grounds of the LA Veterans Administration Healthcare Center. Lindner pleasingly blends the stories of several out-of-luck veterans with those of the abused birds as well as facts and information about the care and maintenance of parrots. She also shares the story of her love for one of the men she helped who has worked with Lindner at Serenity Park for many years. Her story of dedication to the birds she loves and to the men and women she has helped is encouraging and uplifting. Bird lovers, in particular, will enjoy the descriptions of the parrots she saves, each with his or her own unique personality.A powerful story of dedicated service to abandoned birds and veterans and how bringing them together helped save them all. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
There are many books about the positive relationships formed between people and animals, especially dogs. Lindner, a psychologist, did not follow the expected route when she initiated the first program using animals to treat traumatized veterans while at a VA hospital in Los Angeles. In this enjoyable account, she details how the animal sanctuary, Serenity Park, was established and the enormous impact it has had on the lives of both the abused birds it welcomed and the veterans who coaxed them back to health. Lindner weaves her own compelling personal story into the narrative, explaining how she came to save her first parrot and discovered, entirely by accident, how much the birds could do for the veterans she treated. She does an outstanding job of showing not only how the program was developed but why it worked and how it could serve as a model for others. Lindner also discusses her work with wolf dogs and rescue horses, making this an uplifting book for animal lovers who care about changing the world.--Mondor, Colleen Copyright 2010 Booklist
Table of Contents
| Prologue | p. 1 |
| 1 A Promise Is Made | p. 9 |
| 2 Penance for Melody | p. 25 |
| 3 Mango | p. 45 |
| 4 Houseless, Not Homeless | p. 55 |
| 5 New Directions | p. 68 |
| 6 Finding Sanctuary | p. 87 |
| 7 A Sailor's Story | p. 114 |
| 8 A Sanctuary Opens at the VA | p. 130 |
| 9 The Parrot Whisperer | p. 144 |
| 10 Finding Forgiveness | p. 157 |
| 11 Being Chosen | p. 170 |
| 12 A Blessed Baby | p. 179 |
| 13 Grand Opening | p. 187 |
| 14 Building a Flock | p. 197 |
| 15 Warriors and Wolves | p. 207 |
| Epilogue | p. 217 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 221 |
