Bill Bailey (2) (1965–)

Most people know Bill Bailey for his amazing performances where he expertly mixes comedy and music with a large dollop of zaniness, or his appearances on various panel games. What most people don’t know is that he loves all things about the natural world and is a massive fan of birds in particular. For this book, he has taken 51 of his favourite birds, from the generally unloved pigeons and herring gulls to the tiny wrens, deadly peregrines and the cheeky corvid family. Each of the mini-chapters on birds has facts and details of where to find them or in the case of the bittern, where you can go and look and generally fail to see them.

There is not a vast amount of prose in the book, but what there is, is written with Bailey’s impish humour, amusing anecdotes and razor sharp wit. The design of the book makes it feel that you are reading a notebook full of jottings and his own charming sketches. Not necessarily a book for experts, but perfect for someone who is teetering on the edge of discovering the delights of the natural world.… (más)

The songs which Bill Bailey composes and performs for his stand-up comedy shows are not only immensely funny but also insanely catchy and occasionally anthemic, and they are done justice in this modest book. I should point out that I had the songs playing on YouTube as I read it, which no doubt informs my review. The Many Moods is a collection of sheet music (which I cannot read) and lyrics (which I can) with some comments from Bill on their genesis and a few anecdotes (John Entwistle from The Who liked 'Insect Nation', don't you know). The songs themselves are all gems, from the early prog-rock pastiche 'Leg of Time' with its Cockney middle-eight right through to the 'Death Metal Lullaby (Nemesis of the Vole)', a hard-rocking song about an owl. 'Insect Nation' is undoubtedly the best, with its epic 'ah-ahh-ah-a-ahh' hook (though the version performed in Cosmic Jam is longer than the book version, with an extra verse). 'Hats Off to the Zebras' is my personal favourite, and 'Midnight in Parliament Square' is a endearingly silly audience-participation song. 'Unisex Chip Shop' has a funny little ending, and 'Beautiful Ladies' has that hilarious 'kill the trolls' bit. Redneck Redemption (better known as 'I Will Not Look at Titties for a Year') is an amusing country-and-western song, whilst 'Love Song' stands alongside 'Insect Nation' as the finest testament to Bill's musical complexity and lyrical imagination. Overall, a short, sweet read that provided me with an always-welcome excuse to revisit and laugh along with some of Bill's fine songs.… (más)

A pleasing read, simply because it's an entertaining man talking about something he is passionate about. Whilst I am no birdspotter, I was fascinated by this introductory guide to birdwatching. Best known for his comedy, author Bill Bailey manages to identify just why our native wildlife is so special. Contrasting our bird life with the 'gaudy' bright colours of tropical birds, he rightly lauds the muted autumnal shades of Britain and the "delicate, subtle colours of British birds" (pg. 9). Some of the things Bill comments on, like the murmurations of starlings ("this sentient cloud, this natural art installation" (pg. 182)) are truly incredible to witness (ahem, even on YouTube).

Bill chooses his favourite and the most common birds and spends a few pages writing about each of them (though pictures often pad out these pages). He is amiable and manages to steer clear of anorak-ish behaviour, simply glorying in the features and personalities of our wildlife. With idiosyncratic illustrations (I particularly liked the magic spoon one on page 124) and keen anecdotes ranging from dedicated trips into the British wilderness to chance encounters over lukewarm cups of tea outside motorway service stations, Bill has that man-in-a-shed mix of intelligence, enthusiasm and oddness that is unique to our group of little islands.

Even if you don't have any particular interest in birds, some of Bill's eagerness is bound to rub off on you. As he says, birds – and, by extension, the natural world – have that "habit of raising the spirits" of those who watch them (pg. 118). We are a nation of animal lovers – even those of us who live in grey cities with traffic and waste in every pore – and a greater awareness of the natural richness of our country makes it "feel a little wilder, like some vital element of our past has been restored" (pg. 204).… (más)