The Comfort of Crows (Reese's Book Club Pick)

Margaret Renkl

2 annotations Sep 2024 data

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  • Nothing in nature exists as a metaphor, but human beings are reckless metaphor makers anyway, and only a fool could fail to find the lesson here.

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  • One of my favorite childhood stories is Aesop's tale of a thirsty crow who finds a pitcher with a bit of water in the bottom. The clever bird cannot reach the water at first but then begins to drop pebbles into the pitcher, one by one by one, and soon the water rises within reach. I am beguiled by the promise of a year watched over by this bold, problem-solving bird—the playful prankster, the curious collector, the tender parent, humankind's steadfast companion. Even if the terrible time comes when all the other songbirds are gone, lost to the fiery world, crows will remain among us, living on what we leave behind.