True Feathers recounts the author's strides and strifes as a warrior in the US Air Force approaching the end of her career. Told through the allegorical lens of Coo, a dove who finds herself born seemingly out of place, we watch as she leaves behind the only life she has ever known in search of her true self. After befriending a wise old beach mouse, Coo begins to make peace with her past and finds she has the ability to create a much brighter future. Coo's realization echoes that of the author as she reflects on her past using insights from yoga philosophy and the healing powers of storytelling. True Feathers is a lyrical fable of authenticity, connection, and peace. ADVANCED PRAISE FOR TRUE FEATHERS "I just finished reading True Feathers and for all those humble warriors, who faced dangers to protect country, family, and friends, it is food for your soul. Follow Coo on her journey of healing hope as she finds meaning in her service and purpose for her life. By examining the sharp contrast of human suffering and joy, we can learn to embrace each day as a gift with gratitude. Even if you're not a veteran, this book teaches us we all have our own journey, but we can choose kindness and acceptance when we walk together. True Feathers is a MUST READ for all veterans and those who hold them close." Raquel Durden, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired) Co-Founder and Chairwoman, Humble Warrior Wellness & Yoga, 501(c)3, Nonprofit "A truly enchanting tale, one that captivates the soul. A story of courage and acceptance. This will touch your heart." Sophie Orchard Author of The Raven Descends "True Feathers is a gift to warriors reflecting on their journey, navigating transition, and charting a new flight path. Readers will identify with the main character, Coo, as she learns about acceptance, overcoming fear, forgiveness, self-empowerment, and more. Thank you Carolyn Patrick for inspiring us all to dive deep and soar high through the lens of Nature, one of our greatest teachers." Susan Pualani Alden Army Veteran and Co-Founder, Mind Body Aloha "Carolyn Patrick tells the powerful story of how intergenerational trauma expresses itself, how devastating it can be, and ultimately how redemptive forgiveness is for ourselves, as well as past and future generations. The writing is beautifully crafted and the illustrations expand the themes. Our suffering world needs powerful stories to guide us into insight, hope and healing. This book is a balm." Robin Carnes MBA, C-IAYT, Senior iRest Teacher and Trainer, Co-Founder, Warriors at Ease

A reporter's murder in Mexico and his editor's search for justice.

As heard on NPR's This American Life “Absorbing . . . Though it's non-fiction, The Feather Thief contains many of the elements of a classic thriller.” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air “One of the most peculiar and memorable true-crime books ever.” —Christian Science Monitor A rollicking true-crime adventure and a captivating journey into an underground world of fanatical fly-tiers and plume peddlers, for readers of The Stranger in the Woods, The Lost City of Z, and The Orchid Thief. On a cool June evening in 2009, after performing a concert at London's Royal Academy of Music, twenty-year-old American flautist Edwin Rist boarded a train for a suburban outpost of the British Museum of Natural History. Home to one of the largest ornithological collections in the world, the Tring museum was full of rare bird specimens whose gorgeous feathers were worth staggering amounts of money to the men who shared Edwin's obsession: the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. Once inside the museum, the champion fly-tier grabbed hundreds of bird skins—some collected 150 years earlier by a contemporary of Darwin's, Alfred Russel Wallace, who'd risked everything to gather them—and escaped into the darkness. Two years later, Kirk Wallace Johnson was waist high in a river in northern New Mexico when his fly-fishing guide told him about the heist. He was soon consumed by the strange case of the feather thief. What would possess a person to steal dead birds? Had Edwin paid the price for his crime? What became of the missing skins? In his search for answers, Johnson was catapulted into a years-long, worldwide investigation. The gripping story of a bizarre and shocking crime, and one man's relentless pursuit of justice, The Feather Thief is also a fascinating exploration of obsession, and man's destructive instinct to harvest the beauty of nature.

Bosco was lost. In his search for his family he joined other groups of birds. It was amazing how Bosco changed his feathers to be just like the other birds. But, there was still something about him that was different. The other birds knew that he was not one of them. Bosco changed his colors many times trying to fit in. He finally realized that he was a beautiful bird and did not have to change his feathers. His family and joy came to him when he discovered his "True Feathers."

Winner, 2017 Shaughnessy Cohen Writers' Trust Prize for Political Writing Winner, 2017 RBC Taylor Prize Winner, 2017 First Nation Communities Read: Young Adult/Adult Winner, 2024 Blue Metropolis First Peoples Prize, for the whole of her work Finalist, 2017 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction The groundbreaking and multiple award-winning national bestseller work about systemic racism, education, the failure of the policing and justice systems, and Indigenous rights by Tanya Talaga. Over the span of eleven years, seven Indigenous high school students died in Thunder Bay, Ontario. They were hundreds of kilometres away from their families, forced to leave home because there was no adequate high school on their reserves. Five were found dead in the rivers surrounding Lake Superior, below a sacred Indigenous site. Using a sweeping narrative focusing on the lives of the students, award-winning author Tanya Talaga delves into the history of this northern city that has come to manifest Canada’s long struggle with human rights violations against Indigenous communities.

"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.