The book examines bird song from two main perspectives: scientific and aesthetic. Elliott dispenses solid, basic science on why birds sing, the functions of specialized bird vocalizations, and other topics that have been examined by ornithologists. He also discusses how bird songs have influenced poets, with many examples from the writings of some of the greatest of all time. Indeed, it is not difficult to see how the songs of such great singers as thrushes, larks, or others inspired writers as diverse as Shelley, Whitman, and Thoreau.

Aside from the text, the book is graced with spectacular photos, virtually all of them taken by Elliott and in magificent color, of singing birds. Any birder who knows the difficuly in spotting such songbirds as warblers will be astonished by Elliott's photos of these and many more, in the act of singing no less! As if this were not enough, tucked inside the back cover you will find a compact disc of bird songs also produced by Elliott and technically superb (as are all of his productions). Virtually every bird mentioned in the text is heard on the CD, and Elliott takes time to examine special cases of particularly striking bird songs. For example, he plays the songs of thrushes at normal and slowed-down speeds so you can hear how complicated they really are (the human ear is ill-constructed to grasp all of the sounds contained in the songs of many birds).

For its combination of both educational and entertainment value, this book is hard to beat. Lang Elliott is carrying the torch of a mostly-vanished generation of naturalists who believed in exposing the wonder in the simple worlds not so far from our own backyards (most of the birds presented here are common in at least some parts of North America). Look at these glorious pictures, listen to the splendid sounds of the birds on your CD player, and if you haven't cultivated a love of birds, you probably never will.