Such an odd little book, but made me laugh out loud a few times. Would make a great gift - as long as they understand that it's satire!

Thank you @netgalley , @petermcindoe, @birdsarentreal and @stmartinspress for the ARC of "Birds Aren't Real" by Peter McIndoe and Connor Gaydos. I'm typically a very slow reader and I read this in one day. Totally hilarious and yet spot on for how easily people are swept into movements without doing their due diligence or research. That said, the authors did a lot of research and, very hilariously, provided their own spin on history. The review and assessment of all the presidents truly proves that these guys are not taking sides and everyone is fair game. But really the best part is the back story to why birds aren't real.

That said, it really shows how easily people get caught up in conspiracy theories. And conspiracy theories are a big part of the existence of antisemitism. So think about that while you read this book that shows how easily people can be conned into extremist groups and disinformation/misinformation to push an agenda

Highly recommend

A satire of the strange beliefs and conspiracy theories that we see at every turn these days. The very idea the there are a group of people who believe that birds aren't real. Some who believe they never existed, and others who believe they were wiped out and replaced by drones or other machines the government uses to spy on us. Amazing the way there is no limit to the imagination and our abilities to make ourselves believe what we want to believe.
This a satire of that exact belief. The history of how birds were removed from our world and replaced by the government with devices to use against the citizens. The idea is gold and starts out entertaining. However, this book could have gotten it's story and message across in 50 pages. As it droned on I found myself skipping whole sections to the point I ask myself why I was continuing. I feel that I was able to get the gist of the book, but did not finish. If you enjoy political satire and conspiracy theories, this may be one for you to look in to.

I’m giving it a five based on how in depth this author goes into convincing me that birds aren’t real. Some parts made me LOL! Some parts had me wondering wtf I was reading. I feel connected to the story immediately, and I can’t deny that I now wonder if birds are spying on me ;)

Have you ever seen a baby pigeon?
Conspiracy theorist will find this to be an interesting read as it is very detailed and covers a lot of what ifs.

Birds Aren't Real was a decent read of a satirical conspiracy theory from the internet. The book had me laughing out loud as it wove the tale of why birds aren't real and the conspiracy theory that started it all.

DNF
I requested this thinking it would be a funny read and maybe get to know why/how this conspiracy started. Well, it might do that at some point, but I can’t get past the fact that I’m 9% into the book and all I’m reading is a bunch of false information made up in relation to this conspiracy. I just cannot bring myself to read 200+ more pages of false information. I did go into reading this with an open mind, knowing this would be part of it, but this book was already far too long. Proceed with caution.

I wasn’t really sure where this was going. It went from humorous, to worrying, to slow and tedious. Not for me, but I know those who like to read about conspiracies will have a blast with it.

A very fun, weird humor book about a fake conspiracy theory. I’ll admit, I was a bit concerned this was something more serious (because god knows there are plenty of ridiculous conspiracy theories out there) but the more I read, the more I laughed and realized just what the authors were going for. Some of this “theory” gets a bit over the top, but I’m sure there are plenty of readers out there who like that sort of thing.

This starts off really strong. I always enjoy good satire. But, ultimately, it's just too long. Which isn't great considering it's not a very long book. I heard the author on a podcast a few years ago and I enjoy the concept and I appreciate what he is doing with his "movement." The chapter about the US presidents was very funny and clever. That had to be my favorite part.

DNF

I wanted to love this. I was ready to smirk, to snicker, to just enjoy. And I did…at first. The problem is that what started as snarky and cute soon became precious and a bit tiring. I did LOVE the bird/drone classification section. But I got bored after that.

And, yes, maybe it’s me. I just think that this would be so clever as a series of essays, but as a book, it stops being surprising and starts getting tedious.

• ARC via Publisher

I think that if you go into this book for fun and take it lightly you will have a fun time reading it. I think if you are super serious about it depending on where you fall on the political fence....maybe not so much. I thought it was an interesting read, and definitely made me think about a few things. I think since 9/11 I question things a lot more with everything in life, so for me I did enjoy reading this book and the thoughts behind it.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book that finally speaks the truth about one of the greatest secrets America has been keeping, and how "THEY" are planning to take this worldwide, except for these brave writers exposing "THEM" to the world, unless "THEY" get to them first.

I don't know how it started, probably with the assassination of JFK, that might have been my gateway drug, but for a long time, I loved to read conspiracy literature. Books, zines, pamphlets, picked up a flea markets, head shops, odd music stores, including the one I worked in. I couldn't get enough. Grand world conspiracies, local ones covered in alternative newspapers. I'm not sure even now what my believability was, but I couldn't get enough. Add in X-Files, and I was a happy camper. Those days seem so innocent now, compared with the way that conspiracy thinking has infected everyone. Pizza basements and Dead Kennedys fill the news, and a populous that has zero in the way of understanding media, is just lost in it.

However while all the rest of that stuff might be made in a Russian basement, this book here is the real deal. And only two people seem brave enough to talk the truth about the birds. Not the Hitchcock, documentary people pretend was a film, this is the real story, the God's honest truth about birds and the rise of the surveillance state. If one only reads one book, please make it Birds Aren't Real:The True Story of Mass Avian Murder and the Largest Surveillance Campaign in US History by Peter McIndoe & Connor Gaydos.

Allen Dulles was having a bad day. As head of the CIA under Eisenhower, Dulles dealt with Commies constantly winning, winning in Europe, winning in Asia, winning, winning winning. To make it through his work day Dulles began to day drink as much as he could handle. Leaving the CIA Dulles was shocked to find bird droppings on his car. In his madness, Dulles came up with an ingenious idea. One that could help him win against the Commies, keep his car clean, and even more keep an eye on those pesky American citizens who got in his way with their freedoms. Dulles convinced Eisenhower to kill all the birds, and replace them with robots. Who would watch Americans for pesky Commie habits, and other things. Eisenhower agreed, and with the help of Boeing engineers, all lacking family, friends and social lives, wiped out the birds. That is why one never sees a baby pigeon. Only the actions of a rouge agent, who saw a parrot watching a family one day, which made him realise that bird surveillance was wrong, brought this secret to life. That and the brave writers of this book.

This book reads like something found in the back of an army surplus store in the mid 90's. The writing has that perfect mix of real events, real names, possible ideas, bad science, and a wacky ending. The perfect conspiracy. As a conspiracy, I am sure that the same people who believes in Jewish Space Lasers will be all over this. As a satire, it's really funny. Funny in that laugh out loud way, to the oh man so many people are going to believe this. As with all jokes it does tend to go a little long, but one can appreciate the work that is put into this. I really would have loved to see the research and time they took to write and rewrite. So much of this seems so spot on.

Recommended for that weird uncle, or the weird uncle you find yourself becoming. Funny writing, and ex-conspiracy fans will find a lot to agree with. I felt a lot of déjà vu while reading. Though it could be the HAARP program. Or the birds.

Smart, funny premise that neatly satirizes the illogic of much conspiracy theorizing. Still slightly too thin a premise to stretch a whole book across.

I was excited for the opportunity to read this but this is a DNF for me. I appreciated the satire but it felt repetitive in parts.

Ever seen a baby pigeon?

That's the nugget of truth, (because everyone I have asked has never seen a baby pigeon, so it must be true right?) which somehow billows out into this parody of conspiracy theories. ALL BIRDS ARE DRONES AND THEY'RE SPYING ON US!

Unfortunately, this didn't work for me. For about the first quarter or so, I was amused. For the next quarter, less so, but still interested. By the halfway point, the book is essentially over and there's a bunch of filler. A long list of our presidents, each with ridiculous bios. Directions on how to organize a "bird truther" rally. There are drawings and charts throughout-more and more filler.

The synopsis was funny and intriguing, but the book was not.

Without all the filler, this could have been condensed down to a novella or even a short story.

*ARC from publisher. Thank you.*

I thought this book was for real….he got me for about 30 pages and then….”waaaaiiit a minute”…this BOOK isn’t for real 😅 A tongue and cheek look at how Americans can fall down a 🐰hole of conspiracy theories!

I always enjoy funny, satire reads. I follow some conspiracy theories as it is, but this one is pretty much out in left field. Didn’t realize it was satire at first until I read it.

I didn't realize that this was a Satire at first, and was like "who is publishing this?" But then once I realized it was a satire on conspiracy theories, a major one being that birds aren't real and the government is using drone birds to spy on the American population, I realized this is in fact a very funny and well written satire. Even the research in to all the historical events, which are then satirized into only being useful to make robot birds, was very funny.

This book earns 2 stars because it is funny, but could have been a lot shorter. Maybe it should have been an essay in a collection.

Birds Aren't Real is a conspiracy theory I first read about on social media. The birds we see in the US are not alive, they are mechanical. The government is surveilling the population by using robot birds. The authors take the idea and build a book out of it. There's just not a book's worth of material here.

About midway through the book, the authors reflect on presidents and how they have participated (or not) in the unreal bird surveillance program. That's when the book went downhill for me. It was drawn out and seemed like a way to fill a few more pages.

The premise is funny. But like an SNL skit made into a movie, maybe this shouldn't have been a whole book.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.