A hilarious tongue in cheek nod to all the conspiracy theories out there. I fear some will miss the joke but it was hilarious to me.

This was a very solid satire. It hits on the ways misinformation spreads. Also, a very good balance between "here's a thing that is true" and "here's something that is 100% not true" to show the ways that conspiracy theories take truth and push it too far. It's been a while since I've read good satire like this.

4 stars

Loved this! It’s fun and light. I’ve just recently heard of this conspiracy and I was like “people seriously believe this 🤨”

When I saw this book I knew I needed it, because I need to know everything. I just dont get it, but I had fun anyway.

This book is a quick and hilarious read! My only concern is that someone already inclined toward the conspiratorial mindset may pick it up and take it as real--that's how authentically the authors mirror fringe thought! (I know this, because back in the day when conspiracy theories were fun and not deadly serious, they were one of my favorite forms of entertainment. Yikes!) The narrative pushed just far enough past anything remotely plausible to make me giggle almost constantly as I read. Birds Aren't Real will definitely go on my list of books to recommend to friends who will get the humor, the sarcasm and satire, and the skill with which the whole thing is assembled.

Overall a fun read -- I found myself chuckling out loud at a few different points throughout the book. A timely bit of fun with the overrun of conspiracy theories in American culture. While not a long book, it did feel a bit repetitive with some of the same jokes being used over and over or like the joke went on just a bit too long.

As a bird truther, I have used the Birds Aren't Real movement to teach students and adults about using satire to make a point, to counteract vitriolic statements, and currently to show historical absurdities. This tongue-in-cheek "history" book is silly and fun. It is intended to make a point about the absurdities in our society. They tried to be an equal opportunity book at taking potshots at both main political parties. While reading this book, I couldn't help but compare it to the Society for Indecency of Naked Animals. Thanks for the laugh!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the uncorrected preview. All reviews are my own opinion.

This is an entertaining book. If you are looking for some humor, this book has it. I enjoyed the majority of the book including the diagrams of the various "birds" and finally understanding the truth behind the assassination of JFK. Got to warn my mom against feeding those lethal hummingbirds all the time.

I will admit that there were some times when the book fell flat or felt like it just kept going, despite being at a place where it could have ended. But overall I enjoyed the read and had some good laughs while reading.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Birds Aren't Real: The True Story of Mass Avian Murder and the Largest Surveillance Campaign in US History by Peter McIndoe and Connor Gaydos from St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

What a hoot!

Went on a little too long, but I guess it was worth it for one particular memo from President John F. Kennedy to CIA Director Allen Dulles, “Horsefuck, Oklahoma,” and “aspiring folk musician Charles Manson.” Oh, and, “Let’s be very clear; owls do not make sense at all, and that’s intentional. They’re designed to see how stupid we are, and it turns out we’re pretty stupid. For the love of God, we cannot keep falling for this!”

Not to mention an incredible list of, and I quote, “conspiracy facts” (on p10 in my electronic copy)**. I only googled a few of them (Project ARTICHOKE, Acoustic Kitty, and Operation GLADIO), and of course already knew about the 1953 Iranian coup d’etat, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, and the Pentagon Papers. Wow. Just……wow. So unreal the things the U.S. government has done, continues to do, and probably will do…..

Fun way to spend part of an afternoon. Probably more enjoyable if you remember how the whole “Birds Aren’t Real” “conspiracy theory” got off the ground. Here’s a link to an good piece on it from The Guardian*** in April 2022: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...

**List of “Conspiracy Facts”**
MKULTRA, COINTELPRO, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Operation Northwoods, Moorer-Radford Affair, Operation Mockingbird, Special Collection Service, Operation Paperclip, MKOFTEN, Project ARTICHOKE, Operation Dormouse, the 1953 Iranian coup d’etat, Project MERRIMAC, Stuxnet, Operation CHAOS, Project SHAMROCK, Operation Charly, Operation 40, Operation Midnight Climax, Operation Washtub, Acoustic Kitty, Stargate Project, Family Jewels, the Pentagon Papers, and Operation GLADIO.

Oh yeah, of course I’m gonna look up ‘em all up now—why else did you think I took the time to list them all here?

***Piece from The Guardian***
Just in case you don’t want to read the whole piece, here’s what I consider the most-relevant excerpt: “It’s the most perfect, playful distillation of where we are in relation to the media landscape we’ve built but can’t control, and which only half of us can find our way around. It’s a made-up conspiracy theory that is just realistic enough, as conspiracies go, to convince QAnon supporters that birds aren’t real, but has just enough satirical flags that generation Z recognises immediately what is going on. It’s a conspiracy-within-a-conspiracy, a little aneurysm of reality and mockery in the bloodstream of the mad pizzagate-style theories that animate the ‘alt-right’.

DESCRIPTION
The true story of the greatest conspiracy in US history—and how to fight back.

Have you ever seen a baby pigeon? You haven’t, have you? No one has, not in many, many years. They used to be everywhere. You couldn’t walk out of your front door in New York City in the 1930s without seeing dozens of those little guys scurrying around. Today, there are millions of grown up pigeons in New York, but not a baby pigeon to be seen. That’s because they come out of the factory as adults.

This is one of the many smoking guns of the bird drone surveillance crisis. Since 1959, the Deep State has mercilessly slaughtered over 12 billion birds and replaced them with identical drones that are designed to spy on private citizens and report their every action directly to the government. From pet canaries to Sesame Street, the shadowy figures that pull the strings have infiltrated every aspect of our society, making a mockery of civil liberties while the American people live in blissful ignorance. Until now.

In Birds Aren’t Real, whistleblowers Peter McIndoe and Connor Gaydos trace the roots of a political conspiracy so vast and well-hidden that it almost seems like an elaborate hoax. These hero Bird Truthers have risked life and limb to compile and disseminate a treasure trove of information about the origins of the surveillance crisis, its spread, and the patriots who are on the front lines today, raising awareness and working to reclaim America as the land of the free. This urgent manifesto features a host of useful illustrations, activities, and leaked classified documents that will convince even the most outspoken skeptic that birds aren’t real. The truth is out there: will you stand and fight before it’s too late?

What better way to "enlighten the masses" than to expose the U.S. government's ingenious bird surveillance system, aka Operation: Water the Country? In this handy but too-long guide to the Birds Aren't Real movement, readers can learn the why, how, who, when, and what of their feathered foes, as well as how to hold a Bird Truther rally to gain support, overthrow the U.S. government, and join the "underground movement" of the future. "Cleverly-hidden" ideas are also offered for those who read between the, ahem, power(ful) lines. No longer do citizens have to fear every Robin, Goose, Pigeon, Bluebird, Turkey, and Ostrich! Also featured: a kids' somewhat rhyming guide to fake birds; space-consuming sensitive and maybe-classified emails and other documents between our highest leaders about this BS (bird system); an unusually vivid history of EVERY past U.S. president, his looks, and highlights from his time(s) in office which may have or probably didn't lead to the need for fake birds (note: emphasis on looks); and ?helpful? tear-away fliers for spreading the news. Read at your own risk: may contribute to a wasted 1/2 hour here or there and possible bird poop targeting your car!

Thanks to NetGalley for this preview copy in exchange for my honest review. 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4 for fun illustrations.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC copy of Birds Aren't Real by Peter McIndoe & Connor Gaydos.

I certainly laughed out loud when I saw the title. Being a follower of r/BirdsArentReal and cracking jokes with my friends and significant other, this was a welcomed book. After all, Peter McIndoe & Connor Gaydos go into the very real (but also very fiction) truth of the government spies that we see daily on the power lines and in the trees. Reporting everything to the government and boy we may be in trouble. Especially if we're going from a sub-reddit to the very press!

The comics for me made it even better, but if the birds get ahold of it, they might figure out what is going on.

Beware the government drones.

Birds Aren’t Real by Peter McIndoe and Connor Gaydos
June 4, 2024
3/5 Stars
Humor/Satire

This book was <i>disturbingly</i> funny. What’s funny (scary, maybe?) is that people might just take it seriously? The former English teacher in me can see students using this as textual evidence for an argument.

I loved this book because I am a high school teacher, and these dingus kids believe everything. I love how the books talks about the origins of a conspiracy theory. Fun book.

This was a strange book and I kinda loved reading this, it had a great concept especially when you figure out that this is satire. I don’t know how anyone thinks birds aren’t real. It was fun to read and could see how it was overdone in this book.

Goodness, I just saw a few hundred birds sitting on the electrical lines over the highway, but thanks to this book, I know they were just recharging their drone batteries while spying on the drivers and transmitting facial recognition scans back to you-know-who.

Be aware, this is a parody that’s having fun with you. I totally knew that when I embraced this as my favorite conspiracy theory a couple years ago. I am always gobsmacked when some well-known person falls for a parody in social media, and I will be gobsmacked by any, umm, serious reviews of this funny book. Although, I admit I have never seen a baby pigeon.

The authors are having a lot of fun living in their minds and trying to inhabit yours, too, but I’m not sure who will read the entire book. But it’s goofy and it’s going to be a great gift for your crazy uncle to distract him from the aliens tunneling under the Canadian border. 3.5 stars.

Informative. Everything is very average and normal, nothing to see here.

My favorite part was the compressive summaries of all of the US presidents, as well as the information about the magnets. Very helpful and accurate.

Nothing further.

I was excited to read this but it did fall a little flat. It was a little over kill at some points and a bit drawn out but an overall comical read.

This was a fun read a-la Philomena Cunk and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learning all about the birds that are not real. 4.5/5

Absolutely fanatical about the Birds Aren't Real movement. The weaponization of satirization against harmful conspiracy theories is absolutely brilliant. However, this book felt like it didn't quite explore the concept in a way that justified the length. I tapped out around 40% because it felt too drawn out.

Thank you, NetGalley!

I thought I would like this book because I like the memes of birds aren't real. But I'm not convinced this book is a joke. The joke of birds not being real was so tiring after the first couple of chapters, it would have been a better podcast episode or blog post. This was way too long and not funny enough. It would have been a fun book if it featured other internet conspiracies but it didn't.