Maria Popova's 'An Almanac of Birds' Blends Poetry, Collage, and Ornithology

Maria Popova has released 'An Almanac of Birds: 100 Divinations for Uncertain Days,' a book that combines poetry, collage, and 19th-century ornithological illustrations. The project originated from a nightly ritual of selecting bird images from works by John James Audubon, John Gould, Elizabeth Gould, Edward Lear, and Henry Leonard Meyer, then remixing their descriptions into poetic divinations. Popova digitally corrected scans only lightly, embracing stains and faded colors. She describes the work as a synthesis of her loves for language, constraint-driven creativity, natural history, and vintage illustration. The almanac is published through The Marginalian, her long-running website. Popova also discusses the importance of rewilding language, citing Emily Dickinson's use of the ornithological term 'ossified.' The book offers 100 invitations to wonder, aiming to help readers listen inward.