There’s nothing like senseless violence to prompt a search for meaning, as promised in the subtitle. Through most of the book, though, it doesn’t feel as if Flynn is up to anything so profound.

... we can’t help rooting for [Flynn].

Have you ever thought, What my household needs is a few peacocks? Me neither. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying Sean Flynn’s Why Peacocks? An Unlikely Search for Meaning in the World’s Most Magnificent Bird, which details what happened after his family took on some pet peacocks.

Flynn recognizes the privilege inherent in keeping peacocks; throughout the ages, the birds were esteemed for their beauty, and owning peacocks was a way to display wealth and power. The author also notes the downsides of living alongside peacocks, who are quite noisy.

... [a] mostly lighthearted memoir with segues—some quirky, some profound.

Journalist Flynn (3000 Degrees) returns with a wry and moving account of his time keeping peacocks at his North Carolina home.

Flynn shares the ups and downs of taking care of birds—including the chickens he already owned—and he interlaces his personal story with intriguing information about the history and science of the peacock and its representation in art and religion. The author also chronicles his travels, from a cathedral in New York to a castle in Scotland, to learn more about these spectacular birds.