ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BILL BURNS is a creative writing teacher
and former publisher of the poetry journal Quarter
Moon Quarterly. A native of Winnipeg, he spent 17
years as an editor at the CBC, and then taught art at a
private school. His paintings can be found in private collections
around the world. Burns, also the author of Discover
Burns Bog, is president of the Federation of B.C.
Writers. He now lives in Surrey, B.C., Canada.
FROM THE INSIDE FRONT COVER
(HARDCOVER VERSION). . .
In March 1955, a large wooden box arrived at Featherland,
the avian sanctuary outside Victoria, B.C., operated by
Cecil and Adele Hyndman. Inside shrieked a young female
golden eagle. When Cecil peeked into the box, four inches
of talon shot through the air hole – a violent introduction
to a long and stormy relationship that would see a man
and a woman become closer to a bird of prey than to each
other.
Susan lived intimately with the Hyndmans, even taking
over their former bedroom. But overcoming Susan's traumatic
upbringing took years and almost cost Cecil Hyndman his
life. Susan attacked him a number of times, once driving
a talon through his hand, another time impaling his leg,
and once nearly blinding him.
Eventually, Susan accepted Cecil. He was even able to
rub faces with the fierce predator. But Susan turned on
him when he crossed her, and Adele took his place in their
“golden affair.” While Susan laid eggs into Adele's hands,
an unprecendented act of love, Cecil could only watch helplessly
from afar.
In Raising Susan, Bill Burns not only portrays
the strange dynamic of the Hyndmans and Susan, he also
shows the unique relationships shared by the Hyndmans and
the rest of their menagerie, including Senator Snort, the
curious armadillo, and Itchy, the talking gull. But Susan
never let anyone forget that she was the Queen of Featherland.
FROM THE BACK COVER (HARDCOVER
VERSION) . . .
“Susan’s hackle feathers, each one tipped with gold, slowly
rose and remained on end in hostile stiffness while I stood
there voicing greetings.” Cecil recalled . . . He knew
the hostility was not general, but personal. The raised
hackle feathers signaled a rejection of Cecil.
As Cecil stepped back, deeply disappointed, Adele approached
the edge of the pen and greeted Susan in her soft, lilting
voice. The eagle responded with a twittering noise from
deep in her throat. At the same time her collar hackles
relaxed and her expression softened. Soon the twittering
rose in response to Adele's voice.
Susan's thin and shrill voice – “tweeters of pleasure”
– surprised Cecil. The sound reminded him of a canary –
hardly what you would expect from such a fierce and magnificent
bird. He realized what her vocalizations meant. “This was
meaningful in an almost ominous sense,” wrote Cecil. “Susan
had made a clear choice between us. It was Adele and her
only. She melted for Adele. She bristled toward me.”
REVIEWS
of RAISING SUSAN
Three people left reviews on Amazon.com –
all giving the book 5 stars!
“This book surprised me. I
am not inclined to read books about humans relating to
birds or animals.
Once I began to read Raising Susan, however, I became increasingly captived.
It told an amazing story in a seamlessly detailed and dramatic way. With
a man, a woman, and a golden eagle as its protagonists,
the story is really a
strange love story, filled with obstacles, breakthroughs, heartbreak, joy,
and even violence, as the eagle attacks the man who seeks to be close to
her. Read it and believe it” – Bryan McGill
from Brentwood Bay, BC Canada
“This is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable
nature stories I have ever read; full of drama and even
physical conflict as Susan, the abused golden eagle the
Hyndmans brought to their avian santcuary, attacked Cecil
Hyndman. Not once, but three times, almost blinding him
in the most serious attack. Yet Susan showed she had a
less fercious side, bonding so closely with Adele she was
able to stroke and kiss the large eagle with an almost
8-foot wingspan. Susan responded with physical proof of
her deep attachment to Adele by laying 17 eggs in captivity,
some directly into Adele's hands -- the only female eagle
to do so in captivity. The Hyndmans raised other large
birds of prey at Featherland, including a female great
horned owl that also laid 14 eggs. The Hyndmans were also
famous for teaching many birds considered untrainable to
speak. They were referred to as modern-day "Dr. Dolittles" --
an apt description. This book tells the intertwined and
convoluted story of what must surely be one of the oddest
love stories ever -- between a man, a woman and a golden
eagle.” – Dr Silvia Glen
“Bill Burns has done an
exemplary job of capturing the interaction between Susan,
a golden eagle with a five foot wing span, four inch claws
and a brutal beak and Cecil and Adele Hyndman. Their challenging
and intimate relationship with Susan took place over a
twenty-five year period. The meticulous notes that Cecil
kept of Susan the eagle and some three hundred other birds
he cared for in Feartherland provide us with insight and
understanding of birds not recorded elsewhere. It was Cecils
dream to be recognized not as an untrained ameteur bird
lover but rather as an authority on birds and their capacity
to interact in amazing ways with humans.Burns has enabled
Cecil to do this in relating what he learned about the
golden eagle who shared such a major part of his life.
If you love eagles this story will surprize and amaze you.
Burns has written a very fine book.” – James Emms from Vancouver
Canada
OTHER REVIEWS and COMMENTS
". . . lovingly told . . . engages the reader so
completely . . ." – Globe and Mail
"Cecil's is a remarkable story, and Raising Susan does
it justice . . ." – NOW
"In Raising Susan, Bill Burns provides a
detailed and piquant account of the trials and tribulations
of two uncompromising folk caring for dozens of avian creatures
. . ." – Two Chairs
LINKS . . .
The book was turned into a play!
A Review of the Play
More about the Play
Listen to a radio program about Raising Susan
Links About Birds of Prey
Bill
Burns Bio at Federation of BC Writers
