The heart-warming ‘Putman and Robin' social media accounts struck a chord with the nation and blossomed in popularity during the pandemic. Gardener, keen amateur photographer and robin-whisperer Tony Putman combined his talents and made a star of Bob the robin, his feathered friend and regular visitor. The extraordinary friendship between man and wild bird captured hearts and imaginations across the country.
‘Bob the Robin – A Love Letter to Britain's Favourite Bird' is Tony Putman's autobiographical account of how he came to befriend robins and share pictures of the wildlife he spends his days around with a wider audience. This charming story takes you back to Putman's childhood in the countryside, and how the influences on his early life led him to thrive in the great outdoors. There's a deep-rooted respect for and interest in the animal kingdom from the start. This is reflected in his tale of growing up in a house that fostered a squirrel called Peanut and a fox called Abbey until they were ready to return to the wild. Throughout the course of the story, you'll meet many pets and animals, all with their own distinct personalities. I loved hearing about Dave the crow, who is highly intelligent and quite the character. And, of course, there's a whole round of robins to get to know.
Needless to say, Bob is the star of the show. It was his unique friendship with Tony Putman that has made this book possible. That is the correct way of stating it. A running theme throughout the book is, ‘When a robin appears, a loved one is near.' You don't choose them. They choose you.
The truth of this is evident as Putman relates to his reader tales of robins who came into his life before Bob. Indeed, when Bob first arrived on the scene, in the garden of one of his clients, Putman was determined not to get too attached to any more wild birds. The most adorable passages in the book relate how their friendship grew to the point where Bob would warm himself in Putman's van on winters' mornings, and happily perch on his hand or shoulder.
If you're interested in this book then you'll almost certainly have seen the videos and photos of Putman and Bob. There are sixteen pages of full colour photos of Putman's menagerie in the centre, including the iconic one of quizzical Bob with his head cocked. That portrait has been turned into an illustration by Clare Attewell for the book cover. These inserts showcase Putman's talent for photographing the natural world.
Interest in ‘Putman and Robin' grew exponentially when the pandemic struck, and the author covers this period. With the world facing terrible uncertainty, and the great outdoors feeling like the only place to stay safe, the dawning of the Covid crisis coincided with the deepening of the friendship bond between Bob and Putman. In the course of recounting his unexpected social media success, Putman describes messages he received from followers saying how much the daily updates about Bob the robin meant to them. These brief moments of joy lifted the nation's spirits when we needed it the most.
I found ‘Putman and Robin' for similar reasons. I wanted to know if there was anyone else who had been chosen by a robin. Mine was called Rocky. And he certainly chose me. Every time I ventured into the garden he'd appear and follow me around, whether I was gardening, feeding the birds or simply enjoying some coffee in the morning sunshine. He'd introduce himself confidently on the fence only a few feet away from me whenever we had guests, and he definitely knew I was showing him off to our visitors. He'd come and take suet from my hand, and sing to me while I painted the back wall or worked on the bedding plants. During a difficult time in my life, Rocky's daily presence was a tonic and a blessing.
That's how I can say for sure that ‘Bob the Robin' has a resounding ring of authenticity. Tony Putman perfectly captures on the page his relationship with Bob, insisting it wasn't just about the mealworm treats he'd offer. Sometimes, the author notes, Bob really did just enjoy his company. During the course of the book, Putman sets out what it is about robins that we love so much and why their presence brings us comfort. ‘Bob the Robin' in a welcome encouragement “To look properly, to listen.”
‘Bob the Robin' is a short book and an easy, delightful read. It will appeal to the bird-fancier in your life. It is beautifully-produced in hardback, and its red cover and spine with gold-embossed portrait of Bob makes it an ideal Christmas gift.
Going into the book, I wanted to hear more about how to foster a close bond with the robins that visit your garden. The author makes no attempt to set this out, instruction-manual style, but reading his account you understand why such an approach would be futile. What comes across is the essential need to take the time to get to know them, respect their territory and rules of friendship and to possess an openness and love for nature. It seems that they are the essential ingredients for building trust with robins.
‘Bob the Robin' is a celebration of a unique friendship between bird and man, and a paean to the nation's favourite bird. In a market flooded with vacuous social media success stories, it's gratifying to see someone genuine with an inspiring story have an opportunity to find their readership. Having always put his pal Bob centre stage, it's a privilege to get to know a bit about the man behind the camera, Tony Putnam. The book gives readers an additional appreciation that he came to set up his Facebook page and gradually allow the wider public a glimpse into his life with the animals, wildlife and robins – and most especially, with Bob.
Publisher: Gaia Books Publication date: 31st October 2024 Buy ‘Bob the Robin'
