{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Birds &amp; Nerds | Bestselling Author Amy Tan on Finding Hope and Beauty in Your Own Backyard","description":"Bestselling author Amy Tan says ten years ago she was so overwhelmed with despair at the state of the world, she turned to the natural beauty in her own backyard \u2014 specifically birds \u2014 in search of hope. Her book The Backyard Bird Chronicles is a beautiful collection of sketches and reflections on that personal journey. In this episode of the Birds &amp;amp; Nerds podcast hosted by award-winning journalist Ramona Schindelheim, Tan shares her creative journey, exploring the transformative power of writing and the influence of her family relationships. She discusses how despair led her to find hope through nature and birdwatching, using birds as a metaphor for life and emotional understanding. Tan emphasizes the importance of compassion and conservation, encouraging listeners to connect with the natural world and discover the joy of observing birds.&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Learn more about Amy Tan at https:\/\/amytan.net\/ \ud83d\udc26Listen now on all podcast platforms. Watch all episodeson the Birds &amp;amp; Nerds YouTube channel: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@BirdsAndNerdsPodcast&amp;nbsp; Visit the Birds &amp;amp; Nerds website and subscribe to notifications: https:\/\/www.birdsandnerdspodcast.com\/ Who am I? I am an award-winning journalist and storyteller curious about everything! Follow me on LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ramonaschindelheim\/ &amp;nbsp; ","author_name":"Birds &amp; Nerds Podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/www.birdsandnerdspodcast.com\/","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/40351535\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/199354655"}