Welcome to the world of backyard chickens

Above : Tove Danovich will speak at Auntie’s Bookstore on Saturday about her book on chickens. (Photo/Auntie’s)

My friend Dan has chickens in his backyard. I imagine many others do, too, who live in Spokane’s city limits.

All of them might be interested in attending a book event at Auntie’s Bookstore at 7 p.m. on Saturday. It will feature author Tove Danovich discussing her book “Under the Influence: Inside the World of Backyard Chickens and the People Who Love Them.”

Danovich is an experienced, Portland-based writer whose articles have appeared in everything from the New York Times to Backyard Poultry Magazine.

Her book looks at the whole chicken-human experience. As the book’s promotion materials claim, “From a hatchery in Iowa to a chicken show in Ohio to a rooster rescue in Minnesota, Danovich interviews the people breeding, training, healing, and, most importantly, adoring chickens.”

And as a story on NPR.org states, the book “explores the history of humans’ relationship with these birds we domesticated around 3500 years ago. She also fills the pages with personal anecdotes from the time she spends with her own chickens, illuminating their smart – and varyingly sweet and sassy – personalities.”

The event is free and open to the public, and pet chickens are welcome to attend, too, though the store posts some conditions: They have to be somehow “contained.”

Which, the store adds, means “no loose chickens running around pooping, please!”