First published 2008
Biologist Stacey O'Brien adopts Wesley, a four-day-old barn owl with damaged wing nerves that prevent him from surviving in the wild. Over nineteen years, O'Brien documents Wesley's development from helpless owlet to magnificent adult owl while maintaining his specialized diet of 28,000 mice. Wesley develops a complex personality that includes playfulness, fierce loyalty, and protective instincts strong enough to drive away O'Brien's romantic interests. O'Brien conducts intensive behavioral research on Wesley, discovering his capacity for emotion, communication, and what she terms "The Way of the Owl" - his intolerance for dishonesty and expectation of kept promises. When O'Brien faces a life-threatening illness, Wesley's devotion helps save her life. The book combines scientific observation with personal memoir, revealing owl intelligence and behavior while chronicling an extraordinary interspecies bond built on unconditional love and mutual rescue.
Genres: nature, animals, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unconditional-love
230 pages · Hardcover · Free Press