Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe (2024)

Where is Alfie??

I don't understand this, Alfie gets lost in the text. Science, philosophy, and nature take center stage, and Alfie is treated like, "Oh yeah, I need to write about the owl." Skimmed most of the book. Very disappointing!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful book about nature in general and specifically the rescue of an eastern screech owl named Alfie.

To follow Alfie’s healing journey is to be privy to a part of nature few see up close. She blossoms from a near dead bunch of ragged feathers to a magnificent representation of her species. Most incredibly, with no parents to teach her, we watch as instinct takes over and she figures out how to hunt, fend off predators, find a mate, select appropriate living quarters and raise beautiful babies.

Interspersed with Alfie’s story, the author shares the information he has learned from interviewing indigenous peoples throughout the globe. Although these tribes have had no contact, they all share the same beliefs. At their core, they believe nature is to be respected and cared for since every living thing is part of the great web of life. If you harm any part of nature, the damage will be felt around the world. We would be well advised to listen to their message as the damage we have done becomes more apparent with each passing day.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves beautiful nature stories. Alfie’s journey is well worth a read.

Not What I Expected (2.5 stars)

Natural science and ecology are among some of my favorite non-fiction genres so I wanted to love this book. While following Alfie’s growth into an adult Eastern Screech Owl was interesting, the owl (and related nature) facts enlightening, and the two-way relationship with her humans inspiring, I found “Alfie & Me” exceedingly difficult to read. The book read like two separate books meshed together, the transitions choppy and threads unclear. There was the story of Alfie which frequently took a secondary position to a far-reaching cultural anthropological and philosophical discussion of the beliefs of previous civilizations, current indigenous societies, and Western economies regarding the natural world’s role in communities. While the author’s point about the varying perspectives of nature across societies/civilizations is clear (for example, the connectedness of all versus the separation of physical and spiritual) the linkage to the author’s journey with Alfie was too vague.

The book is beautifully written, but it sends a very inappropriate message about what to do if you come across a young owl that may (or may not) need help.

As someone who specializes in owls, has been permitted to use live owls in education for decades and is familiar with federal rehabilitation licensing and best practices, I was very taken aback by Safina's methodology.

Here's how Alfie's story should have gone if proper rehabilitation protocols were followed: The young owl was turned into a wildlife rehabilitator. If that rehabilitator did not have experience with owls, it should have been transferred to one who did. If it needed to be retained in captivity beyond a short period, it should have been transferred to a licensed rehabilitator with captive Eastern Screech-Owls (preferably non-releasable adults that would serve as foster parents or other juveniles of the species with which to imprint upon.) In late summer, after she could successfully pass "mouse school" where she could demonstrate her ability to effectively capture mice, she would have been released back into the area in which she was found, or other suitable screech-owl habitat.

To do what he did, he needs to have at least a wildlife rehabilitation sub-permit, which he never mentions if does or does not have at the time. In his book he doesn't mention working closely with a rehabilitator, but he does on his website. A bird slated for release is not to be around humans or pets as per federal regulations: "Orphaned migratory birds should be raised in a manner in which they are imprinted upon their own species. Every precaution must be taken to avoid imprinting birds to humans. Except as required to feed, water, and exercise animals, indoor and outdoor facilities, cages, pens, enclosures or other areas must be sufficiently separate and protected from pets and from human living or work space to prevent human contact with animals." https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/fil...
Birds are also not to be held longer than 180 days without permission of the permitting authorities. Does going on trips when the owl was ready for release in the fall constitute a reason to hold the owl over winter, and not even begin the release process in the spring?

Safina mentions Alfie molting all of her flight feathers in her first fall, calling this normal. She should not have molted her flight feathers until the next year. If she did in fact molt her flight feathers in her first fall it would likely be due to being exposed to abnormal light levels in his home, which messed up her normal molt timing.

To conclude the book by talking about a time when he cut the wing off a Sanderling with a knife and cauterized it with a soldering gun left me horrified. There is no way that was legal, and living in New York there is no excuse for not bringing an injured bird to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for proper care. Rehabilitators are not allowed to practice veterinary medicine, and any amputation above the elbow would require euthanasia by federal regulations. We aren't living in a war zone or in a country without proper care available for wildlife.

#FirstLine - The Little Owl had for more than a year been living a comfortable, healthy life.

Alfie & Me isn't just a book; it's a profound journey that resonates deeply with me as an owl enthusiast. I've always had a special place in my heart for these magnificent birds and even have a collection of owl items, so Carl Safina's tale of his unique relationship with an orphaned screech owl, Alfie, truly spoke to my soul.

As I delved into the pages of this book, I couldn't help but marvel at how Carl and Patricia took in a near-death baby owl, fully expecting her presence to be temporary. But when Alfie's feathers didn't grow correctly, her stay became prolonged, and she started to make a place for herself in their lives. The more I read, the more I felt the deep connection that formed between Alfie and the Safinas – a connection that was profoundly mutual. I could relate to the idea that owls, with their mysterious and wise demeanor, can become an integral part of one's life, almost like an enigmatic friend.

What makes this story even more captivating is the way Carl Safina weaves it into the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when many of us found ourselves spending more time at home, exploring our immediate surroundings, and reevaluating our relationship with the natural world. As someone who adores owls, I couldn't help but appreciate the intricate details of Alfie's life and her eventual release into the wild.

Safina's observations and reflections throughout the book provide a unique perspective on humanity's connection with nature, and for someone like me, who cherishes owls, it's like a window into a world I've always yearned to understand better. Alfie & Me is more than just a story; it's a profound exploration of the bonds that form between humans and the natural world. This book holds a special place in my heart as an owl lover, offering a deeper appreciation for our place within the grand tapestry of nature. It's a must-read for anyone who, like me, finds solace and wonder in the eyes of these remarkable birds.

An Eastern Screech Owl enters the life of a scientist/philosopher/historian and this two-stranded braid results. I loved the observations about the owl and its development, and I equally appreciated the review of western philosophy and how the author allowed the one to enhance the other. He writes, “out of the vast non-living universe, for some brief spark and against all odds, we live.” That sums up the spirit of this book.

I didn't realize this book would be 40% owl story and 60% philosophy text, a bit too preachy for me.

I got more than half-way through this book. It was not what I expected, and I honestly, would not give more time to finish it. I like rescue stories, and that is part of the book. However, it was a much smaller part than the actual theme, which focused more on ecology, politics, religions, and more. Part of the title indicated that human beliefs would be discussed, but it was a biased, judgmental approach. The tone of the book was harsh towards most religions, and the author conveyed feelings of hostility towards those who believe in any of the three major world religions. I was disappointed that with a publishing date of Jan 2024, the author stated that Covid-19 was started by the terrible ways humans kill and eat their food (referring to the meat markets in China). Even main stream scientists admit Covid-19 was started in a lab. I'm sure there are many people who will whole-heartedly agree with this author's beliefs. I just wanted to read a true story about a rescued owl, not listen to hours of politics.

If you don't fall in love with Safina's writing, in the same way that he fell in love with a little screech owl, then you might be a heartless monster. Through the lens of his personal relationship with a rescued owl, Safina chronicles humanity's own history with nature and the lessons that the world's interconnectivity can teach us. In journaling the grounding day-to-day of Alfie's life, Safina offers to share some of the peace and sanity he's found with the turbulent, overwrought masses.

interesting about the owl ... the philosophical tangents are distracting

I was excited to read this one, but it was pretty disappointing. When Carl Safina and his wife Patricia find an owlet near death they rescue it and assume they will keep it safe until it can go back into the wild. But Alfie's feathers aren't growing correctly so she ends up being in their care for over a year before starting to "re-wild." Because the timing of Alfie's "re-wilding" coincides with COVID, Carl and Patricia have an unexpected full-time viewing of Alfie's maturing, finding a mate, and raising her first babies. Throughout their time with Alfie, Carl wonders how much of their "help" is really helping or interfering. They get to watch Alfie's babies, who they call "the Hoo" all fledge and start their own independent owl lives. While most of the parts about the owls were interesting - there was still a LOT of repetition. Alfie mated this many times today, she flew here and there and here and there, how much she hunted/ate/etc. That got old because it was a lot of the same day to day. Also, I would say the book was 50% Alfie and 50% Carl's philosophical musings. I came for Alfie, not for all the other stuff. A little that related to Alfie and their relationship/time would have been fine but I agree with some other reviews I read that is was almost like 2 separate books were meshed together and didn't really work. I did like that some photos were included as that definitely added to the book. I hate it, but I would not recommend this one.

This is the first book by Carl Safina that I've read. Suffice it to say that it will probably be the last. For the life of me, I don't understand what he was trying to do. Whatever it was, for me it didn't work. The narrative of Alfie, the owlet that he & his wife, Patricia, rescued and nursed back to health and adopted as part of their animal family was enjoyable. It was most interesting watching Alfie grow & then being nurtured and venturing out on her own as she matured into adulthood. But interspersed with this story is sort of a philosophical history of humankind, which might have been interesting on its own, but I couldn't see what it had to do with Alfie's story. For me, it accomplished nothing, & I ended up just skimming through the last few chapters because it was a total distraction. Bottom line is that I cannot recommend this book at all.

I love all the wonders of nature and learning about Alfie did not disappoint. When rescued, she was a tiny ball of feathers nearly dead. Alfie first lives in Safina's home, then grows enough to be moved outdoors to a screened coop. Safina hesitated to leave the door to the coop open because he worried Alfie would fly away and not be able to survive on her own. It is remarkable how Alfie's instinct kicked in, and she found shelter in her Ivy Tower and nearby trees, learned to hunt, and mated with Plus-One. Alfie and her mate raised 3 healthy owlets, affectionately called the Hoo. I enjoyed the photos included in the book.

I rate the story of Alfie 5*, but only 2* for nearly half the book about philosophy, references to thinkers through the ages (Confucius, Aristotle, Plato, etc.), religious and world leaders, and humans' impact on the health of the Earth. For me, those sections were extraneous to Alfie's story.
Thank you to Bookbrowse for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is truly a COVID book, by which I mean we all became more introspective during the pandemic, and Carl Safina turned it into a beautiful counterpoint between the story of a rescued screech owl and a history of human thought around the relationship between humanity and nature. Although I feel some of his thoughts about philosophy, world religions and indigenous beliefs may have been somewhat simplified, I appreciated the scope of his overview. The crystal clear truth is that he loves this little owl and the natural world he lives in and that shines through every sentence of the book. I would recommend this to anyone who loves reading about the natural world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

DNF, 31%.

This is as 15 minute story about rehabbing an owl and a 12-hour crash course in philosophy. If it had been heavily scientific about biology and ornithology, I could've kept going. If it had been about all the other rehabbing the author has done, I could've kept going. If it had been more about the author's actual life experiences, like the part about his Uncle Tony, I would've gladly kept going. But this book is marketed poorly, and manipulates unlikely readers into the pages under false pretenses. I wanted owls! I wanted human-owl relationships. I wanted to know how each impacted the other's life and knowledge. I wanted Alfie, and I wanted to see the world through his eyes. And I got the tiniest possible morsel of that, until it wasn't enough to keep me going. So I googled the author and Alfie and learned the story of the owl, as I had yearned for.

Now that the adorable cover has grabbed your attention, here’s more: this is one of the finest rallying cries for our fundamental need for nature that I have ever read. Safina’s chronicle of rehabilitating an orphaned baby screech owl is thoughtful, immersive, and incredibly moving. God, I loved this book.

Dog owners have always been sure their pets could understand them, could communicate, could share human feelings, and they paid no attention to detractors. But when it comes to other animals, wild animals, people are not so sure.

In Alfie and Me, Carl Safina writes about the time he had a relationship with a wild owl which he rescued from death as an infant, through its maturity as a successful mother with a wild mate. He emphasizes the close feelings with a small being who would initiate its social friendship calls with him, answer when called, and didn’t come to be fed, but to say hello. Named after the Little Rascal Alfalfa, Alfie , like all youngsters, learns to understand and navigate her world.

Safina is very concerned about the state of wildlife and the diminishment of a supporting wild environment. Interspersed with Alfie’s tale are detailed philosophical summaries of two opposing ways of viewing nature. The first, and oldest, are the indigenous and Asian philosophies which see the world as a balanced unity with humans as a part of it.

The second, more recent, starts with Plato and Christianity, which see humans as special and apart from nature. Nature can be considered evil, frightening, or existing to be exploited by humans. It is this second view, which is in the ascendance with so many, that is the cause of our environmental troubles today.

Safina goes into great detail about both philosophies and the need to return to an outlook that has served humanity for millennia. The reader who enjoys philosophy will like his provocative views; the reader who doesn’t care for that can skip those parts and read this book as a charming story about an owl who definitely can think, communicate, and share human feelings – plus do so much more in its parallel universe than we can know.

If you would like to read more of my reviews, please check out my blog, Old Ladies Read and More to see what interested women are reading. https://www.oldladiesread.com

This is a hard book to read since it really consists of two books that are written together like a deck of shuffled cards, with both stories interspersed over the 319 pages. Following the life of the owl(s) is interrupted by the exploration of historical happenings, religion, physics, and the cult of the individual.

The first true story about an injured Eastern Screech Owl that is adopted by Safina and his wife Patricia is written wonderfully as the relationship between owl and man develops. One could actually ponder the thought that Safina did not have a job beyond observing Alfie morning, noon, and night. Indeed, the observations became repetitive over the course of the book as they kept wondering where the owls were and what they were doing. From the privacy of their home grounds on Long Island, NY, Carl and Patricia experienced the unfolding of the human and owl connection, as Alfie improved and adjusted to the surroundings, and ultimately acclimated to the wild as well.

The other half of the book is devoted to educational insights into how man (to his detriment) became separated from animals as a result of religion, development, colonialism, etc. especially in the Western world. As commented: “the blindness of the West is to grope the world as inventory. The great wisdom of the indigenous mind is to understand the world as relationships.” DNA has confirmed our kinship with other creatures, as we have evolved from a common origin. There are many other knowledgeable insights that demand thoughtful consideration, but have little to do with owls. An example being the fact that Benjamin Franklin championed the Iroquois Confederacy as a model for the U.S. Constitution.

The reader is bound to reflect on the thought that we humans have more of a connection with animals than the vast majority of us have ever considered. We share the planet together, and our continued existence is dependent on understanding that.

For me this book was a 3.5 stars.

I loved the story and how Safina writes so honestly about his feelings and reactions about Alfie, the little screech owl that he has rehabilitated. I also enjoyed how it is mixed with philosophy and history, especially learning about Plato's profound influence on Western thinking (he really does go into Plato quite a bit, hahahah).

But for me, the story really slowed down about 1/2 or 2/3 of the way in, which makes sense because he is often just searching and waiting for a sighting of Alfie or any members of her family. I did have to push through the part to make it to the ending.

I felt like a connected with so much of what Safina was saying. That animals should be wild and an animal that is not free is missing something so essential to its being. I am glad that he decided that Alfie should be a free owl, despite all the dangers and his own attachment to her. And it certainly wasn't an easy decision:

"I remained afraid that if I opened the door she'd simply fly away and starve. Refusing to face pain can create a numbness that pushes joy beyond reach, according to the Nuu-chah-nulth tradition. Wise words but--they must be paired with a bit of courage."

I enjoyed Safina's ramblings on the universe:
"Time has strange properties and prompts stranger questions. Energy, matter, time, and space may all be aspects of the same thing. And why is there anything, rather than nothing?"

And:
"Buried within at least one galaxy is a sparkling planet that has spawned an explosion of tiny glittering flecks capable of looking out and watching themselves perform. Minds. We are the universe aware of itself."

Some of the tidbits he drops in were fascinating:
"Meanwhile, during the second millennium B.C.E., pastoralist people began spreading out from a thousand-mile-wide region north of the Caucasus Mountains and the Black and Caspian Seas. We call them Caucasians.... They tended cattle and rode horses descended from those their ancestors had domesticated centuries earlier. Their fifteen-hundred-year spread brought them as far as India in the east and Greece in the west. They are the reason that "brother" is bhrater in Sanskrit and brathir in Old Irish, the reason Sanskrit, Persion, Greek, Latin, German, and Celtic are related languages."

This part makes it clear how Safina felt about Plato:
"In sum, Plato gave us a creator-god to craft perfections into earthly facsimilies; an eternal soul imprisoned in decadent flesh, yearning for release upon death; and--most consequently--denigration of material existence...Plato and his followers were perhaps the first people to feel revulsion toward the world. By forever separating our material world from the realm of perfection, Plato propounded a stark dualist doctrine."

And in the 21st century, that idea continues:
"For the messianic billionairs stroking their rockets, heaven is Mars. But if they want to try living on a dead planet, it would be more efficient to just stay hear and wait for this ailing planetary patient to die. And what ethics would justify seeding other worlds with the only species that has destroyed a world so perfectly suited for Life?"

It was fascinating to see how Alfie needed to know that the author was present, even after she was a free owl:
"Her singing appeared to be a kind of checking in, to ascertain where everyone was before settling in for the day. Presumably another owl--a mate or a competing neighbor--would engage in back-and-forth. So I tried that the next morning. When she began to sing, I called back. Her song immediately softened and quelled. Sight unseen, she appeared satisfied about my presence."

I love how Carl Sufina speaks about Alfie as a being more than just some bird from the beginning of the book, "Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe." Sufina covers many different aspects of the life of this bird, including various beliefs people hold about the vision of such birds. Native American spiritual beliefs and religion were addressed in this book. This book is more than just a tale of saving an owl from certain death.

"Shall we see Raven, or shall we see a raven? Perhaps the truth lives somewhere between the sense that Raven possesses powers that can affect your luck and the sense that a raven is just a bird. I don't think a raven will affect my luck, but I know a raven is not just a bird. Nothing is 'just' anything. Everything is the present manifestation of the deepest histories, most ancient yet always unfolding. Could Alfie affect my luck? The revealed answer was becoming increasingly plain. She's been lucky. And so was I." -- My favorite Safina quote from the book.

African spiritualism that was mentioned in the book seems to add to the reverence felt towards life. Then you have the addition of philosophy and theology in the book which adds more depth. Adding in their other family friends, the book doesn't just deal with Alfie, the owl, but also the dogs and other birds. You even have a courtship involved between Alfie and Plus One (cute lol).

I don't want to ruin the story, but I would love to say that the pictures are amazing. It's a touching and magical story. Lessons are learned through this process that gives joy in this life. I would recommend this book to any spiritualist, nature lover, animal rescue worker, preservation worker, and anyone who loves a heartwarming story and a triumph over possible tragedy.

As soon as I saw the cover of this book I was interested! The cover features Alfie all grown up perched on a tree.

I love books about our relationships with animals especially wild ones. Carl Safina does a great job of caring for wild animals while also being respectful of them and educating others.

The story of Alfie's rescue and rehab back into nature is entertaining enough but the author also uses his knowledge to educate and share information on the impact nature has on our lives. The narrator, which is also the author, does a great job telling his story. His voice is nice to listen to and a great job of impersonating the owls.

One of my favorite lines in the book is when Carl mentions why pets become family so quickly and it is because they are inherently better than us. If you have pets, you know the connection and joy animals bring into your life is incomparable. I have had so many little cherished moments with wild animals that lasted seconds. I am jealous of Carl and Patricia for seeing Alfie from a baby to a proud mama!

I loved how Carl and Patricia took in so many different animals throughout the years. Their story reminds me of one of my favorite social media accounts, Juniper the Fox. So if you loved this and want more, give them a follow!

If you go to the author's website you can see pictures of Alfie as a rough looking chick and as she ages into a full adult screech owl. If you enjoy memoirs with a heavy focus on wildlife and nature, you'll love Alfie and Me. Thank you to NetGalley, Carl Safina, and HighBridge Audio for the opportunity to read Alfie and Me. Special thank you goes to Alfie for letting us know her! I have written this review voluntarily.

Carl Safina blends ecology and natural science with philosophy to show the inextricable connections between nature and human existence. Over the course of their homebound Covid-19 year, the author and his wife rescue a fledgling owl who had been left for dead. Through interactions with, and observations of Alfie the owl and her eventual mate and three owlets, Safina muses about his relationship to this creature. He digs into humanity's belief systems (philosophy, theology, technology) through history and how we've arrived at the separation of man and nature and our wondrous planet's crisis conditions.
"If one has not been raised to inquire about relationships, one might see a living thing as nothing but a product model. One would miss that living is a correspondence with the surroundings, a matter of taking in and putting forth ... Each species is in continual conversation with other individuals, various species, and the land- and waterscapes of their time and place."
Safina weaves owl behavior with philosophy, using transitions that are mostly fluid but sometimes jarring. Overall a reflective and gorgeously lyrical book with an appeal that makes so much sense.

[Thanks to BookBrowse's First Impressions Program and W.W. Norton & Company for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

I came to this incredible book via an interview Dr. Safina gave at Cornel University. Rarely do I watch such things but this one caught me. Lucky me.
My understanding of the title was such that I thought his experience with the owl was going to change his understanding of owl behavior. And so it did, in a relatively small way. But what the "Humans Believe" part of the title referred to was the interior part of the book: a pocket history of human belief systems.
The exterior of the book was Alfie, a darling screech owl found as an almost-dead baby and brought to health by the Safinas (Carl & Patricia) and apparently good genes. It is a cozy story, delightful and told without being sappy. It is well knit, with tension and appeal.

Cute stories abound, even true ones. But interlaced with honest, incisive, insightful discussions of the world's belief systems and how they affect us today---the duality and reductiveness structures---well, that is a rare book. True, occasionally Dr. Safina veers awfully close to being overly woke, but mostly it is under control, and even when we might want to revolt the genuineness of the material saves us.
As a book of philosophical reflections, this would be valuable; as a story of a scientist-animal love affair, it would enthrall: being both it is a monumental work.
Highly Recommended

Although the publishing blurb for the Alfie and Me and its Goodreads rating of 4+ made it seem appealing, I gave up reading it less than 40% of the way through.

Its first few chapters got off to a good start: there was a heartwarming description about Safina’s efforts to save and then care for Alfie. Along with this were descriptions of his household including the pets, timely information about screech owls and judicious, and relatively succinct insertions about ancient notions man developed about nature and his place in it. Gradually the focus shifted from Alfie to the author’s discussions about the evolution of man’s theological and philosophical ideas about nature and his relationship with it. By the time I was about 20% into the book Alfie was mentioned for 1-2 paragraphs in the chapters while the descriptions of philosophy would take up 4-5 pages…or more. It became increasingly tedious to me.

Admittedly, many of Safina’s ‘observations, insights and reflections’ were ‘keen.’ But way too many of these were about things other than my reason for reading the book: Alfie. Readers with a greater interest in theology or philosophy might find this book worthwhile. I did not.

Nature Literature reading group book for November 2023.
Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe. Pay attention to the subtitle because this is so much more than the story of a man and the screech owl he cares for. The story of Alfie and her human and owl families is predictably romantic with a helping of scientific observation. The bigger story is about how we have come to believe that we can understand life scientifically by setting ourselves apart, observing and experimenting without engaging and experiencing. Safina shares his misgivings about interfering in Alfie’s life but concludes that deeper understanding requires connection.
I had read Braiding Sweetgrass right before reading Alfie and Me. Both authors grapple with the cultural disconnection between modern humans and the natural world, especially Western culture. Sweetgrass teaches the indigenous American reverence for all living things, flora and fauna. Alfie asserts that the point of disconnection harkens back to Plato who “posited an ideal realm outside of space and time and disparaged our existence in the flawed material world”. Both implore us to reconnect, to recognize the spark or spirit in all living things, including tiny screech owls and maple trees.

Alfie & Me🦉by Carl Safina
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A screech owl rescue allows for a philosophical reflection on our connection to nature.
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“Thank goodness the universe is pointless. It allows us to become.”
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⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 < probably would have rated it higher if it were shorter. The philosophical components were a little forced and longer than they needed to be in parts. I found myself skimming the denser sections.
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“The great blindness of the west is to grope the world as inventory. The great wisdom of the Indigenous mind is the understand the world as relationships. Life is connection in the present across time.”
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“Alfie’s consistent magic could not have been better timed. She was sprinkling fairy dust on an otherwise awful, often appalling year….an opportunity to pay attention to the life we all shared.”
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“The salamanders reaffirm that beings yet exist who keep the world’s secrets.”
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“Owls and other non-human animals know things, while we believe things.”
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“…there seems little harm in letting the mere notice of something unusual, beautiful, and natural cleanse some of the grief.”
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“The owls gave us the opportunity to pay attention. That was their main gift to us: to be present for a while in the always magical here and now.”

The author, an ecologist, rescued a near-dead baby screech owl and raised it to adulthood, eventually releasing it into the wild. So about that owl: When rescued, she looked like a tiny drenched dishtowel, her downy covering full of fly eggs. She was so emaciated that he could not identify what kind of bird she was. And she joined the author’s household, which included two humans, three dogs, four hens, a king snake and two parrots. (I can’t imagine the chaos!)

He watched her, fed her, kept copious notes on her behavior, and fretted like the stereotypical helicopter parent. .Watching the process as the bird healed, grew, explored and learned, was compelling. I loved the description of that little owl flying around the house, spearing dog toys!

Unfortunately, it felt as if there were two separate books threaded together. The screech owl (Alfie) part was fascinating. But the other book – the philosophy, other civilizations, moralizing part – was not what I was looking for and I soon found myself scanning the pages, reading the paragraphs about Alfie and skipping the rest. Would have liked this book much more if it had focused on Alfie, with fewer long wordy tangents.

I’m embarrassed to admit that I was previously unaware of the work of Carl Safina, who is an award-winning behavioral ecologist and writer. I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and a brief excerpt about a bedraggled baby owlet rescued from the brink of death. I needed to know Alfie’s story, and I looked forward to learning more about owls. Safina did not disappoint in his exciting story of how this owl and her family became interconnected with the author and his family.

Safina alternates between Alfie’s story and contemplations of how human beliefs about and attitudes toward nature have changed over time and across cultures. Although there were times when I just wanted to get back to the owls and dogs and chickens, I did appreciate many of the author’s points.

Carl Safina narrates the audiobook himself and does a great job. The audiobook production was good, and Safina has a pleasant voice, good pacing, and clear enunciation. His imitation of the owl calls definitely added to my enjoyment of the story.

I recommend this story to nature lovers and those with an interest in ecology and philosophy.

I received a free advanced listening copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

I would love to see a children's picture book about just the Alfie and family part of this story.

I was not expecting the philosophy and religion aspects of this book. I just wanted a cute story about the saving and release of a little owl. That is what all the blurbs lead you to believe you are getting.

Yes, I can see the story flowing into the native american philosophy of living with the land and not against it. And I can see it including the concerns for the ecology of our world (think Rachel Carson's Silent Spring - which was a 5-star read for sure). But, this went far beyond that scope.

The author was way over-focused on every aspect of this little owl's life due to the lack of other distractions during the COVID-19 shutdowns. If Alfie was a person she would be in serious need of a restraining order for her stalker. He even gets night vision goggles to track Alfie and her family.

Has anyone else found books written during the Covid-19 shutdown have a different feel to them? I have started looking at copyright dates and rethinking if I want to read things written since 2020. Some books seem to have been written or have a higher word count just because people did not have anything else to do.

NoThis is a moving story about the rescue of an injured baby Eastern Screech Owl named Alfie. It recounts a heart-warming story of dedication, perseverance, and ultimate success by both Safina and Alfie. It provides details about Alfie’s progress and final release back into the wild, Safina’s struggles helping Alfie, as well as the timing of her release to increase her chances of surviving in the wild, and how they create a strong bond that makes them integral parts of each other’s lives. Amazingly, we watch how Alfie’s instincts take over after being orphaned, learning how to hunt, fend off predators, find a mate, select appropriate nesting and living quarters, and raise her owlets - all while letting Carl Safina peek into her life. Interspersed with Alfie’s story, Safina includes snippets of thoughts about philosophy, world religions and indigenous beliefs, and around the relationship between humanity and nature. This can sometimes be a little bit distracting from Alfie’s story, but interesting as food for thought nonetheless.

Thanks to BookBrowse for an advanced copy of this book