You will not find a better book on the love of animals this year, than Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl.

One of the fascinating things about "Wesley" is the transformation you see the author, Stacey O'Brien, going through -- from a very scientific, analytical mind to an awakening and acceptance of telepathy as a form of communication between humans and animals.

It's not that the book focuses on that, it's really a life story about her and wild owl, whom she named "Wesley." She adopted him at 4 days old when she was working at CalTech, and this is a story that she wrote as a way to release her grief after he died. He was 19 years old.

No matter how bizarre the circumstance of having a wild animal as a companion, and no matter that every once in a while in the book she uses verbiage that is far above my level of intelligence, (and I consider myself to be of moderately high intelligence) there is a commonality in her story that every parent of an animal can easily understand. The little proclivities our animals have, the snuggling, the cuddling, the getting angry when we leave for too long of a time, these are all things we can understand and relate to from our own experience with our pets. (I do agree with another reviewer that parents should read it first to screen out any material that might be upsetting to young children.)

But this really is a work of art. I am not a big reader of stories, but I could not put this book down. The side stories are fascinating. For instance, her father was good friends with a man she mentions -- the man who figured out it was the o-rings that blew up the Challenger. These are the people she associates with on a regular basis. The stories of some of the people she talks about at CalTech are fascinating, creepy, intriguing and more.

As an animal communicator, this is not a book I would recommend to teach people to become animal communicators, its a story that in a very unique way, from a very unique person, addresses animal communication as part of our relationship with our animal kids.

Easy to read, it's funny, it's fascinating, repelling at times, making you cringe and say "Eeeeewwwwww" out loud and by the end, will be hard to read through your tears.

I - can't - recommend - this - book - enough. Wesley the Owl. If you enjoy it even a fraction as much as I did, you will enjoy it, very much, indeed.

I know I'm going to get blasted for writing a negative review, but I just couldn't like this book. As an animal lover, as are most of the people who will read this book, I expected to like it, I wanted to like it. The story of the owl itself is ok, and the book is a quick, easy read.

The problem arose for me when, in the first few pages, the author remembers crying all day as a child when her mother flushed a spider down a toilet, using that to portray what an animal lover she is. But a few pages later, the adult biologist writes "there is a cultural pressure among biologists to withstand the extremely gross without reacting" and goes on to describe cleaning up rotten, maggot infested rats parts that the owls have dropped. Later on, she works desperately to save a hamster but is blase about microwaving mice. She jokes about rats that "must have been doing genetic experiments" because they were so large before she sliced them into "rat pucks".

Now of course I know that in the wild, mice, rats, and other such creatures are always in danger of being eaten. But I also know they also have the chance to get away. It is the author's seeming total lack of concern for the animals that are killed to keep her owl alive that concerns me. I could not read this story without feeling for the animals that have been compartmentalized in her mind as "food" and therefore not worth any compassion. This story just made me sad.

This book taught me so much about the barn owl and owls in general in the most caring, touching, funny and ultimatley heartbreaking true story. I have so much respect and admiration for Stacey O'Brien and all that she did for Wesley during his entertaining, funny, and quizzical 19 years on this earth. They taught each other and me so much about nature, animal intelligence, and human, animal bonds that no one thought possible. Wesley is now flying gloriously solo with the angels above us and I know he watches over Stacey from above. Thank you Stacey for a marvelous book and I am grateful to you for sharing Wesley the Owl with us.

This is an absolutely incredible book about a young woman who literally spent her life with her little owl from birth to death. I am also saddened to read that she herself was ill. I wish you the best Stacy and hope you are well. You did a wonderful job on this book!!!

"Couldn't put it down".
Seriously. I picked up this book at my local library on a whim.. basically being I like birds, especially birds of prey. So, this cute little owl covered book caught me and I took it home and did noththing but read from start to finish.
The author intrigued me by simple education of the biology of barn owls while wrapping it all up in a mothering love nest of emotion.
I cried and laughed and I felt I was there through the 20 years. Wonderful.
I bought this book (Amazon) and sent it to my dad across the country. I have never done that before. I just wanted him to share this great story with me.

I had an owl once. I had a cat before I had an owl but the owl changed that. I wish I still had a cat instead of still having an owl that wants to kill me and my family. Owls make horrible pets and this book is ridiculous and wrong. 5 stars.

This book is truly inspirational! I thought it would just be about the life of an owl, but it was really about so much more. It touched me deeply and I don't think I will ever forget this book.

Enlightening insight into the life and emotions of an owl. I've always admired owls and wonder how it would be to have an owl. It's a magnificent book on Wesley's behavior and a really credit to the patience and love of Stacy O'Brien. Wonderful.
gloria

I just finished reading Wesley The Owl and was extremely moved by this book. A remarkable love story indeed. You were both so lucky to have found eachother. Thank you Stacey for sharing Wesley with us.

I felt this book was more about the history of owls than anything else. I was expecting something more along the lines of Marley and Me. It isnt even close to being as good.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I laughed and I cried and I learned so much about owls. I never knew they were so fasinating. I would not mind having one as a pet, but I think the eating mice thing is not my cup of tea. It truly is a love story.

This is my new favorite book when it comes to human and non-human animal relationships. It is the Marley & Me of the avian variety. Each page delighted me or made my cry with shared grief. Stacey is a wonderful writer, and an even more amazing person, to commit so much of her life to the care and nurturing of this extraordinay being with whom she was so blessed to be friends. It goes to show you that if human beings can step outside of their own realm of being and look into the eyes of other creatures, they will see someone there looking back - not just a bundle of flesh, feathers, fins or fur, but a real spirit worthy of respect and, if we are lucky enough, they will allow us into their worlds, worlds from which we as a species have much to learn. Thank you for sharing your story, Stacey!

If you have ever loved an animal, you will love this book. If you've lived with an intelligent animal and studied its ways (and had it study yours!) you'll be fascinated by this story of a young Caltech biologist and the injured bar owl she adopts. Very interesting and humorous mix of insight into Wesley the owl's behaviour and the impact he has on the author's life.

Stacey O'Brien was a biologist at Cal Tech when she adopted a 3 day old Barn Owl with a permanently damaged wing whom she named Wesley. This is the story of their relationship during their 19 years together. It's a charming moving (but not overly sentimental) funny and informative tale. You will learn more than even most scientists know about Barn Owls as the story unfolds and you'll gain insight as well into the endearing personality of a particular Barn Owl named Wesley. Owls are playful, curious and intelligent yet interact with the world quite differently than we do. The descriptions of Wesley's embarrassing moments when he's learning to fly (yes he did learn to fly) and the fun he has splashing in the bathtub are priceless. You will also meet Stacey's human family, friends and co-workers, some quite unusual. I enjoyed this book about "The Way of the Owl" enormously, and if you like Konrad Lorenz's books, animals in general, or just a good read that's hard to put down, you will too.

When student researcher Stacey O'Brien was introduced to an injured four-day-old barn owl at Caltech she could not have possibly imagined that the little bird would change her life forever. O'Brien is an animal lover of the first degree and it was easy to convince her to take on the task of caring for Wesley, as she soon named the little guy, even though she knew that he could never be released into the wild. He would instead spend his extra-long nineteen-year lifespan living in her bedroom and become her closest companion during all of those years.

The unbreakable bond that developed between Stacey and Wesley makes for an astounding story. It is not overly surprising that Wesley, taken in at such a young age, would "imprint" on Stacey to the degree that he came to see her as some kind of mother/mate combination. What might be even more remarkable is how maternal Stacey felt toward Wesley for the entire nineteen years of their relationship, even referring to herself as "mommy" when she spoke to the little owl. In fact, and in every sense of the word, Stacey and Wesley created a two-member family for themselves to such a degree that few would consider Wesley to have been held in captivity. Rather, the two lived side-by-side as equals.

Wesley the Owl is O'Brien's fascinating account of what living so intimately with a wild creature requires from the human in the relationship. Imagine having to come up with the four or five dead mice a day required to keep a barn owl healthy (a number that O'Brien estimates to have reached 28,000 over Wesley's lifetime). Imagine having a nocturnal animal just a few feet from the bed in which you hope to get your own night's sleep. Think about the sheer clean-up involved and the constant vigilance required to ensure that the animal does not mistake any visitor as a threat requiring physical attack. Consider the degree to which personal freedom has to be sacrificed in this kind of relationship, even to limiting other relationships to people who accept your "pet."

But for Stacey O'Brien it was all worth it. She and Wesley each learned to communicate in the language of the other, verbally and physically, to the degree that they developed a relationship of equals. They cuddled, they talked, they "groomed" each other, they brought treats to one another (although Stacey only faked her enjoyment of dead mice), and they grew together into two adults enjoying a closer relationship than some married couples might experience (including Wesley's idea of a mating ritual).

For Stacey and Wesley it was all about unconditional love. After all, as Stacey came to learn, that is the Way of the Owl, a code of conduct that more of us than do should strive to emulate.

Stacey the human and Wesley the owl were lucky to find and keep each other for a lifetime. We should all be so lucky.

As both an animal lover in general and as someone who's worked closely with raptors, including owls, I found Wesley and Stacey's 'love story' to be both charming and, at the same time, a pretty realistic account of the time, effort and devotion it takes to hand raise and live with an essentially wild animal. It also serves as a cautionary tale for those who would try doing something like this with no training or education in dealing with the needs of these extraordinary creatures. Reading about Wesley brought back wonderful memories for me of owls I've known and loved but it's a great book for anyone who loves animals be they furred, feathered or scaled.

Biologist Stacey O'Brien who worked at the lab at CalTech did an incredible job of writing this book. She is such a compassionate person and caregiver to Wesley and was totally dedicated to this little guy for 19 years even through some major ongoing challenges in her personal life. She writes about feelings we all experience in caring for our fur and feathered children, the hopes, the joy, the fears and at the end of their lives, the total helplessness, fear and guilt we feel at not having the power to make them live longer lives than they were meant to live. But this is mostly a happy book, an incredible look into the life of an animal that most of us never have the opportunity to get close to. I think Our Maker has a special place in heaven for people like Stacy.

There are a lot of animal stories out there, and being a bird owner myself and having always seen owls as mysterious animals, I was drawn to this book. This is unlike any book I've read thus far. It is simply written, and felt much like sitting in comfy chairs, across from Stacy sharing a cup of coffee and hearing her story. It was like having a conversation with her. I learned so much about Barn Owls and their personalities, habits and emotions. It made me laugh and it made me cry. It was so interesting that I read most of it in one sitting. It was a fascinating read from start to finish and I hope she will write more in the future.

I've already sent this book to two friends and it will definitely be on my Christmas list to send to others this year. Two thumbs up for this one.

Very interesting, love to enter worlds I would never visit myself. She is a great writer and enjoyed the book very much. A good read on the beach or on a plane ride. The book also gives you insights on the life and thought process of scientists. When the book ends you want to know the sequel of the author's life. She endears herself to you. I wish her well.

I knew I would love this book when I first saw it advertised and it didn't let me down. I especially enjoyed the part about Wesley learning to fly and how "embarrassed" he was!!!!!!!! So adorable!!!!!!!!!!!! To the author: I am soooo sorry about your illness. No one can understand pain until they have experienced it. I wish I could help you in some way!!!!!!!!

This book is full of information about owls as well as having an excellent story line about real life living with an owl.

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl Thoroughly enjoyable reading. The theme was eductional, entertaining and sensitive. I went out and bought an owl paperweight for my desk and an owl broach for my blouse to remind me of this very sensitive owl.

This is one of the sweetest, most heart-wrenchingly delicious books I've ever read. Neither a scholarly study of animal behavior nor an overly-sentimental story about a young woman and her unusual pet, this book leads the reader down a delightful middle-way, The Way Of The Owl.

It is a lovely story of a love story, the elucidation of a nineteen year friendship between two very beautiful souls.

You will cry, but your tears will bring healing and hope and mystery back into your life for a long time after you've finished the book. You will never forget Wesley or his girl, Stacey.

I absolutely adored this book! A very touching story that goes to the heart of how love is felt between animals and people. I would recommend this book to anyone who has felt that connection. I plan on buying several copies to give as gifts to friends.

This was a great book. Your heart will go out to Stacey and Wesley. An animal lover will easily relate to the joys and heartbreaks of this relationship. It is an interesting and educational read.

I read the reviews and said "Why not?" This book is a fast, enjoyable read not only because the story was so intriguing but also because the characters (both human and owl) are ones you care about. Many times I found myself reading passages aloud to my husband, with both of us remarking "I didn't know that!" As a cat and dog person, I certainly could visualize Wesley's antics and appreciate his personality. Usually, my favorite 'literature' genre is 'beach trash' but reading about Wesley made me smile, cry and laugh out loud; but most of all, it made me want more. I've passed the book on to others and they have had the same reaction. Buy it, enjoy it and share it!

I'm a fan of the man-animal bond genre in general, but this is about the best I've ever read. Stacy is an amazing observer and memoirist, just a wonderful voice in writing. Almost everything she has to say about this owl is interesting / amazing / hilarious. My only slight regret is that the author may have given too much to her relationship with Wesley--he does seem to have come at the expense of some other relationships, but she probably would have it no other way.

I have a thing for owls, so when I saw this book among my recommendations, it captured my imagination. Fascinating story - I loved every minute of it, and I didn't have to kill any mice!
I would highly recommend it - not just to owl lovers, but to animal lovers everywhere.

I just finished reading "Wesley the Owl". Such a sweet, sweet, heartwarming story. Stacey has shown us how humans can bond with other species. Of course, those of us who have pets know how great the bond is, especially when we lose them. Do yourself a favor and buy a copy of this book for yourself or a friend who is an animal lover. I loved this book. Thank you Stacey for letting us share your time with Wesley, and I wish you only the best also with your health.

This book had me laughing and crying. I was facinated by the way the author made the factual circumstances of raising an owl interesting (it was hard to believe how many mice they eat, and how hard owl parents have it with their broods). You will not be able to put this one down if you love animal stories.

This was such a wonderful book!!! Sad at the end, but still....a really good read. Loved it. Buy it!!!

I purchase, Wesley the Owl, initially for my 12 year old who has a tremendous interest in becoming a zoologist or biologist. He was finishing up one of his other books so I read, Wesley the Owl, first. It is a fascinating account of the life of a barn owl. The behaviors, love and loyalty toward his young caretaker are remarkable and I couldn't put
the book down! I had no idea how intelligent these beautiful creatures are. Incredible story................Dana B., Mauston, WI

Stacey O'Brian is not a gifted writer, but once I accepted that fact and moved beyond it to the delightful story itself, I was enthralled. I have had a wide assortment of animals, including several birds. I currently am owned by a thirteen year old Maximilian Pionus parrot whose real name is Sweetheart but also goes by the moniker of "Mr. T" (testosterone) and who shares many of the traits that Wesley displayed over his nineteen years with Stacey. Sweetheart, like Wesley, does not willingly share his mate, me, as my husband can testify. This book will have great appeal to animal lovers, and once you move beyond the unsophisticated style (which improves somewhat as you progress further into the book), you will not only discover a most endearing tale but will also learn some very interesting facts about avian behavior.

Beautifully written--Touching, fascinating, funny, compulsively readable--not to mention how much I learned about owls. I have returned to Amazon and bought this book for all my adult children and for several friends besides.

I was very enthralled with this story. I found it very educational and entertaining. I plan to give it to my 10-year-old granddaughter and, hopefully, this will spark an interest in the sciences. On my daily walks, I now listen and look for owls and hoping I'll see another Wesley. You won't be disappointed with this story.

Almost a year ago I lost my precious Dove (Heaven) and at times still find it difficult to explain to others what she meant to me. This book does exactly that. Not to mention helping to make more people aware how intelligent animals can be. Also, how they can change your life and help you grow spiritually. Stacy has honored Wesley and his gift to her by wriring this book. Stacy has helped me by talking about her grief and guilt and putting a perspective on it I needed to be reminded of as the anniverary of Heaven's passing on approaches. I know Wesley and Heaven are up there working together to help us humans become better people. I highly recommend this book for so many reasons, but mostly to increase our awareness and make us think of animals as equals.

I love this book.

It is a very sweet heart warming story. I loved the relationship between Wesley and Stacey.

The book had a very uplifting, yet heart wrenching story(sometimes).

You get sense of the "love" that Stacey had for this little owl and Wesley had for her.

It made me laugh and cry in the end.

This is a wonderful book. The stories are funny and fascinating, and quite educational without being dry or dull. There are some vivid descriptions of things that only biologists could experience that might gross out the unwary. (Human parasites, anyone?) Neverless I reccomend the book highly, except....

I like mice. Mice like me. The descriptions of how the poor biologist personally worked out the best way of pre-killing the mice that Wesley ate are Icky and graphic if mercifully brief. Not for the squeamish, children, disturbed individuals or people who have pet rodents. If you have young children who can read you should seriously consider removing that page or two. I have no problems with the photo of Wesley about to swallow a nice plump dead mouse, it's not an Icky picture and predators have to make a living too. Wesley's diet could lead to intelligent discussions for children ready to learn about predators and prey, and as a mouse-owner the stories about The Ones That Got Away had me rolling in the aisles.

I loved this book, a wonderful story of life with a barn owl. Wesley is an unforgettable character, and Ms. O'Brien's story is fascinating.

When I read the description of "Westley the Owl" I was compelled to buy the book. I am an animal lover and expected to fall in love with Westley. What I did not expect, was to be affected so profoundly by the love demonstrated by Westley's caretaker. Her compassion, respect, and tireless love for her owl was beautiful. Stacey's curiosity, patience, and admiration for our fellow creatures is infectious to her readers.

Unconditional love is what the author gives her companion owl. And, he, in turn, gives her his whole heart and soul. She writes that gazing into his eyes affords her a deep sense of spiritual connection. The owl accepts the author as his one and only mate (owls mate for life). He entices her into his special nest which he has prepared by lining the space in back of her toilet with shredded magazines. He calls his mating call which is loud and sounds like a roaring air conditioner. And then he brings her dead mice which he insists that she eat (she has to pretend to consume them and secretly hide them) because she presumably is eating for two. Even when he accidentally punctures her skin with his talons and attacks her human boyfriends, Stacey forgives him because predators do not understand punishment. Stacey is all-accepting when it comes to her companion. There are numerous examples of tolerance greater than I could show starting with being awakened every couple of hours at night (owls are nocturnal)-- once by having a mouse pushed into her mouth in Wesley's loving attempt to nourish his beloved with his favorite treat.
This is a special book about a special couple. Even though the relationship consists of two members of different species, they are as close as many married couples. (Closer, probably.) At the end of Wesley's life, Stacey is able to persuade him to submit to having his beak and talons filed. She describes her reasons for considering this communication telepathic. And later, when the author becomes so ill and disabled that she considers suicide, it is her relationship that ultimately enables her to triumph over illness.
I laughed, I cried, I was comforted. I, too, am nursing an ill loved one. The author's book comforted me and lent me the fortitude to endure. Truly, love conquers all.

Stacey O'Brien does a commendable job describing the fascinating and lovable Wesley's actions in human terms, but not being anthropomorphic. As a scientist, I was fascinated by the richness of detail from this woman's 19 year saga. As one who shares life with two brilliant parrots, I cannot agree more about the depth of experience looking into a wild bird's eyes and bonding such that only death will separate you.

The Way of the Owl is the Way of the Macaw as well.

Readers of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy and Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle will note more similarities in the human-'animal' relationship set forth here in chapter after fascinating chapter. They teach us more than they learn from us. They wait, sometimes impatiently, for us to catch up with them.

The author's recounting Wesley's ongoing narratives of their life is spot-on. Birds whose life you share do this, for the sheer joy of it, for creativity and self expression. For reasons we can never know. They are the most giving, sharing creatures. And as for welcomes home...your dog will show she's glad to see you, but your bird will tell you how glad, and all that she's been thinking and feeling and doing while you were apart.

Read Wesley the Owl, and know that all creatures are conscious. All creatures. You will cry at the end, and afterward just thinking about it. Then you will run to every precious animal that blesses your life and, through tears, tell them how wonderful they are. And they will understand.

Amazing insights into the character of a barn owl kept not in captivity but as a member of a 2 creature family (the author and the owl), from age 2 days for his whole life. Hilarious at times, as when the owl woke the author (who he regarded as his mate) by dropping a dead mouse into her mouth. The ending was very sad,with more than two years of slow deterioration in the owl's last years, and the author's own increasing disability during that period.

There are few instances where a human can bond with a wild creature and care for its unique demands. It takes a special dedication, insight, and sense of responsibility, and Stacy O`Brien had all this and more. Her trials in raising this owl and maintaining her humanity were ingeniously documented in this true chronicle, and I just was fascinated by the creatures` interaction with his "mother-mate". It is a must-read for anyone who has owned a pet or can bond with other sentient beings.

I picked this book up while on a vacation and absolutely loved it. I didn't know much about owls at all, but found myself fascinated learning about their behavior. I especially liked learning about Wesley, and how he was both typical and atypical for a bird of his species.

his was a charming story, a story both tragic at times and heartwarming at others. I highly recommend this story to those who know that animals are capable of strong emotions and will bond with humans in extraordinary ways.

It is well written, fast paced, and just the right combination of day to day life with Wesley and educational information about owls.

As an animal lover who is equally passionate about animal books, I had so looked forward to this book after reading a shorter piece by Stacey O'Brien in Kinship with Animals: Updated Edition

Charming, funny, magical, heart-breaking. Thank you, Stacey, for your generosity, wisdom and talent. And God Bless Wesley.

Mary Ludington, Author/Photographer The Nature of Dogs

This is the best book, you will laugh and you will cry. I read it in one day because I couldnt put it down, I fell in love with that owl right away and wish I could have met them both, I too had an 18 year bond with a bird and I know exactly how that owl became her heart and soul, I sent it to a freind to read and will buy 10 of them to give as presents this holiday!! Wesley the Owl I love you!!! Jeannie

This is a fabulous, well-written book. Well beyond a girl-and-her-pet memoir, this book provides a peek into the life of a biologist, and a ton of fascinating insight about barn owls. I hope Stacey O'Brien is doing better dealing with her health problems these days. I loved this book and will be quoting it to others for years to come!

This was a wonderful read! Such an easy read while telling of such a deep relationship that people share with animals.

I'm an animal lover and in addition to horses, dogs, cats, a duck, chipmunck, etc. have had house rabbits for 12 years(and learned that they are little furry beings from outerspace, with their own language, and are not at all like cats), and a conure (mini-macaw) for 17 years, which has taught me how smart and long-lived "parrots" are, and how these creatures can tune into their house mates emotions.

Wesley's learning to fly, reaction to water, and many other parts resonated with my own experiences with both rabbits and conure.

So I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it very much, although I thought for a scientist the author went a bit overboard on the animal/psychic and animal emotions parts, and some of it also seemed a tad "padded" - like a more ruthless editor would have improved things.

I was also glad that Wesley lived to a ripe old age and that his death, while very sad, at least wasn't due to some stupid misguided act or attitude by his caregiver, who unlike the author of another bird memoir many of us have regreted reading, knew what she was getting into with adopting a "special needs" wild baby.

I'd heartily recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of adopting a bird of any age or species, so they know what they're getting into.

One comment on the Kindle edition: for the most part the many photos of Wesley are fine, but there is one photo missing - only the caption appears. I don't know whether this happened in the conversion to Kindle format, or if the photo is missing from the paper edition too.

With a damaged wing, four-day-old Wesley the barn owl would never be strong enough to hunt for food and would not last long in the wild on his own. Stacey O'Brien, who was working as a biologist at the California Institute of Technology at the time, instantly fell in love with the little owlet that Valentine's Day morning in 1985. She agreed to care for him in what turned out to be a drama-filled and often humorous life together.

In 17 poignant and detailed chapters of "Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl," O'Brien describes her 19 years with Wesley, eventually coining the term "The Way of the Owl" to describe his inclinations. She recounts how Wesley did not tolerate lies; he seemingly held her to her promises; and he provided unconditional love. She and Wesley even snuggled and talked to each other, she writes.

n "Wesley the Owl," the author describes how she and the owl came to love and depend on each other, communicating in their own language, both verbal and physical. As an owl researcher, O'Brien easily became attached to Wesley, going on to make important and previously unknown discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence and communication skills.

She generally kept Wesley a secret to everyone except her closest family and friends, fearing that radical animal-rights activists of the time would learn about him and try to "free" Wesley, who she knew would be terrified and completely unable to live on his own in nature. Throughout the book O'Brien shares with readers how Wesley truly was her reminder of God. "He was my teacher, my companion, my child, my playmate," she notes.

At one point O'Brien was diagnosed with a brain tumor that was inoperable but noncancerous. Through Wesley, she is convinced, she was able to fight the sickness and continue living. The tumor caused O'Brien to have mini-strokes and various health complications that severely affected her lifestyle and ability to work. As she became weighed down with the immensity of her illness, she worried about being able to care for little Wesley. At her lowest point, considering suicide, she realized the sensitive owl still needed and loved her.

The two were inseparable. O'Brien describes how through the years Wesley was curious, joyful, strong-willed and full of life. She took this opportunity to study an owl the way few scientists had before. While living with O'Brien, the owl was able to learn to fly despite his bad wing, discovered a love for water, and made a habit of destroying magazines, she writes. He even realized his predatory ability to hunt mice. The author speculates she's purchased some 20,000 mice for him through the years. She was required to buy the rodents in bulk.

In "Wesley the Owl," the author movingly details how her life was changed and rearranged by this animal's intelligence and sensitivity, and how the power of the human-animal relationship surprised even her. This touching memoir will expand your knowledge and challenge your thinking about interspecies communication and compassion.

I also had a blast this week reading Squawk!: How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results