This is one of those rare and magical books that manages to be both extremely educational and deeply entertaining. The author's humor and candor make this book so incredibly enjoyable and completely save it from any dryness. I've always loved owls, and have stored up assorted trivia about them, but didn't have a full understanding of how they lived and functioned. Of course I still don't have a full understanding, because one book does not an expert make, but I would say that it's much fuller now. From the first few pages, where the author explains the facts that owls are extremely emotionally sensitive and that they've evolved to need every single part of a mouse's body to survive, I was hooked. I read this book almost straight through, fascinated at the facts and stories she shared and in awe of her patience and tenacity in the difficult business of taking care of her barn owl. She states that you can never ever react aggressively when an owl does something undesirable, and she kept this owl for 20 years without ever losing patience. Astounding and so so admirable. If you love animals and learning and also humor, this book is for you.