The Wise Hours
A Journey into the Wild and Secret World of Owls

I kept stalling out on this because I felt I should be enjoying it more -- should be enthralled -- and I wasn't. The natural history and mythological lore of owls are awkwardly stitched together with the passages about the mysterious illness of Darlington's son. His illness came on during the period......more

As a lover of owls, I gravitated towards this book and bought it almost on a whim. The owl knowledge and poetic language of the novel didn't disappoint. Darlington has a wonderful voice when it comes to describing the natural world around her, and her excitement encountering owls in the wild is infe......more

DNF about 30% through. I was already not really enjoying how much of this was about her son, but found the descriptions of owls interesting. I especially liked how she criticized the "cute-ification" of owls. Unfortunately, it seems she doesn't take her own advice. I gave up when she started discuss......more

In this love letter to owls, Miriam Darlington combines scientific information, personal observations, and even poetry to describe these multifaceted birds. While originally intending to focus on birds in Britain, the author broadens her scope with voyages to other countries to get up close and pers......more

A lovely and warm book about owls, and their place in the human imagination, as well as the responsibility we bear to care for these non-human animals.......more