Carl Safina

What a great story about the natural world and filled with photographs worthy of National Geographic. As indicated by the publisher's blurb, it is the story of one tiny rescued owl and those who ensured her survival as well as those of her progeny at a time in the human world when life was viewed as more precious because of the restrictions and more because of a growing pandemic. The reading level is no less than middle school but is well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, hospital, or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary advance uncorrected proof on Adobe Digital Editions from W. W. Norton & Company/Norton Young Readers via NetGalley. Thank you!… (mais)

#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.… (mais)

The whole book was brilliant for anyone interested in animals (esp. sea life) and nature. It’s filled with facts and anecdotes I found fascinating (an albatross circles the planet at the equivalent of the equator 3 1/2 times every year!!). And he does a really great job of taking you there. Whether there is Midway Island crammed with albatross is under every foot path, or to the bloody hooks of a fishing line drowning magnificent birds for no reason.

This is why I had to stop reading the book in the last third of it. Because, quite necessarily, he focuses on the horrors humans have wrought on these birds the oceans and nature itself. I just couldn’t continue anymore.

Already being a vegetarian who never liked fish, it left me feeling sad and hopeless because there is so little that we can actually do to stop this human destruction.… (mais)

The focus is on animal intelligence and learning, but it’s more about why they have culture in their different population groups, than about how that information is actually passed down from older animals to younger ones (although there are plenty examples of that). It gets very detailed in parts, and philosophical in others, and sometimes meanders into related side topics, which in this case I didn’t at all mind. There are three sections, about three very different animals, though each also has some examples and anecdotes from other species. The first part is about sperm whales, how they stay together in family groups via communication and how the young are protected and supported by the group. It’s also a lot about how humans previously hunted whales to near extinction, and how that changed some of their behavior, and what things are shifting back (in different ways) now that we’ve mostly stopped. This all includes personal close encounters as the author went out on a boat with research scientists who were tagging and listening in on sperm whales off the coast of Dominica in the Caribbean. So there’s a bit of science-in-the-field writing (which I really like), and also the author’s personal responses to being so close to such huge, wild and yet very gentle creatures.

The next part of the book is about parrots, specifically macaws. Again, the author traveled to the Amazon to observe macaws in the wild with researchers, marveled at their striking colors, learned some things about their behavior, nesting site choices, chick-rearing strategies, interactions with humans (some were rescued and people are attempting to rehabilitate them back into the wild) and so on. But mostly, this part is about beauty. Why are some birds so beautiful, in ways that we appreciate? What purpose does flamboyant display serve in nature and evolution. Well, his conclusion is simply that female birds like males that are gorgeous, that stand out. He makes the argument that beauty makes the world go round just as much as any other drive- that birds do have motivation to sing because they feel good about it (not just because they’re yelling to warn rivals away, or to call potential mates near). It doesn’t have to be: birds sing because they are happy, or contrariwise: birds sing because they are just communicating something, pushed by evolutionary goals. It can be both. That made me sit back and think.

The last section gave me the same reaction, but in a totally different vein. This part is about chimpanzee behavior, namely how their society is ordered. The males are driven by aggression, but a good high-ranking male can quell that among others and more or less keep the peace. They wage war on rival chimpanzee groups, like humans and ants do. Other ape relatives don’t- bonobos solve things -ahem- by making love, orangutans are mostly solitary, etc. But they way Safina writes about chimpanzee conflicts and communication and the male need for power and control, makes you look very uncomfortably at the same aspects of human behavior. Especially if you compare it to how well other animal societies manage to get along without waging war or killing their own kind. This is another book sure to stay on my shelf, definitely worth a re-read to facilitate some more thinking.… (mais)